happyly approved

Ravenna Eckstein Park and Playgrounds

6535 Ravenna Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115, USA

Daily 4 a.m. -- 11:30 p.m.

$

playground, run

Ravenna Eckstein Neighborhood Park Offering Two Playgrounds, Tennis and Basketball Courts, a Community Garden, and More.

My family set our “longest time at a single park” record here at Ravenna Eckstein Park. They’ve packed a lot into this neighborhood park. Located next to the Ravenna Eckstein Community Center, this park boasts a basketball court, tennis courts, a pitching backstop, and a community garden.

Did I mention multiple playgrounds? Next to the basketball court and a wall to practice your tennis swing are two play structures, one for littles (2-5 years old) and one for bigger kids (5-12). Both are wooden, have little look-out nooks, and offer multiple options for climbing and sliding. The little kid play structure has a bridge and multiple ways to make music and the bigger kids play structure has places to explore below. There are two toddler swings in this play area.

Closer to the pitching backstop is another play area. This one contains a tire swing, two accessible swings, and two big kid swings. There is also a large twisting, metal climbing wall that older kids can try to conquer. Next to this play area is a small hill, perfect for little kids to practice rolling down and a large field for kites (people also bring their dogs here). At the end of the field is a well-loved community garden and surrounding it all is a paved path, perfect for little bikers, tiny skaters, and strollers.

There are also multiple picnic tables and benches if anyone needs to have a snack or take a break after all that playing!

Tips:

  • Play structures are in the sun but you can find shade around them.
  • Pre-COVID, the Ravenna Eckstein Community Center had programs for all ages, including drop-in play for little ones, preschool, before and after school care, a teen program, dance, karate, and summer camp. Much is suspended during COVID, but check their website as things begin to reopen. https://www.seattle.gov/parks/find/centers/ravenna-eckstein-community-center
  • Check out the sports-related artwork around the park and community center, including a series of bas-reliefs of different kinds of ball sports on the wall of the Community Center facing the playground and plaques on the ground marking the world’s record for the longest pole vault.

 

Features

Good for All Ages Green Space Playground Tire Swing slides
Thoughtfully captured by:
Jessica Ziparo
Jessica Ziparo is from Westhampton Beach, NY. She earned her BA from James Madison University in Virginia, where she majored in history. From there, she went to Harvard Law School, earning her JD. After working as an environmental attorney for three years, Jessica returned to the east coast to earn her PhD in history from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. She has taught history at Salem State University, expository writing at Harvard, and English literature at Pritzker College Prep, a charter high school in Chicago. She is the author of, This Grand Experiment: When Women Entered the Federal Workforce in Civil War-Era Washington, D.C. (2017). Jessica loves to travel and explore. She has lived in Australia twice, journeyed solo to Kenya and Tanzania to go on a safari, spent six weeks on her own trekking around Thailand, and has backpacked around Europe with friends three times. She found bungee jumping scarier than skydiving and now regrets running with the bulls. Nowadays, Jessica lives in Seattle with her husband, Labrador Lincoln, and two sons Zane (almost 5) and Niall (almost 2). During COVID times, Jessica has expanded her exploring throughout the city and beyond to keep the kids outside, active, and safe. She is excited to become a happyly ambassador and have greater purpose for roaming the PNW.
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