At the top of a hill on the west side of Kent, Washington- the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish and Muckleshoot People, is a beautiful, recently renovated park.
West Fenwick Park is what I would consider a destination park. My daughter is always begging to go and can spend hours there playing without complaining that she is bored.
Parking and Fees
Parking is free. There is a small lot directly in front of the park that holds about 30 cars that will fill up in the summer, as it is a popular park. However, there is overflow parking at the skate park across the street with a crosswalk at the traffic light.
The Playground
The playground has many ways to play.
It was designed as a game, Slides and Climbers (aka Chutes and Ladders). Though my daughter has never really been interested in playing the game, we often see families playing. If families come specifically to play the game, it’s likely better to come in the winter, as the playground is very busy in the summer and the game may be interrupted by other kids running by.
The game starts with a merry-go-round spinner to count your first move. My kid loves being spun around on this, or running around and spinning other kids.
The merry-go-round sadly broke a week or two after the park opened, but the city was very quick repairing it and it has been in good shape since!
The game then starts on a rubber track that weaves around the playground depending on where players land they may either go up the climbing obstacles or down the slides.
There are various spinners around the track to keep the game going. Though to be honest, every time my little spins them, they always point up to the 4.
I think the variety of slide types and climbing structures is what makes the park so appealing to my daughter. She loves running around the track, rolling down the hills, and sliding down the steep, fast slides. She gets some serious speed down those slides and was scared of them at first, but has since learned how to control her speed.
Along the fence line, there are also several different types of swings. Two bucket baby swings, two older kid swings, one saucer swing, and a parent/ baby co-swing.
In addition the the playground, there is a path that loops around the entire park, a large field, soccer pitch, gazebo, flush toilets, and tables with grills. In the spring, there is even a small field that is filled with Lupine!
It is very easy for a family to spend the entire day enjoying the mountain views, a picnic, and playing a game of Slides and Climbers at West Fenwick Park!
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