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Believe it or not, Berlin is a renowned city for child-friendly fun. From its Kindercafés to its many parks and playgrounds, spaces meant for kids are woven right into the city’s colorful fabric. Focusing on adventure and free play, Berlin has about 1,850 playgrounds, and each is more creative and unique than the last.

Hexenspielplatz

Hexenspielplatz, which means ‘witch playground,’ is located in Schöneberg. One of the highlights of this play area is the witch’s playhouse that features a warped roof with cobweb-laden windows among other clever, witchy details. There are plenty of places for kids to climb on ladders and logs in and around the house as well as a slide located in proximity. Of course, no witch’s hood would be complete without a proper broomstick, and Hexenspielplatz has one of those too. Kids can ride the broomstick, which also has a steering wheel attached for extra maneuvering capabilities. http://instagram.com/p/9jtRclLnF-/?tagged=hexenspielplatz

Piratenschiff Spielplatz

Bridge

Piratenschiff Spielplatz | ©Monika Angela Arnold (=44penguins)/WikiCommons
©Monika Angela Arnold (=44penguins)/WikiCommons
Situated within Tegeler Weg in Charlottenburg, kids will find the Piratenschiff Spielplatz, which is nothing short of epic. The sprawling wooden pirate ship, aptly named ‘The Black Pearl,’ is equipped with a bridge, a climbing net, a ping-pong table on the deck, and there is even a basketball hoop at the bow. There are also plenty of places for hiding and hanging out in the shade of the ship’s hull. For parents, there are benches near the banks of the Spree, providing a breezy, scenic vantage point from which to supervise the youngsters.

Wasserspielplatz am Nordbahnhof

Wasserspielplatz in Mitte’s Volkspark am Weinbergsweg is the ideal play place for Berlin’s sweltering summer days as it is comprised of an intricate network of sprinklers. Wasserspielplatz contains sprinkler and shower systems that the kids can control themselves via pumping mechanisms. Timed sprinklers run via motion sensor each day from 10am-6pm in the summertime. This advanced sprinkler system shuts off entirely if it senses that the weather is below 25º. Clearly, Berlin’s playground engineers are not fooling around. Here, youngsters can also climb on colorful fish and slide down their slippery tails. Naturally, the clownfish has been named Nemo.

Fliegerspielplatz

Fliegerspielplatz, or the ‘Aviator’s Playground’ is located near Tempelhofer Feld. What’s more is that this playground takes its inspiration from the retired airplane hangar itself. The fun centers on miniature wooden propeller airplanes, on which kids love to climb to the top and then leap to the ground. There are also swings whose frames are made of old logs, in addition to slides and climbing nets. Along with its proximity to Tempelhofer Feld, all of these interactive attractions make Fliegerspielplatz one of the more popular playgrounds in Neukölln.

Waldspielplatz in Plänterwald

Building, Memorial, Park

Because Berlin is blessed with an abundance of green spaces, it only makes sense that a good number of playgrounds would crop up in these areas as well. The magical Waldspielplatz in Plänterwald is located near the river Spree just south of Treptower Park. Most of the playground setup is made from old logs, and many tree trunks have been converted into seats. Additionally, there are plenty of good climbing trees here as well. This is an excellent spot to take the kids if you want them to feel connected with nature. It’s not uncommon for little ones to be building their own tree forts and other structures out of nearby branches. Waldspielplatz is closed on Mondays.

Abenteuerlicher Bauspielplatz Kolle 37

Abenteuerlicher Bauspielplatz Kolle 37 is without doubt the most epic playground on our list. Since 1989, this Prenzlauer Berg play area has facilitated free play and innovation in amazing ways. Parents are not allowed inside, and they typically drop the kids and go for a walk or a coffee. Meanwhile, the youths use hammers and nails to construct the playground, as it is an ever expanding operation. That’s right. The playground is constructed entirely by children. There are adult volunteers who guide the project and propose special projects like bricklaying, but virtually everything here is done by the kids, for the kids. http://instagram.com/p/9EHkMovbjK/?taken-at=246499653

Fairytale Playground near S-Bahn Köllnische Heide

Fairytale Playground stands apart from the rest not only for its theme but also because of its size. The main structure here is a large wooden castle that spans across three stories. There are climbing bridges, a large winding metal slide that reaches to the top of the castle, and multiple lookout areas within. In the surrounding trees and landscape, there are several painted wooden fairytale figures and mythical creatures including knights and even a three-headed dragon. There is also a foosball table off to the side for the older kids in the brood. To find this place, venture to Neukölln near the S-Bahn stop, Köllnische Heide.

Waldhochseilgarten in Volkspark Jungfernheide

Waldhochseilgarten in Volkspark Jungfernheide takes things to a whole other level, literally. Located in Kletterwald Forest to the northwest of the city center, this playground is essentially a high ropes course. For a small charge, kids can rent harnesses and head up into the trees for some real, exhilarating fun three stories above the ground. The ropes course contains a zip-line among many other climbing features and balance beams. They are open each day from March to October. Another plus about this place is that the staff speaks English.

Heckerdamm 260, Berlin, Germany, +49 (0)30 34094818

Waldhochseilgarten in Volkspark Jungfernheide

About the author

Lily is a freelance writer and self-proclaimed social activist who recently moved to Berlin for love. You can find out more about her work at lilycichanowicz.com or via Twitter @liliaceaeflora.

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