DS2 & DS4

We visited two tot lots in Dorsey's Search today, July 14, 2017.
We started at DS2 - parking on Eagles Wing Ct (parking on Henhawk Ct. is also an option). It was a short walk from where we parked. This was a nicely spread out tot lot, and was also very nicely shaded. There are 2 benches to sit on. In one area are two baby swings (which occasionally caught the sun), and a small-ish sized sand box. The three big kid swings are off in another area. In the third area are a set of chin-up bars and a bouncy balance. There's also a very nice slide structure here. The slide itself is at least 6 feet high, plastic, and has a couple of bounces going down. The large structure around it has somewhat high steps, but large platforms at each step to stand on. There are also monkey bars attached to the slide structure.

sandbox

baby swings

big kid swings

slide structure with monkey bars

chin-up bars and balance

We decided to walk to DS4, which turned out to be a 15 minute (with 3 pre-schoolers/toddlers). The walk was partly on the paths, and partly on sidewalks. There were a couple of sunny spots, but no major hills. DS3 may have been a slightly shorter walk from DS2.
DS4 is a smaller tot lot. It was also almost in full sun. There are two big kid swing and one baby swing. The plastic slide is about 5 feet high, and goes straight down. There's a ramp up to the slide, or a metal ladder on the side for the bigger kids to climb up.  Although there isn't as much playground here, there's a very nice green area for the kids to run around. If going directly to this tot lot there is parking on Bright Bay Way.

swings

ladder side of the slide structure

slide

ramp up to the slide

WL7 & WL6

We visited WL7 and WL6 on July 10, 2017.
WL7 is small, but has a certain charm. This is the tot lot mentioned in this article. It is apparently known as Bleak House. My friends and I were describing it as having a run down castle or ruins feeling. According to the article the play area is created out of the ruins of a stone house that was once part of Oakland Manor. However, it now looks a little different from the picture in the article. There is one plastic slide, that is about 3 feet high and goes straight down. The slide is the only really thing there. There's a little ramp and some fun steps. However, our kids had fun playing and running around for quite a while. There is no bench to sit on at this tot lot. It's pretty nicely shaded here.
The path to this tot lot is on Rain Dream Hill. The path was easily visible from the road, it's a bit of hill up, but it wasn't too bad a climb. However, the tot lot is a bit off the path and we had to walk on the grass to get to it. Also, if I hadn't been with friends, I may have walked right past it. So, you really need to be looking for it.

There isn't another tot lot that is easily walkable from WL7, so we got into our cars and drove 3 or 4 minutes to WL6. This tot lot is right by the Bryant Woods Pool/Neighborhood Center and the Bryant Woods Children's Center.  Parking on Green Mountain Circle is a little closer than parking at the actual pool. The path and the tot lot were visible from the street. There is a square sandbox, but no toys here. Two baby swings and two big kid swings here. The big kid swing are a little high off the ground. The plastic slide has a couple of bumps going down and is about 5 feet high. There are steps going up to the slide. The bottom of the slide is a little high off the ground. There are 2 bouncy cars here too. There's a nice green area to run around too. There are 2 benches to sit on, on either side of the sandbox. This tot lot is half shaded and half sunny.

RH11 and RH12

Today we visited two tot lots in River Hill. We went to RH11 and RH12. These tot lots are on either side of Great Star Drive, right where it meets Route 32.

We started at RH11 and I parked on Morning Time Lane. The path was clearly visible from the street, and it was about a 3 minute walk to the tot lot. Here the baby swings and big kid swings are on separate structures. There are 2  baby swings and 4 big kid swings. The big kid swings are a bit high off the ground (at least for a short kid).  There's a small square sandbox. The plastic slide is about 5 feet high and it goes straight down. There's a ramp going up to the slide and a tunnel area underneath the slide. There are 2 benches to sit on. This tot lot is not well shaded. We could also hear the traffic from the road.

This was on the back of the baby swing. It's the first time I've noticed one of these - at least one that was readable!

We walked to RH12, which meant we had to cross Great Star Drive. We didn't have a hard time crossing, but I'm not sure I would recommend doing it with little kids. It was only a 3 or 4 minute walk from the previous tot lot. This tot lot was better shaded. There 2 baby swings and 3 big kid swings - again on separate structures. There were 2 bouncy animals and a set of what my husband informs me are chin-up bars. The chin up bars are definitely for taller/bigger kids. There was also a small balance block. My daughter was quick to point out that there was no slide here! There was one bench to sit on here. The closest parking for this tot lot would be Reedy Song Knoll.

chin up bars

balance block 

HR4 and HR6 (and HR5)

We visited HR4  and HR6 on June 20, 2017. We were going to visit HR5, but it is not there.
We went to HR6 first. The closest parking is on Sunny Spring or on Cricket Pass. There is one baby swing and one big kid swing. The swings are on one side of the path and are in direct sun. However, the other side of the tot lot is shadier. On this side there is a seesaw that seats 4. There is one bouncy car. The plastic slide is about 4 1/2 feet high, and has a couple of bounces going down. There are steps going up to the slide. There are also some 'toys' there. The telephone tubes here worked, which was very exciting for my daughter. There's also some sort of car racing toy that you maneuver by handles, and some other marble toy.  There is one bench to sit on. The ground here also seems to be plastic mulch.

swings

seesaw and bouncy car

HR4 is about a six minute walk from HR6. We did have to cross the street at Sunny Spring, but there's a nice crosswalk there, so it made it easier. You could also park on Bright Plume and take the path from there. This tot lot has a similar design, the swings are on one side of the path - one baby swing and one big kid swing. The swings are also in the sun here. On the other side of the path there is a sand box and two bouncy animals. The plastic slide is about 4 feet high and goes straight down. There are steps going up to the slide platform. There is a tree right in the middle here, so the slide and sand box are pretty well shaded. However, the bouncy animals were still in the sun.
From here we walked to where HR5 is on the CA Pathways Map, but it was not there.

swings

sandbox

bouncy animals

slide