Why You’ve Gotta Check Out The Airport Playground in Calgary!

This is a sponsored post for The Airport Playground at Currie, but all opinions are my own (and my kids’!)

As a mom of two kiddos under three, I’m always on the hunt for awesome playgrounds where my little guys can explore with as much independence as possible, and for as long as possible. I’m sure my fellow parents know what I’m talking about when I say packing up two busy kids for any excursion is no easy task, so it’s gotta be WORTH IT when you get there. Enter the Holy Grail of Calgary Playgrounds – The Airport Playground in Currie. The neighbourhood of Currie is only a 7 minute drive from downtown and 25 minutes from the airport, (but even if you live further away, I can promise you, it’s totally worth the drive).

The Airport Playground is one of those magical unicorn playgrounds that appeals to absolutely everyone who visits it, whether they’re 3 or 33 (just ask my husband). The huge, mature trees give off tons of shade, making it a great spot to play or observe on even the sunniest of days, and there’s plenty of seating around the perimeter for parents who need a rest after giving their kiddos their hundredth under-duck on the swing. They even have a brand new picnic table with four USB and four A/C adapters so you can charge your devices while you enjoy a snack and watch your kiddos explore.

The Airport Playground is an absolute dream park for so many reasons. Our kids love the airport theme that fosters some serious imaginative play. The first thing you’ll notice as you enter the park is the massive “Control Tower” with a huge shiny slide that comes down all the way from the top. Even though it’s gigantic, the stairs going up are enclosed, making it a safer climb for kiddos brave enough to scale to the top (my 21 month old recently decided that this included her – eep!) There’s also a smaller set of slides, which my kids have determined are perfect for racing.

If you’ve got a climber in the family, this is definitely a park you’ll want to visit. There are so many fun structures for kids to climb that they won’t know what to pick first. There’s a climbing wall, a spinning “web”, the ladder to the top of the slide, and (our kids’ favourite) the airplane climber. Whether your kids want to pretend to be a monkey or a pilot (or maybe a little of both), the airplane/monkey bar hybrid is a hit for every kid who visits the park.

The Airport Playground also has features that make it accessible for individuals with mobility challenges. The rubberized play surface means that all of the equipment is within reach for strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, scooters, and just about anything you can think of. The saucer swing is a great place to play for multiple kids at once or kids who can’t sit in a traditional swing. The new-style merry-go-round has built in seats that make it the perfect spot for anyone who doesn’t mind getting a little dizzy. There’s also a concrete pad away from the soft, rubberized playground surface which a lot of kids were using to draw on with chalk during our visit.

We’ve loved visiting this playground since our kids were really little, and continue to visit even as they’ve grown. Any time we’ve made the trip to the Airport Playground in Currie, there have been kids of all ages (and even a few adults) enjoying the many features of this playground. I can’t help but rave about it to anyone who will listen, and without fail, everyone I’ve told about it has come back talking about what an awesome playground it is. In fact, the Airport Playground was named one of Calgary’s best playgrounds earlier this year by Calgary Playground Review, and when you visit, you’ll totally see why!

If the Airport Playground is any indication of things to come, the future of Alexandria Park, the 13-Acre park it sits on, looks bright. By 2020, construction of amenities like a dog park, an amphitheatre, an outdoor skating rink, a city viewpoint and a splash pad are expected to be complete – meaning you’ll have even more reasons to visit.

Have you been to the Airport Playground in Currie yet? What are your favourite features (or better yet, your kids’ favourites?) If you haven’t been, have I convinced you to check it out before the temperatures drop? Let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear from you!

xo k