Point Defiance Playground (202 Good Days in Tacoma)

With all the other great stuff to do at Point Defiance, it's easy to forget that there's a very nice playground, free and open seven days a week. We spent the afternoon there with some friends, about 40 other local kids, and a large contingent of adults playing Frisbee in the fine Spring weather.

This is a fine playground. There are some interesting aspects to the play structure, like a ride-on tram the kids can sit on and be transported by another kid turning a hand-crank. It also has some great monkey-bar type things, for older kids who like to exercise their inner monkey.

Some things we (meaning the moms I've visited the park with, today and in the past) would like to see changed:

• The swings are too far from the play structure, and there are only baby (bucket style) swings.
• The fence that runs along the side that overlooks the water desperately needs a gate where the trail down to the water begins. We've all taken a turn chasing an active toddler down that trail at one point or another, and at the bottom there's no barrier between kid and water. When they get to the bottom, if you keep them from running over the edge, they will want to climb back up the cliff rather than the stairs. It's one of those "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" kinds of things, it's inevitable.

If you don't have a runner child, just take my word for it on that one. If you do, particularly if you have multiple children and you don't want to be chasing one and leaving the others, this park is best left to occasions when you have other adults with you. It's a beautiful place, though, with plenty of picnic tables and BBQ space. The tables all say "reserved" but typically they are free on weekdays.

Metroparks is taking comments on their new Point Defiance Park draft plan right now. It's a great time to let them know what you'd like to see for this playground and other spots around the park. (I've already expressed my wish for a fence and a gate)

Point Defiance Park
5400 Pearl St
Tacoma