Explore Maryland! Children's Garden at Brookside Gardens
1800 Glenallan Avenue Wheaton, MD 20902
Next to the Visitors' Center at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD is the Explore Maryland! Children's Garden. And while technically this isn't a traditional playground, it is a place where my children love to play, so it is this week's spotlight. The Children's Garden, with its Black-Eyed-Susan state theme has elements that honor the many landscapes of Maryland, from the ocean to the farms and beyond.
 The Mini-Maryland Farmhouse in the Children's Garden at Brookside Gardens |
My kids' favorite things to do at the play area is to concoct recipes in the mud kitchen and play inside the small farm house. They can spend forever playing restaurant, and the frog statue on site is usually one of their favorite customers.
 The mud kitchen in the Explore Maryland! Children's Garden at Brookside Gardens  Making mud pies |
The play space also has a metal boat to climb inside, a wooden car to ride on, a metal beehive (that fits kid-size pretend bees), and even a bug hotel (that fits bug-sized real insects).
 Beehive and wooden car in the Children's Garden at Brookside Gardens |
Of course, there is plenty more to see at Brookside Gardens beyond the dedicated children's area. Plan to spend a few hours visiting the many beautiful flower and plant gardens, the trails, lakes and gazebos, and the indoor conservatory. There are also many events held at Brookside throughout the year, including their annual light display during the holidays.
For easiest access to the Children's Garden, park at the top lot near the Visitors' Center.
Do you have a favorite neighborhood playground? Let us know and we will feature it here! Looking for some other ideas for places to play, check out our Playground Guide to see all the playgrounds we've covered so far.
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