8th & Alton Park, Madison

Location: 8th & Alton St., Madison, IL 62002

Website: https://cityofmadisonil.com/departments/parks-rec/

Playground Ground Cover: Rubber chips

This playground is older. The park is fully enclosed with a fence and gate. There are 2 play structures with tic-tac-toe boards, a chain climber, a pretend window, a rock wall, a steering wheel, slides, and bars and poles. 

3rd Street/Fire Department Park, Madison

Location: 3rd St., Madison, IL 62060    

Website: https://cityofmadisonil.com/departments/parks-rec/

Playground Ground Cover: Rubber Chips

This park is older, but the equipment is still functional. It's mostly enclosed except for 2 entrance points that don't have gates. It's right behind the Madison fire station, so kiddos may like checking that out as well! 

The play structure has a rock wall, slides, a pretend window, a tic-tac-toe board, a bridge, and bars and poles for climbing. 

Pleasant Ridge Park, Fairview Heights

Location: 401 Pleasant Ridge Rd., Fairview Heights, IL 62208

Website: https://www.cofh.org/facilities/facility/details/Pleasant-Ridge-Park-3

Playground Ground Cover: Wood chips

Pleasant Ridge Park, in the northern part of the city, is the largest of the two community parks with 95 acres. The park offers wintertime sledding. A bit of very early Fairview Heights history is represented in the park in the form of a 2-story log cabin, a structure built about 1850 by the Kinsella family. Our Parks and Recreation page has more information on the history of the Kinsella Log Cabin. Other facilities in the park are 4 picnic pavilions, a playground, 2 restrooms, and open space for passive recreation. 

The playground is smaller, but it is enclosed with a wooden fence. The play structure is 2 stories with several slides, a bubble window, a zip line, and a bouncing bench. 

Teddy & Friends Playground at Queeny Park, Ballwin

Location: 550 Weidman Rd., St. Louis, MO 63131

Amenities: Fishing, trails, tennis courts, playground, seasonal indoor ice rink (October to February)

Website: http://www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/ParkPages/Queeny

Playground ground cover: Poured rubber

The original Queeny Park playground was amazing, but it failed to pass inspection in 2023, so it was replaced with an Unlimited Play Playground that opened in August 2025. 

I had to leave photos of the old 1974 playground up because it was so iconic and different. The new playground is called Teddy & Friends after Teddy Gooch. He was diagnosed with dwarfism. This playground is board game-themed, centered on games like Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, Connect Four, and Teddy's favorite- Chess. There is also a "Game of Life" car doubling as a glider, and a "Don't Break the Ice" parallel play rope piece. The entrance features a big hippo, and the sun shades have the Twister pattern on them, too. So fun! With a board game theme and specialized ADA‑accessible design, families, especially those with children of differing abilities, will have more reasons than ever to play together at this wonderful playground! 

Currently, there are no restrooms, but there are porta-potties and picnic benches right outside the fence. 

The entire playground is enclosed with a fence and a gate. 

Webbed spinner

There are 2 ADA swings, a sling swing, a modified expression swing, and a baby swing. 

A quiet spot for kids who are overwhelmed.

A cute little playhouse with candy accents

We-Go-Round

Gliding car 

Musical instrument area

Hungry hungry hungry hippo entrance!

Saucer swing

Ziplines

Rolley slide

Manipulatives on the ramps

Connect Four Climber

Lots of interactive boards on the play structures