Alexandra | 5/15/2024
Hi! If you’re new here, welcome! My son is AuDHD. He’s an eloper — a very fast one at that — and loves to be outdoors when he can. The Atlanta, Ga area is becoming very populated as of late, as people from across the country move here in search of space and more affordable living. One of the best parts of this transition is that we’re finally receiving a much-needed facelift (iykyk 🙂 ). The necessary global increase in neurodiversity awareness has led to an equally-necessary increase in accessible and sensory-friendly locations for families.
I’m proud to say that my city has been making leaps and bounds towards full accessibility. And I’m seeing noticeable improvements in the parks and recreational centers across the Metro Atlanta area. And with summer break right around the corner, we gotta get these kids out the house! So keep reading for some of the area’s most sensory friendly parks.
Ethridge Inclusive Playground — Decatur, Ga
This park, part of the Oak Grove United Methodist Church, is chock-full of sensory-friendly and accessible play equipment for kids of all ages! It’s definitely small but mighty. Colorful slides, merry-go-rounds, and swings galore make for a very sensory-rich play experience. And ramps mean that even those experiencing physical limitations can join in on the fun! Truly a perfect place to run around and play.
Let me also state that there are small covers over the play equipment — perfect for helping the little darlings avoid some of this hot Georgia sun! This feature is especially helpful for those with light sensitivities and those who take medications that react to excess sunlight. How thoughtful! 🙂
Located east of Atlanta in Decatur, just inside the Perimeter, this park is convenient to highways, has decent parking (located at the adjacent church and on the street) and lots of walk-up access. Nestled inside a fairly large, bustling community of young families, kiddos (and their parents) are bound to make friends when going to Ethridge!
Alexander Park — Lawrenceville, Ga
This park actually has two different playgrounds: the first, towards the main entrance of the park, is mostly meant for smaller kids. While it’s not fully closed in, it is fenced off from the parking lot, which is great if you have elopers. The open side goes right into a huge field — great for letting out those zoomies! There’s an outdoor classroom with arena-style seating that gives parents a great vantage point while their kiddos run freely. There’s also a pavilion and plenty of seating for parents to watch their little ones haul around the playground.
You’ll find plenty of swings; and the best part about some of the swings is that they have a piece that latches into place. Think of a car seat — you know, the 5-point harness thing? Imagine that, but made of plastic and it covers the whole body. And the swing itself is shaped like a front-facing carseat, too. It feels much more secure and is wonderful for those who haven’t quite mastered balancing in regular swing, but are too big for a baby swing.
The second playground is meant for bigger kids. Let me warn you — the slides are HUGE. But they’re so much fun with proper supervision! And there’s so much vibrant color. It’s great for those sensory seekers.
This playground is much more crowded than the smaller one, so if you know your kiddo has issues being around too many other kids or activity, this playground may not be the best idea. Its on the more chaotic side, especially in the mornings around 10 and after school. I will say, though, that it’s a great option for parents with multiple kids who are accustomed to looking out for each other — when it’s super busy, it’s easier to have the kids hop in and help rescue their sibling; while it’s a large playground, there are so many kids running around that parents can pretty easily get knocked out the way.
Parking for both playgrounds is plentiful. I should also note that there’s an insane amount of green space through-out this entire park. So even if your family doesn’t care to hang out around the playgrounds, you can still have fun in the many fields, walking trails, and disk golf areas. There’s even a fenced-in dog park — great for kids to walk past and look at all the cute little doggies!
It’s fairly convenient to the rest of the Metro Atlanta area. Those who are familiar with Gwinnett county know how busy it can be; accessing Alexander Park is no different. So prepare to possibly get stuck in traffic getting out there, especially if you’re going after school. But in my opinion, it’s worth the little wait.
This playground isn’t for everyone — but for those who are okay with being around large amounts of people, Alexander Park can be a great option.
Stone Mountain Park Playground — Stone Mountain, Ga
This playground is my personal fave for a lot of reasons. One, the playground requires a parking pass or a seasonal pass to enter; so I feel it somewhat restricts the amount of people who can walk in. This is great if you’re like me and have anxiety — less people entering the park means less chances for drama.
Now that that’s out the way, here are some other reasons why Stone Mountain Park Playground is my top choice:
- Fully fenced in: you read that correctly! It’s fully fenced in! There’s a gate that all of the parents are really great about keeping closed, which means that we can truly let our little ones run free. That’s especially important for those with runners, like our kiddo.
- Clean, on-site bathroom: it’s located within the fenced-in area — so we don’t need to make a special trip to another area for those pot-pot visits!
- Separate, age-specific play areas: yes, all in the same fenced-in section. So even if you have multiple kids of different ages, they can all find something fun to do without having to go to different playgrounds!
- On-site pavilion: It’s on the smaller side, but there’s ample room for a small gathering or several parents to spread out while their kids play. There’s also several benches around the playground for parents to relax while their kids have a ball.
- Convenient location: While one needs to pay to park at Stone Mountain Park, one can walk in from the Stone Mountain Village for free! And the playground is located fairly centrally from the Village drive-in entrance and the Village walk-up path, roughly a 15-minute walk from either entrance. While parking in the Village is limited, the parking right outside of the playground is convenient and plentiful. There’s also a second entrance right from Highway 78, which connects to I-285.
I think it’s also great to note that the location doesn’t have a cover, but is fairly well-shaded in many areas. And there a couple of little spinning disks — if you have a kid with autism, these will quickly become their best friend. They’re separated from the rest of the equipment, so there’s plenty of room to move away from the chaos of the other kids!
And it’s located in one of the largest natural preservations in Georgia; needless to say, there’s plenty of green space outside of the playground. So if you need a sensory-break, there are seemingly endless places to walk that aren’t nearly as busy.
A daily parking pass is $20 per vehicle, while an annual parking pass is $40 (as of May 2024). If it’s in the budget and you know you’ll likely be coming back, I highly suggest looking for a Groupon online to save some money on an annual parking pass. As long as you go more than once, you’ll immediately get your money’s worth! And trust me, as cool as that playground is, you’ll be back. 🙂
Wade Walker Park — Stone Mountain, Ga
I grew up going to this park and have watched it evolve soooo much. It’s much nicer now than it was when I used to go. It’s also a good bit bigger, too!
There’s a total of 3 playgrounds — one is a newer one towards the front of the park, right behind the fairly new YMCA. It’s great for younger elementary school kids. There’s a couple of slides, some monkey bars, and a climbing wall. This playground is great for the climbers. Let me also note that it’s on a rubber base! So injuries from falls are drastically reduced, thanks to the padded flooring.
There’s a decently-sized pavilion, wired for electricity and stocked with picnic tables. It’s a great spot for a small party, though parking is slightly limited. And while there aren’t any restrooms located right by the playground, there are some located nearby; just a short 5-minute walk to the nearby baseball fields and the accompanying concession stand — the hard part is catching the restrooms while they’re unlocked.
Good news, though, is that there’s a huge field located right across from the playground that’s perfect for runners — people like to use it for quick soccer games or frisbee tosses.
The second playground is closer to the soccer fields, in the middle of the park. It’s also newer and is perfect for small, toddler-age kids. There’s a few slides, some bridges, and a few educational games located within the treehouse of the playground.
Another electric pavilion is located nearby. It’s surprisingly large! Great for kiddie birthday parties. Parking is plentiful.
The final playground is the big’un. It’s the one I grew up playing at — though I must say, I’m a bit jealous of the new and improved area that today’s kids have the privilege of playing in 😉
Let me start by saying that the entire playground is covered by a huge tent and a couple of smaller ones. And they’re all quite opaque, so they actually shade the playground rather than just covering it. It’s super nice, especially in this Georgia sun! There are several slides, plenty of cool swings (including a large tire swing!), and even a zip-lining section! Like what?!? Lucky ducks… 😉 Oh, and did I mention that this huge playground has a padded base too? Yep, it’s fall-friendly.
There’s plenty of seating for parents, too — some are uncovered, but the majority is underneath a spacious pavilion. Bathrooms are on-site and are generally unlocked. Plus… there’s a nice little pond to walk to nearby, on the other side of the parking lot. And the water’s fenced off — so our water-interested friends are much safer walking here when accompanied.
The Mayor’s Grove Playground & The Noguchi Playscape
Both of these playgrounds are located within Piedmont Park, right in the heart of Atlanta. If you’re familiar with Atlanta, you know that Piedmont is one of the many tree-covered areas of the city that contribute to Atlanta’s reputation for being “the city in a forest.” These playgrounds are no exception.
Fully surrounded by trees, these play areas are both fairly well shaded — perfect natural protection from this hot Georgia sun. Mayor’s Grove is actually almost completely shaded; Noguchi is surrounded by trees, but less shaded. Still better than being just out in the open, though.
Mayor’s Grove is a Boundless playground, meaning that the main purpose of this area is to provide a place for people with physical and cognitive limitations to seamlessly and safely play with increasingly able individuals. It’s also sensory-rich, perfect for auties. You’ll find educational opportunities within the equipment, accessible play areas, and chair-swings that are great for individuals who haven’t yet mastered the balance required to play on a traditional swing.
The Noguchi playscape is another sensory-rich play area — but it’s more of a sculpture than a playground. The one and only play area designed by world-renowned sculptor Isamu Noguchi, this project taps into the concept of “the sculpture of spaces,” showcasing the usability of sculpture in everyday life. This color-saturated space is a great way to help kids develop their knowledge of shapes, colors, and textures — great for autistic brain development.
When you need a break from the playground, Piedmont is also a great place to just wander around. The park as a whole is significantly less crowded in the middle of the week, usually in the mornings. Traffic is also significantly better during that time. Still a mess, but better. And the chances of getting a good parking spot are much greater during that time too.
Speaking of parking… they’re both free to enter, but please note that parking is a bit more limited than the other options on this list and is largely on-street. I’d encourage you to bring a wagon if you have extra hyper-active kiddos, because both of these play areas are a bit of a walk depending on where you park.
Both can be accessed by the West Gate, located on Piedmont Ave. Mayor’s Grove is further from the gate, just behind The Active Oval. Noguchi is located right on the Front Lawn, just in front of The Active Oval. So if you can, try your best to park as close to the West Gate as possible if you’re looking for a shorter walk. Piedmont is a very beautiful park, though, so a longer walk isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you’re prepared. 🙂
Both parks are definitely worth the drive, and I highly recommend them for an eclectic, sensory-rich experience.
So if you have neurodivergent kids and are looking for some awesome playgrounds to go to in the Atlanta area, I highly suggest these! They’re colorful, full of things to do, and easy to access. There are also several places to break away to when you or the kids are in need of a time-out from the chaos of the playground.
Do you know of any other great playgrounds in the area? Sound off below!
And as always, I’m proud of you. Keep going. You’ve got this!
About the Author
Alexandra is the founder of the ‘Tism Things platform and owner of online business The Shop by ‘Tism Things. A proud stay-at-home wife and mama to two amazing, smart, and empowered littles, Alexandra frequently spends her time learning about autism and ADHD, its effects on families and caregivers, and ways to support individuals with either or both conditions. Driven by her son and husband’s autism and ADHD diagnoses, Alexandra prides herself on employing creative methods to adapt her household into one that welcomes people of all neurological types, aiming to foster a sense of inclusivity, understanding and acceptance among anyone’s path she crosses.
When she’s not in a ’tism rabbit hole on the internet or playing with her babies, she’s likely out shopping, cooking something yummy, helping out her grandparents, or out in the garden trying to keep her plants alive in this Georgia heat. Honestly, probably that last one.
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