Pershall Park, Hazelwood

Location:539 Fee Fee Hills Dr, Hazelwood, MO 63042

Website: http://www.hazelwoodmo.org/services/parks

Playground Ground Cover: Wood Chips

Amenities: Athletic fields, accessible comfort station, fitness course, horseshoes, multi-use court, accessible picnic pavilion, picnic site, accessible playground, racquetball/handball courts, lighted tennis courts, mile walking/jogging path, volleyball

The restrooms look like jail cells ha! It's a decent playground though, with a large play structure.  It has several different slides, a bridge, lots of monkey bars, and poles. There are 3 animals to ride on, a baby swing, and a sling swing. Next to the swings is a huge sand pit.

Large pavilion

Swings and sand pit

Horseshoe pits and basketball courts in the back

Raquetball courts

Brookes Park, Hazelwood

Location: 498 Brookes Dr, Hazelwood, MO 63042

Website: http://www.hazelwoodmo.org/services/parks

Playground Ground Cover: Wood Chips

Amenities include: Accessible comfort station, accessible picnic pavilion, picnic site, accessible playground, historic buildings

I was surprised to find 3 historic buildings on the property here! I love touring old houses and will have to come back when they are open to the public.  The Old Elm Grove School, also known as the Little Red Schoolhouse, was built around 1852 and is said to be the earliest school building in the county. The red brick of the one room school were used in an unusual fashion in that the brick faces are turned toward the inside. The school closed in 1952. Another landmark in Brookes Park is the Stuart-Utz-Teson House. Alexander Stuart, a friend of Lewis and Clark, built the two-story, dog-trot style log home in 1824. The home was purchased by Julius Utz in 1832, a Southern sympathizer during the Civil War, and was owned by the Utz family until 1914. The Stuart-Utz-Teson House has been placed on National Register of Historic Places. The Knobbe House is also in Brookes Park. It originally was located on the site of the Village Square Shopping Center and was moved to Brookes Park in 1995. The oldest part of Knobbe House was built in 1870 by Bernard Henke. It was purchased two years later by Henke's son-in-law, Joseph Steven Knobbe, Sr, whose son, Joseph Knobbe, Jr, went on to be instrumental in the incorporation of Hazelwood in 1949. Hazelwood has restored the home and re-adapted it for public use as office space and public meeting space. Another landmark is the St. Cin House, built in the 1850's by Francis St. Cin whose family were early settlers in Hazelwood. The bricks for this Federal style home were made on St. Charles Rock Road.

The playground itself has one large structure, and 2 baby swings and 2 sling swings. On the structure are slides, monkey bars, a bridge, and poles. It has restrooms but they are seasonal.

Rayburn Park, Crestwood

Location: Bounded by Fox Creek Ct and Rayburn Ave, Crestwood, MO 63126

Website: https://www.cityofcrestwood.org/Facilities

Playground Ground Cover: Poured Rubber

The old playground just had a merry-go-round, slide, and a swing. It's much better now! The new playground was just installed in the summer of 2019. There are 2 sections, the first one you come to is for kids over 5 and then if you go up the hill and around the corner you'll see another playground for younger kids. The first playground features the COOLEST swing I have ever seen, it's called a Gravity Rail. There is one play structure with 2 ramps for the swing, a tic tac toe board, 2 drums, 2 slides, and a spider web climber. There are a couple benches to sit on and it's partially shaded as well.

Here is the video of the swing, it's so cool! I've never seen a swing like this in St. Louis. Be careful with little kids though, this thing is heavy and I saw quite a few kids fall down while trying to pull it all the way to the top of the ramp. It usually took at least 2 kids or an adult to get it up there. The swing is like a sling swing combined with a zip line, and it goes around in a big loop.

 The line for this swing was very long, everyone wanted a turn!

The second playground up the hill features a play structure, an expression swing, a modified merry-go-round, a spinning seat, and a play structure. 

There is one adaptive swing, an expression swing, and 2 sling swings.

View of the first playground down the hill.

Well done Crestwood! This is a great addition to the playgrounds in the area.

Ohlendorf Park, Affton

Location: 444 Spring Dr, Affton, MO 63123

Website: https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-departments/parks/places/ohlendorf-park/

Playground Ground Cover: Poured Rubber

This is a great playground for climbers. It's just one big climbing thing!

Bathrooms

Not sure what these semi circular rings of boulders are but my kids enjoy climbing on them!