Bowen Park: Risky Play Is the Name of the Game at This Fun Park in Waukegan, Illinois by Mike Prochaska

Bowen Park in Waukegan, Ill., is one of those parks that has something for everyone and allows children to take risks. This park is not for the faint of heart. If you get nervous easily, you may not want to take your children here. But your kids will love this place if you're brave enough to check it out.

The park has one of the largest slides in the Chicago suburbs. The slide is built on top of a hill and there are two 40-foot tunnel slides. Every time we come here my son has to try and climb up the slide to the top ... and never makes it! I honestly can’t wait until the summer he completes this goal, because he will be so proud. The slide comes out at the bottom of the hill and then the children have to climb back up the hill to just get to the climber. Then they have to climb up three flights of stairs to get to the slides. I been down this slide many times and, man, is it fun and fast.

Bowen Park has a merry-go-round with a net on the outside of it. The children can climb on the outside of the net as their friends spin it. My children discovered that they could fly if they held on to the net as their friends spun the merry-go-round and let their legs come off the net. When the merry-go-round would catch speed, they would let go and fly off. It is so funny to watch children discover this on their own.

There is also one of the largest spiderweb climbers at this park. It is huge. We made it to the top for the first time last summer, and from up there you can see the entire park. I got up to the top and couldn’t figure out how to get down. My kids had to help guide me.

On a hot summer day, you’ll appreciate the large (and free) splash pad next to the playground. It's hard to find free splash pads, so this is a great added bonus. My kids love playing under the mushroom-shaped water features.

Bowen Park also has one-person swings and those circle swings, so more than one child can swing together. We normally can fit four or five kids on the circle swings, and there's nothing better than swinging and exploring with your friends. Bowen Park is one of those parks you can spend all day at. Don’t be afraid to take your kids and check it out!

Bowen Park is located at 1800 North Sheridan Road, Waukegan, IL, 60087.

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