Gone are the playgrounds that consisted of a chipped slide, a swing for two and lots of sand. Now they are great constructions, which besides being imaginative, are inclusive and designed to make you fall and not get the classic scratch.
In addition to the capital, in the Community of Madrid some municipalities seem to compete in creating the most spectacular playground, to the benefit of children (and parents). Sophistication is here to stay among curved slides and giant rope spider webs. Other factors such as sustainability are now also taken into account.
1. Leganés Castle
This park fulfills the dream of many little ones (and some grown-ups). Considered the best playground in Spain, according to the Parques Urbanos awards, it is, in addition, europe’s largest playground.
It consists of a large castle, Robinia’s, which is ten meters high, three six-meter-long slides, as well as climbing areas and bridges.
Osa Menor Street (Leganés)
2. The island of Barataria
In the new Plaza de España there are two realities happening at the same time and just a few meters away. Entering from Gran Vía you will probably only see the esplanade -occupied by an event on many occasions- and some Verde on the sides and in the background, half hidden there is the most complete playground in the center of Madrid: the Isla de Barataria.
Here, in the shade of the banana trees, there is a fort with three slides of different heights, swings with a net base on which the little ones lie while swinging and other more classic ones with a car wheel as a support. In the summer, they also add a misting device to cool the Zone.
Plaza de España
3. Madrid Rio Slides
The playgrounds in Madrid Río are designed by BDU, the same team that designed the one in Plaza de España. The slide at Arganzuela Park takes advantage of a hill with plants to create the sliding tubes both in and out of the ground. Along the Madrid Rio there are also other spaces designed for the little ones, such as the Salón de Pinos: a rope park made mainly of pine tree trunks.
Arganzuela Park (Madrid Río)
4. Cerro del Aire
The Cerro del Aire Park is one of the most curious playgrounds in the Community of Madrid. It has four children’s areas with several attractions, including slides, palisades, nets, balancing areas and three giant animals that stand out as the main attraction.
The first zone has a 4.63-meter wooden lion with slides and climbing ramps. The second area features a 5-meter sparrow with a slide and a ramp accessible for children with reduced mobility. The third area includes a climbable owl with a resting area on top. In addition, there is a slide on the hillside.
Calle de Nicaragua, 10 (Majadahonda)
5. The playground with inflatable bed
The Victims of Terrorism Park in Boadilla del Monte has a differential fact difficult to match: an inflatable bed of 100 square meters with capacity for 15 to 20 children at a time. In addition, during the time it remains inflated there is a monitor to ensure that it is being used correctly. The hours to use it are, from Monday to Friday, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm; Saturdays, holidays and non-teaching days, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm and it is free of charge.
The park also has an extensive wooded Zone, a castle with slides and tables to play chess.
Av. Infante Don Luis, 1201 (Boadilla del Monte)
6. Ocean Park
If only there was a Michelin Guide dedicated to playgrounds, those of Alcobendas are the kind that deserve to go to meet them .
The ocean park is set in underwater life, as one might imagine. It has 500 square meters of pure fun, a whale, a submarine and lots ofprops : jellyfish, fish, reefs and anemones. It also has hammocks and a board game to simulate naval battles.
Paseo de Fuente Lucha s/n (Alcobendas)
7. Aviocar Playground
One of the things Getafe is known for is its military base area, and a common childhood dream is to fly or climb in a plane, joining these two realities has been a success. The Aviocar park, in addition to reproducing an airplane, dissected and accessible to children, including propellers, is a whole space with a sky-blue floor padded with zip lines, swings and cloud-shaped mounds.
Avenida Salvador Allende, 8 (Getafe)
8. Europa Park
This is a park in the most general sense of the word, to which could be added theme and children’s parks. Over 233,000 square meters, 19 iconic monuments from different European countries are reproduced on a smaller scale, but on a human scale, i.e., you can cross London’s Tower Bridge, or at least a copy of it. This alone is a good attraction for families, but it doesn’t stop there.
A water, light and sound show is also held throughout the summer on its navigable lake. In addition, there are children’s zones, boats for children, a space for multiadventures and even an equestrian center.
Torrejón de Ardoz
9. El Vivero Park
The El Vivero park in Colmenar Viejo has one main attraction: its curved tubular slide. But it also has two towers connected by a tube, with adjoining platforms in the form of viewpoints on which is the curved slide and another straight tubular slide. There is also a children’s playhouse with a gable roof suitable for climbing.
Av. de Los Remedios, 50 (Colmenar Viejo)
10. Ecobulevar playground
Three playgrounds inspired by fantasy worlds were created in Ensanche de Vallecas . One of them is the ecological boulevard built between 2004 and 2007 by the firm Ecosistema Urbano, whose function is to be a social and bioclimatically conditioned public space. Within this space, one of the most imaginative children’s areas in Madrid was created.
It is a complex structure of rings, ropes and slides designed for children to develop the desire to explore, imagine and at the same time play sports (without being hot).
Ensanche de Vallecas