Angel Park is a huge community playground on the same lot as the Perry Hall Library, and it offers equipment for all kids, including accessible equipment.
Angel Park was a community-conceived (and mostly community-funded) project launched by Kelli and Andy Szczybor in memory of their son Ryan. They had participated in the building of Annie's Playground in Belair and wanted to share that type of experience with their Perry Hall community. The playground is designed to be accessible to all children regardless of ability, and it includes equipment intended to remove all barriers to inclusion, from social to physical. There is so much equipment available in this park that all kids should be able to find something fun to do.
The Details
- NAME: Angel Park
- ADDRESS: 9675 Honeygo Boulevard, Perry Hall, Maryland 21128
- INDOOR OR OUTDOOR: Outdoor
- COST: Free
- HOURS: Sunrise to Sunset
- AREA: Perry Hall, Baltimore County
Courtesy of Google Maps
For the Kids
This playground has three main sections, with a fourth that is almost completed. One is a smaller tot lot, one is a larger play area for bigger kids, one is a quiet memorial area (Ryan's Memorial Garden), and the new section features a wheel-chair accessible liberty swing (which is not open yet).
Image courtesy of The Patch
On the tot lot, there are lots of different types of equipment.
- Standard slide
- Roller slide (made of metal bars that roll you along like an old conveyor belt)
- Spring bouncer
- Toddler swings and an accessible swing
- A play structure decorated like a firetruck and another like a pet shop
- Bridges, ramps, and toadstools to traverse
- A climbing wall
- Multiple musical instruments
The bigger kids' lot has even more equipment.
- A triple slide, an enclosed twisty slide, two regular slides, and a metal slide
- Interconnected solid bridges, shaky bridges, rope ladders, and tunnels
- Storybook thematically decorated play structures
- Hopscotch
- A 4-seater spinning ride, and a solo spinning ride
- Two zip lines, one with an accessible seat
- Multiple swings, including a tire swing and an accessible swing seat
- Fireman's pole
- Monkey bars and rings for varying heights
- Additional musical instruments
- Ladders, “rock walls” stairs, and other ways to climb the equipment, as well as multiple levels that run under platforms and slides
For The Parents
There is a good deal of seating by the entrance, but it seems like most parents spend a lot of time chasing after kids here, especially when it is crowded. There is a fence around each of the sections (the tot lot and the bigger kids' area) with only one entrance to each, so kids are pretty contained. The playground is well separated from the main road, though there is a lot of parking lot traffic.
All of the play areas have rubber ground for softer landings, which is nice especially around the spinning equipment and under the monkey bars. It also makes the whole area more accessible. The equipment is mostly plastic, but there are some metal slides, specifically designed for kids with cochlear implants.
There are newly constructed bathrooms at the end of the parking lot, but if they are locked or occupied, there are also bathrooms in the library.
Finally, there are no trees, so shade is not a thing you should expect. Sunscreen and lots of bottled water are musts for almost any play day here. The equipment does sometimes get hot, especially the metal slides, so be aware of that.
Other Considerations
This playground has a lot of parking both right by the park and on the rest of the library lot. The playground is pretty self-contained, but the library is right there if you need to get out of the heat (or the rain). There is also a collection exercise equipment directly next to the playground, so you could get a workout in if you wanted to. Finally, there is a pavilion that is great for gatherings, and it can be rented out for events as well as an amphitheater.
Image courtesy of Businessyab
Is this one of your favorite playgrounds or is there another you'd like us to cover? Let us know in the comments!