a
Have you ever searched “park with no woodchips”?
How often do you hear your sandal wearer complain about having to take their footwear off to remove them?
Are you a germaphobe?
Most of the NJ Playgrounds we have visited have wood chips for ground cover, but for Father’s Day here’s a special gift, no-wood chips!
Here are some cool parks that feature other surfaces. Make sure you click on each park to take a look at the photos for that playground. Have we missed a park? Comment below!
UPDATE- NEW PARKS ADDED-Â USE this tag link to get a summary listing of these non wood chip parks in NJ!
Regatta Playground, West Orange, NJ (South Mountain Reservation)
Phil Rizzuto Park in Union, NJ
Lurker Playground in East Hanover, NJ
Gardner Field in Denville, NJ *just added 8/10/2009- tks Sondra
Elysian Park and Maxwell Park in Hoboken,NJ
Laurel Hill Park, Secaucus, NJ
Brookdale Park, Bloomfield & Montclair,NJ
Brookside Park, Bloomfield, NJ
Lyndhurst Town Park, Lyndhurst, NJ
Weehawken Waterfront Park, Weehawken, NJ
Bob Meyer Park, Fort Medford, NJ
Lakeside Village, West Windsor, NJ
Castle Park II, Toms River, NJ
Dorbrook Recreation Center, Colts Neck, NJ
Constitution Park, Fort Lee *added 3/2010
We want your feedback, are we missing your favorite park with wood chips or no wood chips? Please email us at njplaygrounds@gmail.com we’d love to hear from you! Also don’t forget to enter our free giveaway to win a really useful accessory…
Please add Garnier Field in Denville. It has a rubber floor throughout most of the park.
Also please add Fireman’s Field in Mt. Arlington to this list. It has recycled tires for its padding.
Thank you and a great website. Sondra
Thanks Sondra, we haven’t done Fireman’s field yet, but we’ll put it on our list to visit.
Storybook Park in Kinnelon, behind Kinnelon Public Library is wood-chip free. It is small, but fenced in and suitable for toddlers.
Long Bridge Park in Hainesport (Burlington Co) has rubber mulch, as does a nearby park near the community center. Big problem for me–I have a severe allergy to both natural latex rubber and a life-threatening sensitivity to many of the compounds used to make tires. I believed the hype that rubber mulch was safe and nearly needed medical intervention. 🙁 So–this list is GREAT for those of us who absolutely cannot visit rubber mulch playgrounds.
wow thanks Jocelyn, I didn’t even think of the latex factor, I’m glad this list serves you well.
Memorial Pool Park in Westfield, NJ and Esposito Park in Clark can both be added to the list! Great website. Keep reviewing more parks!
Simons Park in Morris Plains has recycled tire playground.
Love your book, by the way. Have given it as a gift more than once.
The new overpeck park in ridgefield park is woodchip free and lots of fun too!
I love this site, but – “hate wood chips”??? I would have fully expect a forum exposing dangers of rubber flooring in playgrounds. There has been a number of concerned articles about it (including gardening magazines ;), and one doesnt have to be a scientist to figure that tire waste (especially, when heated in the sun), emits fumes that may be of serious concern…, particularly to children. Natural gum – latex, i agree, its a different story, but that’s not what majority of rubber floring is made of… Sorry, dont have time to list all relevant links – just one example… http://www.ehhi.org/turf/rubber_mulch_facts08.shtml
I’ll be interested to learn a differnt point of view, tough.
something for me to look into! if you do have some more links, would love to see ’em.. thanks Kasia!
don’t forget the new playground on Snyder Ave in Berkeley Heights.
Tatum Park in Middletown is our favorite–the playground is accessible from Red Hill Road, across from Deep Cut County Park. Clean and pristine, with shaded eating spots, soft (NOT smelly tires!!) foam surface, separate play areas for littles and bigs, and did I mention across the street from amazing Deep Cut gardens?
rubber mulch can be dangerous it has i high chance of steel belted ra dial scrap metal sliping into the mulch and also stains clothes and shoes. wood chip mulch is great all natural and healthy for our children and environment . who stared this site , ther is always someone looking to complain . there is no pleaseing some people
How about the Newport Green in Jersey city? My daughter loves it.
The playground at Colonial Park (156 Mettlers Road, East Millstone, NJ) is rubber floor.
Bonus – it also has a section for small toddlers!
http://somersetcountyparks.org/parksFacilities/colonial/CP_Playground.html
Thank you for this list! It is very helpful. My 17 month old does much better on a solid surface and I’ve been searching for options. I’ve seen some of the negative posts and would like to remind everyone we all have different reasons for choosing our preferences while weighing out the pros and cons. I’m sure a list of wood chip only parks may be helpful for some and while I don’t particularly care for them others may. In addition I would like to add that the montville community park has an area for older kids that is wood mulch while the toddler area is a solid rubber type surface. Thanks again. I hope you will continue to update this list.
Thanks Racine for your thoughtful comment we will keep at updating non wood chip parks plus new design on the way for the site overall! Enjoy the upcoming Spring weather!