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South Lake Park - Overland Park

By Guest Writer - Lacy Carpenter April 17, 2018

This last week a friend introduced me to South Lake Park in Overland Park. This 14-acre park has so much to offer and kept both the preschoolers and toddler entertained. I was surprised I had never even heard of it before! We had a picnic and playdate and before we knew it a couple hours had gone by.


There are plenty of amenities.

South Lake Park is setting you up for a pretty awesome play date. There are picnic tables and conveniently placed trash cans. Some of the picnic tables are under a shelter creating the perfect place if you need to get your kids out of the sun for a bit this summer. The park also has a parking lot that is not too far of a walk from the playground, but far enough that you are not worried about little ones running into the parking lot. Most importantly, moms, there are bathrooms and drinking fountains.


South Lake Park is not your average playground.


In case you had not noticed by now, we go to the park a lot. It is fun, it is free, and it is one of the few places you do not have to worry about the level of energy your children are exerting or the volume of their voices. We love parks. That being said sometimes parks can get a little stale. There are only so many times your kids are going to be interested in going up and down a slide. Throw in South Lake Park to mix it up. They have some really fun unique spinning equipment that our preschoolers absolutely loved. There is a really large climbing web that they had a lot of fun on too.  There is also some balance equipment if you want to work on those gross motor skills. Don’t worry though, if classic playgrounds are more your style they still have your basic playground and swings.


It is more than just a playground.                                    


Along the same lines of not letting your park days get stale, South Lake Park has more to offer than only a playground. Bring your fishing pole and let the kids fish in the pond, there are even piers to fish on for convenience. Load up the bikes and use their 0.4-mile biking trail or you can just take a walk around the pond to admire the geese and ducks that live there. You might also want to bring a basketball along because they have a basketball court too.


A park that is great for a range of ages.


All of the things mentioned previously make this a great park if you need a park that spans multiple age groups. There are a slide and baby swings for the little ones. Plenty of equipment to both challenge and entertain toddler through elementary aged kids. The older kids and adults will be happy using the path, the pond, and basketball court. It is the ideal location if you have a family or playdate that includes a wide range of ages.

If you would like to visit South Lake Park you can find it near 87th and Metcalf. 7601 W. 86th St. Overland Park, KS 66212

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