Our Neighborhood -- West End Playgrounds

Thankfully, my kids have not reached the age where they refuse to go to playgrounds, so over the past few months we've explored all the playgrounds we can find close to our flat. This research came in handy when my four year old niece and two year old nephew were visiting. We knew the closest, the most little-kid oriented, the dirtiest, etc. Here are our ratings of four West End playgrounds, vetted by kids with ages ranging from 13 to 2.

Kelvingrove Park (off Kelvin Way -- map)

This playground is perfect for the younger set, with a mini-ropes course, airplane and train equipment, and smaller climbing structures. Close to the Kelvingrove Museum, it's a great spot to let out some energy. Adjacent is a skate/bike park, so you can also watch kids do tricks. And, there's always an ice cream truck parked here. Great park for kids age 2-10 (not much for older kids).

This equipment piece is called a witch's hat, which my children knew from reading Beano and Dandy, classic British comics that they borrowed from our friends, Martin and Lesa's collection.

Old Station Playground (on Hyndland Rd and Hughenden Rd, near Western Lawn and Tennis Club -- map)

This playground is a little off the beaten track, but worth the trek if kids want to climb ropes or play football (soccer). Although the football pitch is a little grubby with cracked pavement and beat-up goal posts, it's a good place to kick the ball around. Better for older kids, as Fenna at four years old was on the edge of being able to use the equipment.

Children's Play Area at Botanics (at the convergence of Byres Rd, Queen Margaret Dr, and Great Western Rd -- map)

This playground has the advantage of being the closest to our flat, but until the arrival of my niece and nephew we didn't go there too much (we would walk along the Kelvin Riverway instead). Once we had a two and four year old in tow, we hit this park twice in their four day stay and could have probably gone there every day. Although it can be crowded, the equipment is varied with some fun stuff for older kids (twirly things to stand on) and play structures suitable for the 2+ crowd. If you're visiting the Botanics and glasshouses (described here) with kids, this is a must stop!

Declan says the merry-go-round is too slow, but Fenna and Pepe enjoyed it anyway.

Check out those flying pony-tails!

Dowanhill Park (on Highburgh Rd, near Hyndland St and Dowanhill St -- map)

Declan's favorite, this park is nestled in the middle of a residential area, quite near Byres Road. It is often empty, so if you want a quiet playground with equipment appropriate for 4+ years, this should be your pick. Also, this playground is two blocks from the farmers' market (dates and described here), so it's a great stop-off when you're headed to buy fresh fruit and veg (and meat, scones, curry, sausages, etc.)

Declan says the merry-go-round is the fastest at this park.