THE STUMPJUMPERS

A secluded, sixty-year-old classic on a Central Park hill, built from stainless steel, concrete, and sand — without the modern plastic equipment. A long fire pole, hidey castles, a steep little slide, and an epic ash tree. A smaller, quieter Heckscher that locals love. Read the full review »

Known to regulars simply as “The Heck,” this is Central Park's oldest and largest playground, and the default meetup spot for half the families we know. Castle-like stone structures, a stream you can follow up to Umpire Rock, and skyscraper views. Usually packed with tourists and litter, but still very much worth a visit. Read the full review »

Tucked out of sight from Fifth Avenue and the jogging loop, this rustic little playground is mostly locals, and plenty of parents don't know it exists. A granite slide, a storybook stone bridge with water jets underneath, and a tire swing that turns strangers into friends. A true hidden gem. Read the full review »

One of NYC's latest and greatest: a group of medium-sized playgrounds side by side that add up to an amusement park. A Water Lab built into a rocky hill (with an Archimedes screw!), steel slides, secret bamboo trails, and a serene swing valley. Very busy, but definitely worth a day trip. Read the full review »

A brand-new playground right on the Hudson with a big slide you can only reach by conquering a tall ropes course. Fun, and nicely scary. Sadly, a lot of the new equipment is already broken, the bathrooms are always closed, and the staff seem to be on a permanent break. Go for the slide, then move on. Read the full review »

Deserted on a beautiful Sunday, and the famous big foam building blocks were nowhere to be found. The interesting-looking pipes don't do anything. Maybe that's the joke: the only thing left to play with is your imagination. The boat theme and Seaport setting are nice, but that's about it. Read the full review »

Picture a vacant lot where somebody dumped every old toy, plank, and tire from trash night, then handed the whole thing over to kids. It's muddy, weedy, and gloriously scuzzy — exactly the kind of play most kids never get anymore. Sign the waiver, wave goodbye at the gate, and let them at it. Read the full review »

Just a bunch of metal slides built into the side of a hill on Governors Island, and it's great because it does that one thing very well. Short fat slides, long thin slides, and the longest slide in all of NYC. Pair it with The Yard for a perfect island day. Read the full review »

An aging classic built around a squiggly concrete “river” that flows from a splash fountain down to the legendary sandbox, whose so-bad-they're-great sculptures creep some parents out. Hidden in Riverside Park, often overlooked, and completely wonderful. Both a hidden gem and worth the trip. Read the full review »

A playground full of seesaws and a real metal jungle gym — the stuff I grew up on — left to fend for itself. Flaking paint, weeds, missing seesaws, and a dead splash pad. Great concept, sad playground. The city should either give it some love or move the classics somewhere they'll be appreciated. Read the full review »

Our standard pit stop on a jogging-stroller lap around Central Park. The hippos and play canoes are genuine crowd-pleasers, though a few hippos are held together with duct tape these days. The real star is unofficial: a steep lump at the north end that beats the actual slide. Read the full review »

Playgrounds right on the water with skyline views, clubhouse structures styled after the old sugar refinery, a mist bath that seems to rise from the rocks, and a splash pad with jets that fire at random. Spotless bathrooms, a farmers market some days, and lots for parents to do. Very high marks. Read the full review »

Like a smaller, newer, more colorful version of River Run, built on a pier. The stream through the middle is perfect for damming with sand and floating things down. Worth a stop if you're near Little Island, but it's small, and I wouldn't go out of my way. Read the full review »

A great playground with play pieces you won't find anywhere else, and perhaps the best slides in the city — carved from granite. The little stage was a big hit, and the SeaGlass Carousel is right nearby. Highly recommended; just note that the bathrooms are closed for renovations. Read the full review »

One of my favorite playgrounds of all time. A giant wooden pipefish, one of the tallest (and definitely fastest) slides in the city, and a splash pad with salvaged stone bull heads and snail jets. Its only flaw is its name — it isn't actually on the water, which may be why it stays a local secret. Read the full review »

Just okay. I'd passed it a hundred times on the Central Park loop and finally went in. The log obstacles and a strange rope contraption make it worth a stop for kids who love to climb, but the entrance is hard to find and there are no bathrooms nearby. Read the full review »

About half the playground is fenced off because of a sinkhole, and the half that's open is in rough shape. The fiberglass dinosaurs it's named for have holes in them and look like a high school art project. Like Classic Playground, it feels as if the city gave up. The promised renovation can't come soon enough. Read the full review »

The worst playground we've ever reviewed. The fenced-in kids' area holds two lumpy orange things, and it's usually occupied by grown-ups who are not there for the lumpy orange things. I've never seen another kid in there. Lowest ratings across the board. Read the full review »

A giant bronze fellow lounging in a courtyard off 42nd Street, with slides for legs — a supersized cousin of the little bronze guys in the 14th Street subway station. Clean, quiet, and one of a kind. My daughter calls it “The Big Guy and Little Guys Playground,” and I can't improve on that. Read the full review »

Two giant climbable sturgeon that feel less like playground equipment and more like a sculpture you've been given permission to crawl all over. Add a fun playground next door, mini golf, an oyster bar on a boat, and serviceberries to snack on. Worth the trip — just not on a crowded weekend if you can help it. Read the full review »

A little toddler playground next to the Adventure Playground, with soft rubber lumps that are practically designed for first steps. We came here a lot when my daughter was learning to walk. No rowdy big kids, just calm Upper West Side parents and lots of pacifiers. Read the full review »