Little Critter Imagination Playground Guide
The Little Critter Imagination Playground at the Mitchellville South Neighborhood Park in Bowie, MD is one of Prince George’s County’s Imagination Playgrounds. And I have to tell you, this playground is a sleeper hit!
It was one of the last of the 25 Imagination Playgrounds we played on, and it remains one of our favorites! It is great for older and younger kids. And it is fully accessible so kids of all ages and abilities can play!
This is such a cute and secluded park tucked in a sleepy Bowie neighborhood.
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One of the first play features you see when you enter the playground is this drum circle feature. I mean, who wouldn’t want to bang around on these drums and bongos! They are arranged to encourage play for kids of all ages and abilities.
There are other music play featured sprinkled throughout the playground too. This bell music activity panel is fun!
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You will notice the main play area is shaded with brightly colored shade panels. This is so important for hot summer days. The playground isn’t completely shaded. However, it’s shady enough to still be enjoyable year round.
There are some great, but not too scary, balancing play features. This log roll is challenging. Notice the rubberized play surface. So, if your kids fall it won’t be an immediate scraped knee.
More activity panels throughout the park have features like the steering wheels pictured above. There is a lot of space between the activity panels too.
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The official theme of the playground is the Little Critter playground. I didn’t see a ton of animal-themed play features. But these Animal Tracker activity panels were really fun. They have the animal noises your kids can hear with the push of a button.
And check out that tire swing in the background. Such a fun version of the saucer swing.
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Here is another look at the shade panels. They really are pretty big.
I would say this playground is best suited for either younger kids or kids with accessibility needs. However, there are plenty of challenging play features like climbing, balancing, and more. Older kids would probably have fun playing here too!
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Check out all these accessible ramps on the main play structure! In the background you can see more of the swings. There are multiple swings for kids with accessibility needs, as well as older kid swings.
There are drums and activity panels inside the main play area too!
One of the best (and most unique) features of the Little Critter Playground are these dual Sway Fun play swings (are they swings or just a fun way to play?) There are numerous playgrounds that have these types of gliders now, but I think Little Critter was the first playground in Maryland to feature them. And they have two!
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There are so many fun features throughout this happy little playground! The playground is inside Mitchellville South Park. Other park features include tennis courts, a basketball court, and ball fields.
The park is adjacent to C. Elizabeth Rieg and will be used by the children at that school daily, as well as those enrolled the Prince George’s Park’s therapeutic recreation program. So, when you are planning a playground trip here, be mindful of school hours because the playground could get a little crowded.
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FAQ/Know Before You Go
Address: 15540 Peach Walker Drive, Bowie, MD 20716
Google Map Directions
Typically from dawn until dusk.
When we visited there were not. However, since then it seems they have added a port-a-potty.
Younger kids (ages 7 and younger), as well as kids with accessibility needs. That being said, there are older kid swings and accessible swings, but no toddler swings.
Make a day of it! What’s nearby?
This is Bowie, MD so there are tons of parks and other playgrounds nearby. Allen Pond Park, Collington Branch Park, and Blacksox Park are all less than 5 minutes from this playground.
Little Critter Playground is very close to the Bowie location of SkyZone Trampoline Park. And it’s about 10 minutes from Six Flags America. So, if your kids are melting down at the amusement park and you need a soft landing for your day, the Little Critter Playground might be a great option!
Where to eat
After you play, hop over to the shopping area next to the Bowie Community Center (less than 10 minutes away) where there are tons of kid friendly restaurants like Chick Fil A, Tropical Fruit Smoothie, MOD Pizza, and more! Tip: There is also a fantastic young kid friendly playground at the Bowie Community Center.
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