Småland at IKEA, St. Louis City

Location: 1 Ikea Way, St. Louis, MO 63110

Website: https://www.ikea.com/kr/en/customer-service/shopping-at-ikea/smaland/

Småland is a free forest-themed play area at IKEA. While your kids are playing, you can enjoy your shopping experience knowing your children will be safe and cared for. When you arrive, you fill out a form and check your kids in. They have to be between 37 and 54 inches tall and potty-trained. They will give you a beeper and write down the time you need to pick up the kids (you have 60 minutes). 

There are many toys to play with, including blocks, magnatiles, dominoes, musical toys, trains, and cars and trucks. There is also a ball pit, a kitchen, and a slide. There is an upper area where they show movies. They always have crayons and a craft going on as well.  It's an excellent service that IKEA provides! They do limit the room to a certain number of kids, so if it's a weekend or holiday, you may have to wait. The food at IKEA is wonderful and inexpensive, so you could easily spend a few hours here playing, shopping, and eating.

Indian Meadows Park, Olivette

Location: 9625 Huron Dr, Olivette, MO 63132

Website: http://www.olivetteparksandrec.com/indian-meadows-park.html

Playground Ground Cover: Wood Chips

Amenities:

• BBQs
• pavilion
• picnic tables
• multi-use fields
• playgrounds
• restrooms (open April-November)
• walking path
• water table feature

This park is long and skinny and there are 2 separate playgrounds that are not close together, one at each end (see my map photo below). It's in the middle of a residential neighborhood so there's just street parking. There are restrooms near the playground on the left but none at the playground on the right. 

First I'll discuss the older playground at the top left.  It's large and includes 2 baby swings, 2 sling swings, and 2 large play structures. One of them is basically a huge rock wall-style climber with monkey bars in the center. The regular structure has 3 different slides, a steering wheel, 2 different rock walls, assorted bars and poles, a bouncing bar, and a storefront. This is a great playground if you have a climber!

The covered pavilion and restroom buildings are right next to the playground

Steering wheel and telescope

Pretend windows

The new playground built in late 2022 is very natural, with lots of wood and rope netting. It also has a unique metal water feature. It's unlike anything I've seen at a public playground around here.

There are several troughs with manipulative objects. 

Irv Zeid Citizens Park, Olivette

Location: 9100 Old Bonhomme Rd, Olivette, MO 63132

Website: http://www.olivetteparksandrec.com/irv-zeid-citizens-park.html

Playground Ground Cover: Wood chips

AMENITIES:

• dog park
• BBQs
• drinking fountain
• pavilion
• picnic tables
• multi-use fields
• playground
• restrooms (open April-November)
• volleyball

This playground feels like it's tucked in the woods. It is partly shaded and was redone in late 2022. 

Old playground

The new equipment is all wood and nature themed. 

There are lots of wooden beams to climb on, netted climbers, and a spinning saucer.

 

Cute little tree house

There is a large covered pavilion by the playground and there is a restroom building in the background.