On one of my days off, when Stormy and Rainbow were in school, Pebble and I went exploring. It was a sunny day, warming quickly, and Pebble’s only request was to go somewhere with swings. I had read an article online about parks in Anne Arundel County with renovated playgrounds, and Lake Waterford Park was one of the parks highlighted. I packed a picnic lunch for us, and off we went!
Lake Waterford Park is located at 830 Pasadena Road in Pasadena, MD. When you pull in to the lot, you will see picnic benches and trees to the left and ball fields to the right. We parked near a paved path that wound through the trees on our left. We could see the playground peeking through. Before checking it out, though, we took advantage of the restrooms located near the ball fields. I also packed the portable potty into my backpack because the bathrooms are not close to the playground. No way could Pebble make it in time!
Pebble was very excited to see the new playground. We discovered that the playground is surrounded by a split rail fence, and there is only one way in and out. The entrance is not gated, so it helps corral kids, but not contain. Once you enter, you see that the playground is made up of quadrants, with an older kiddos section to the left and younger to the right.
For over an hour, Pebble raced around checking everything out. Her favorite piece of equipment was a double swing that she and I could share. She loved going as high as I could pump my legs! There was also a music area, seesaw, tunnels to crawl through, climbing apparatus, and more! It is a spacious playground, too, so no one feels crowded, perfect during this pandemic.
One of the things Pebble kept telling me was how much her sisters would love this place. Two days after our first foray to this park, we returned again, the entire family. Pebble was right, her sisters did love the park! Stormy spent most her time climbing on and across the top of a giant dome. Rainbow and Pebble took turns with me on the double swing, as well as the zip line type swing.
When Pebble and I had first been here, we didn’t have enough time to walk down and see Lake Waterford. This time, we let the kids explore the playground a bit, and then we set off to the find the lake. We followed a trail right down to the water’s edge, and then hiked through the woods to an overlook.
The girls were having so much fun, we kept walking, taking a paved path that skirted the lake.
We followed the path as far as the bridge over the dam. Here we spotted a heron in the stream below the dam. I also pointed out a fish ladder to the girls. They had never seen one before, and thought it was a cool way for fish to travel.
We turned back to the playground after checking out the dam and fish ladder. The girls played a bit longer, and then we headed home. It was a wonderful afternoon outside in the fresh air. Stormy has already requested to come back because she loved the monkey bars so much! Pebble and Rainbow loved the double swing, probably because mom had to do most of the work! If you get a chance, check this place out! Happy trails!