What makes a great park?

As new father, I’d say it’s a place with enough activities to keep your kid busy that also has something to entertain the adults.

Lawrence’s Deerfield Park is that and more.

With a daughter who’s almost a year old, and a need for her mother and me to get more physical activity, we recently started looking for a park that was walking distance from our apartment.

We found a couple that were so-so before coming across Deerfield, which is located off Princeton Boulevard next to the elementary school of the same name. This place is like four parks within one. It has a skate park, basketball courts, multiple playgrounds, exercise equipment and baseball fields, and is a great spot to bring dogs, as well. I can’t say this is the best park in Lawrence, since I haven’t been to all of them, but this place is perfect for families.

Not only is it walking distance from where I live, but it has basketball courts and exercise equipment, so I can get in some exercise between sessions of pushing my daughter on the swings (about all she’s able to do at this point). Because, as new parents know, it’s easy to neglect your own health and wellbeing while taking care of a baby.

Another thing that really impressed me about the park was the Born Learning Trail, which features 10 interactive learning stations that encourage parents to read, talk and listen to their kids. The signs, which are courtesy of United Way of Douglas County and the Douglas County Community Foundation, give moms and dads a reminder of the importance of helping their children learn.

Kids’ brains are like sponges that soak up information from birth. Parents can prepare them for their futures by interacting with them at a young age. Here’s an example of one of the signs: It says, “Watch what your child likes to do. Do the things your child likes to do. Is your child starting or pointing at something? Ask, ‘What do you see?'”

So if you have kids and live in west Lawrence, I highly recommend Deerfield Park. Your child will have plenty of opportunities for fun and learning, and you even can burn a few calories shooting hoops or riding the exercise equipment in the process. Check it out.

http://wellcommons.com/photos/2014/aug/04/277217/