116th Street Playground

A modern playground in Morningside Park

Overall Score

Five stars out of fiveFour stars out of fiveThree stars out of fiveTwo Stars out of fiveOne Star out of five

Rat-O-Meter

Rat-o-meter: five rats out of fiveRat-o-meter: four rats out of fiveRat-o-meter: three rats out of fiveRat-o-meter: two rats out of fiveRat-o-meter: one rat out of five
Official NYC Parks Website
Manhattan
Morningside Park at 116th Street

Features

Neighborhood
Bathrooms
No
Yes
, But NEARBY
Shade:
No
Yes
Water feature:
No
Yes
Sandbox:
No
Yes
Drinking Fountain
No
Yes
Additional DETAILS BELOW

Reviews

Not Your Nanny's Review

Playground Papa's Review

This pretty playground is tucked into the side of the hill in Morningside Park, overlooking a quiet stretch of road. 

The heavy rain on Saturday had left us in desperate need of playground time. The cold Sunday afternoon was a far cry from the spring weather earlier in the month, but such is the problem with New York City in March. After brunch in Harlem with my brother, we headed over to Morningside Park. 

We could see the bright green equipment from two blocks away, perched up on the hill. There were a few steps to get to the entrance, but a longer path around the back appears to have been stair-free. The playground itself is on two levels, which does make for some interesting terrain and climbing equipment. 

The first thing we saw though was the little concrete play town. Luckily I had a few matchbox cars in my pocket. This entertained our toddler for quite a while. The model village had ramps and roadways. It's a fairly unique feature as far as I am aware. 

The main playground area though was more interesting than your average park climbing equipment. The upper area of the playground connected to the lower level with elevated bridges. Stairs built into the ground allowed access to the lower level of the playground. This area was a bit of a sun trap and very warm on the brisk March day. 

The various bridges lead up to a central area where there are slides and climbing walls converging in one big multi-level standing platform.

The equipment was fairly new and in good condition. But it also wasn't anything too radical. The one side near the large central was easy access for adults to accompany children by way of stairs. The other side had some ladders which can be tricky depending on how tall you are. 

Overall, I appreciate the way this playground is built into the natural contours of the land.

Bruno's Review

About the Playground

The playground was renovated in 2008 with a budget of more than $2m. The renovation made the the park accessible.

Additional Features

Equipment

Slides:
Yes
No
Tic Tac Toe:
No
Yes
Toddler Swings:
No
Yes
Belt Swings:
No
Yes
CHIMES / Drums:
No
Yes
Tunnel:
No
Yes
PicNic Tables:
No
Yes
Suspension Bridge:
No
Yes

Climbing equipment

LaDDERS:
No
Yes
CLIMBING WALL:
No
Yes
ROPE:
No
Yes
STAIRS:
No
Yes
RAMP:
No
Yes
Monkey Bars:
No
Yes
Chain Ladder:
No
Yes
Weird Climbing Thing:
No
Yes

Accessibility

Sensory Panels:
No
Yes
Other Sensory Equipment:
No
Yes
Accessible Swing:
No
Yes
Balance Beam:
No
Yes
RAMP:
No
Yes
Last updated:
March 26, 2024

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