Allen Pond Park was the very last playground I took Pebble and Rainbow to before the pandemic began and everything / everyone went into lockdown. As Pebble had no memory of the park, she was too little last time, Allen Pond Park was the perfect place to check out on a beautiful, sunny morning in early April. The parking lot for the park is fairly large and located next to the Bowie Ice Arena. The address is 3330 Northview Drive, Bowie, MD 20716. When you emerge from your car, you will see the pond, and you just need to follow the paved walking paths to the left to locate the first playground. There are restrooms nearby, and they were open when we visited. The entire park is walkable, the pathways are all paved, and it is very stroller friendly, unless you visit the island. More on that in a bit!
The first playground you come to is the big one! It is called Opportunity Park, and there is a section for older kids and one for younger with this entire area being handicap accessible. In addition to the stairs, ladders, and other climbing apparatus used to reach the higher levels of the structure where the slides are, there are also a series of ramps. Pebble thought the ramps were great, and loved running up and down them! She also checked out a curved rock wall that led up to an turret-like space where she could wave at me. There were several swings, multiple slides, concrete turtles to clamber onto, a series of “trees” to climb up, and so much more!
Pebble and her friend had a blast exploring the entire structure, and then they checked out the area set aside for kiddos ages 2-5. There is a smaller play structure here with a mini rock scramble and one slide. There is also a playhouse, which was a big hit with Pebble. She loved to stand at the window of the playhouse and pretend she was serving me treats like brownies and cupcakes. These treats were all made out of the mulch that coated the floor of the playground, and mulch also served as money to buy said treats. A seesaw shaped like a dragonfly, swings, and a music area rounded out this area. Oh! There was also a small sound board where kids could learn about trains. By touching various metal buttons, sounds would play, like a train whistle or the conductor yelling, “All Aboard!”
When both girls tired of exploring, we walked around the pond to the next playground, yes, I said next playground! Allen Pond Park has a second playground called the Tot Playground, and it is only for kids ages 2-5. It was also partially redone within the last 5 years. There is a play structure that juts out from a small hill and encompasses several slides, a rock scramble, and several preschool-friendly climbing structures. A seesaw is available as is another playhouse, swings, and a bee to climb on and ride. One of the neatest aspects of this tot lot, though, is the double swing. Pebble is still small enough to fit in the bucket swing, and I sat on the bar to pump my legs and get us airborne. The bar is sturdy enough that the second rider can easily sit or stand. Pebble loved having me do all the work! There is another play structure uphill from the swings that was part of the original tot lot. It is a basic structure, but the swinging bridge was popular with Pebble and her friend!
Earlier, I mentioned an island… We could see the island from the tot lot, and the girls decided we needed to check it out. We turned left out of the tot lot, and followed the paved path. Near the island, you can continue on the paved pathway or turn right and cross a wooden bridge. We crossed the bridge onto the island. There was a trail to our right that hugged the island’s shore, or we could climb up the hill to the gazebo perched on top. The girls chose to climb up to the gazebo where we got a good view of the pond and the park, and then we followed the trail that curved around the shoreline back to the bridge. FYI, I have seen poison ivy over here before, so keep an eye out!
After crossing the wooden bridge, we took a right turn and followed the path around the pond. It was a beautiful day, and Pebble had her flower-collecting Tupperware ready for any unwary dandelions we came across. Her friend was also busy picking the best dandelions for her mom. This kept the girls busy and occupied as we strolled around the pond. We stopped briefly to check out the fitness area and then the amphitheater before returning to the main playground to play just a little bit longer. It was a wonderful morning, and we plan to return again at least once before school lets out for the year. I’ve learned from past experiences here that this park gets super duper busy in the summer so the earlier you go, the better! If you have littles and haven’t been to Allen Pond, it is definitely worth a visit! Happy trails!
