Norwood Park (Chevy Chase)

4700 Norwood Dr, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

This tree-lined playground in Chevy Chase has pretty much everything: an extensive set of climbing equipment, including old-fashioned rarities like see-saws, a whirligig, and a tire swing; two tennis courts; long grassy areas; and picnic tables.

There's enough here to keep kids of most ages entertained for a while; the see-saws alone kept my kids busy for a solid half hour. 

Parts of the playground will usually be in shade, thanks to the surrounding trees, and while there is no real bathroom, there are two porta-potties, which make possible the long visit this playground deserves.

Martin Luther King Jr. Playground (White Oak)

1120 Jackson Road, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904

This playground has an extensive climbing structure that preschoolers will love, a scattering of smaller structures, extensive basketball courts, and a large grassy area. There is also a shaded picnic area and well-maintained bathrooms.

The epicenter of the playground, without question, is its old-fashioned whirligig, which usually has more than a dozen kids on it at once (it took a while to get a picture of it empty!) On most afternoons, there tends to be a good mix of younger kids who want to sit on the whirligig, and older ones who want to push it, which is crucial if you are a parent who values your ability to stand up straight without falling.

Although it is located right next to a school, this is not a school playground - you can go any time.

Sligo Creek/Forest Glenn Playground (Silver Spring)

As far as the internet can tell me, this playground -- set right off the Sligo Creek Trail, near the intersection of Sligo Creek Parkway and Forest Glenn Avenue [click for map] -- doesn't have an official name. It seems fairly new, with a great mix of structures appropriate for various ages -- both toddlers and older elementary school kids will find things to do here.

There's also a basketball court, a stretch of empty field, and plenty of wooded area to play in. A short walk up Sligo Creek trail (over the bridge) will get you to an area of the creek with stepping stones, which is also a favorite.The playground tends to be pretty well-shaded, too, especially in the afternoon.

Glenallen Elementary School Playground (Wheaton-Glenmont)

Located behind Glenallen Elementary School, 12520 Heurich Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20902.

This is a school playground, and so only accessible during non-school hours (we went on a Sunday afternoon). But both my toddler and my 8-year-old were enraptured by its bright, unusual, and challenging climbing structures. There are also large stretches of asphalt chalked with numbers and symbols for various esoteric games that my older kids had no trouble figuring out (or making up).

The playground's main drawback is a complete lack of shade, so if it's hot, aim for early morning or late afternoon.

We parked (legally, I hope) on the near-empty parking lot off Heurich Road, and just walked around the school building to access the playground. I also saw plenty of older kids getting there by foot, mostly to make use of the six-hoop basketball courts.

Hadley's Playground (Potomac)

Located in Falls Road Local Park, 12600 Falls Rd., Potomac MD.

For younger kids, this playground has everything: four entirely separate play structures, a long circular path for scooters, a spread-out grassy area, and even a tire swing (for some reason, a rarity in Montgomery County Playgrounds).

Most of the equipment is geared toward younger children (toddler through 6 years old), but one of the structures has a variety of monkey bars that are challenging for older kids, too. The ground is entirely covered by rubber tile, and although there are no real bathrooms, there is a porta-potty in the parking lot. The only thing lacking is shade, but there is a covered picnic area -- and, when I was there on a Sunday, an ice cream truck parked semi-permanently in the parking lot.

Ellsworth Playground (downtown Silver Spring)

Ellsworth Park [click for map] is a pretty playground in downtown Silver Spring with several play areas and great climbing structures. It also has swings, tennis courts, and some stretches of grass. The structures span all ages, including some fairly difficult blocky climbing structures that attracted the interest of the younger teens who were there doing homework.

 There used to be a library next door, but it has now been closed (hopefully the building will be turned into something else for kids); there's also a clay-painting studio called Color Me Mine down the block.