Fort Hunter Park

Fort Hunter is a beautiful shady park right along the Susquehanna River and Front Street in Harrisburg. There are two playgrounds, one on each side of front street, but on this visit we were only visiting the park on the east side of Front Street. Not only is there a nice big play structure, swings and baby swings but at 3:00 pm it was very shady. There are bathrooms and benches and a picnic pavilion on this side of the park. We saw signs for the Canal Trail but didn't venture to check it out.
If you visit the west side of the park, closest to the river, the kids can walk down a little path with a flat spot to throw rocks in the river and look for frogs. The restrooms on this side of the park are actually a deluxe port-a-potty with a hand sanitizing station outside. They are probably the nicest port-a-potties you will find since they are in in a building but walk across the park when nature calls to the real bathrooms, which were very well maintained.
From Camp Hill, take 2nd Street North to Division to North Front Street (where 2 way begins), continue North until you see the signs for Fort Hunter.

Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

Lake Tobias is a wilflife park in Halifax, north of Harrisburg and over Peter's Mountain.
They have animals in cages like a traditional zoo as well as a petting zoo where you can mingle with goats and alpacas. When you are done walking around and looking at the animals you can take the safari tour. School buses have had their tops removed and a tour guide takes you all over the park while telling you about all the wildlife you are seeing. The animals are very used to people b/c most of them allow you to get very close. An elk actually climbed on board and his friends ate crackers out of the kids hands. I think the kids were most excited about riding a school bus and not being buckled into a car seat!
I had never been to Lake Tobias and was expecting a small little mom and pop operation. It is actually a very large business and we counted at least 5 school buses with the tops cut off. The day we were there they were expecting 1,000 guests.
There are bathrooms, a concession stand (very slow service), a picnic pavilion and a small gift shop.
I would recommend going on a cool or overcast day b/c there isn't a lot of shade and it can get hot on the open top buses. We packed a lunch and ate under a shady tree at a picnic table overlooking the man-make lake. There are often buy one get one free coupons in the Clipper for the Safari tour. We had a great outing here, I highly recommend it!
On the drive home you'll pass 3B Ice Cream on the right hand side as you come down from Peter's Mountain. They have delicious ice cream and huge portions.
http://www.laketobias.com/

New Cumberland Park

Although the playground here is super sunny, it is still one of our favorites. The play structure is very large and almost entirely enclosed. The ramps go up pretty high but are safe b/c there are no gaps for younger kids to fall through. It has a castle or tree house feel to it and the kids always love it. There is also a zip line and a few other toys that I haven't seen around anywhere else.
Two picnic tables take up the only available shade under young tress but at least you can have a snack or lunch out of the sun.
The borough recently constructed a beautiful gazebo but that is all there is, no table or benches are in it. A sign says it is for authorized use only so I wonder if you have to rent it to have tables there. I think this would be a great place for a party if you can get the gazebo. The kids could play on the playground and there are bathrooms right next door. The park runs along the Yellow Breeches so when the kids tire of the playground you can walk over and look for ducks or throw rocks in the creek.
There is also a smaller tot playground about 100 yards from the gazebo and larger playground. This part of the park is very shady and perfect for younger children.
I highly recommend visiting this park!
If you are looking for a snack on the way there, Dingeldein's bakery is on the right in downtown New Cumberland. Right before you get to town, also on the right, is TJ's Homestyle, it is a small restaurant but has great breakfast.
DIRECTIONS: From Market Street in CH, turn left on 3rd and continue through New Cumberland, make a right on Front Street before the iron bridge and the park is on your left.

Wormleysburg Memorial Park

We started out at the West Fairview boat dock to feed the ducks but it was pretty muddy so we left and were trying to find a small park in Wormleysburg we visited once last year. While I was trying to locate that park I saw signs for the Memorial Park. If you go north on Front Street make a left at Edna or Haldeman and it runs along River between those two blocks. River is parallel to Front and Second streets.
The kids were immediately drawn to the carousel horse merry-go-round! There is a big wooden play structure that seems to be in good shape but if you have younger children you would have to really be hands-on with them b/c there were quite a few openings that they could slip through. This park has some of the nicest baby swings I've seen around the area. They have high backs, are one piece molded plastic and looked brand new. There was a large pavilion with 10 picnic tables and bathrooms beside it but they weren't open today. The location isn't very scenic as it looks over basketball courts and another paved, fenced court as well as facing houses and garages across the alley that is River Street. All in all, it was a good place to stop and play but I wouldn't schedule a picnic or birthday party b/c the scenery isn't very attractive.

The value of play

My friend Mellicent told me about a recent NPR story on the value of free time and unstructured play. Imaginative play helps children learn self regulation and impulse control in a way that scripted activities or classes can't. It was really interesting and timely on the day I created my new blog.

Read the article here.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514

I'll be at the beach a few days and won't be blogging. Please share your outings with me in the comments section while I'm gone!

Shipoke Playground in Harrisburg

We had a great outing last week with some school friends at Shipoke playground in Harrisburg.
It probably takes less time to get to Shipoke than to the Hampden Township playground!
There is a shady pavilion where you can eat your lunch and a fairly new play structure. We brought our bikes and the kids rode on the riverfront path, there is very little traffic so it is very safe. This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Harrisburg and the houses are very cute and quaint. If you have never been to this part of town, check it out.
From Front Street in Harrisburg, go south until you see Passage to India, at the light, stay right, go right on Race Street and the park is on your right.
If you prefer to eat lunch out, Passage to India has a delicious lunch buffet every day and kids under 5 are free.