Good parks for toddlers in NoVA

[Anonymous]

I'm new to the area and looking for fun parks to visit with my DC. I don't mean playgrounds, but areas with lots of room to run, trees to touch, areas to kick around a soccer ball. I like Huntley Meadows and Dyke Marsh for nature experiences, but neither have big areas to run.

[Anonymous]

Burke Lake, Accotink, Rock Creek . . .

[Anonymous]

Clemyjontri Park in McLean is great.

[Anonymous]

How about the Rec Centers? Lee District Rec Center has plenty of fields to kick around the soccer ball, a nature trail for the tree hugging, playground equipment to climb and indoor pool and soft room for rainy days.

[Anonymous]

Hidden Pond in Springfield has a playground, nature center, small field to run around, trails, a pond that you can catch and release frogs (they have buckets and nets).
Hidden Oak in Annandale is more woodsy, also has playground and nature center, as well as an outdoor area to "explore" where they have dinosaur tracks, a table to find fossils in, a pile of sand to play in.
Also agree about the Rec Centers. Both Lee Rec and South Run have lots of fields to run around, plus playgrounds.
Ben Brenman Park in Alexandria has a pond, trails, open space, and playground. Very nice.
Armistead Booth has playgrounds, some open space, and tennis & basketball courts which are good for little ones learning to ride a tricycle. Not as "pretty" as Ben Brenman though.
Huntsman Park in Springfield has a playground, trail around pond, and again, tennis & basketball courts which are good for little ones learning to ride a tricycle, and I see a lot of families use them for playing catch or kicking a ball. Very wooded though.

[Anonymous]

i love hidden oaks in annandale
there is a nature center, an outdoor woody play area, trails and playground equipment. also lots of inexpensive classes for preschool and elementary age.

[Anonymous]

Clemyjontri is great for playgrounds. My 2.5 year-old daughter has a total blast there. They also have a carousel that's $1.50. it's pretty cool. the only downside to clemyjontri is that you sometimes have to wait a long time for the swings. they also don't sell food, and there's nothing else to do there, other than a small woodsy trail.

I love Burke Lake park too, for the lake and the train. They also have a playground.