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Kids can climb, slide, swing and explore. Photo: Meredith Charaba
Bzzzt! Have you heard the latest buzz? This Bellevue park playground got a fancy makeover — and it’s pretty sweet.
Bee puns aside, the newly redesigned playground at Bellevue’s Hidden Valley Park — tucked away just outside the city’s downtown core — is absolutely adorable, and definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.
Nature-themed playground for imaginative play
Replacing the old equipment is a set of play structures and swings featuring a beehive theme — from the yellow, orange and black color scheme to the hexagon-shaped climbers and tunnels that resemble space-age honeycombs.
The creative design immediately stands out even from a distance, beckoning little ones with fun elements that toe the line between futuristic and whimsical. Up close, the play potential does not disappoint. If you have relentless climbers and ninja-warriors-in-training in your brood, they’ll be in heaven.
The structures here don’t have the soaring heights or intimidating peaks to scale like some of the area’s more high-thrill parks — but that may be more appealing for less-adventurous kiddos and nervous caregivers.
And more than making up for the lack of risky thrills is the sheer variety of inventive ladders, bridges, walkways, tunnels and climbing nets for little bees to roam and traverse; all connected by funky oversize honeycomb platforms.
A play area for younger kids
Off to the side, a toddler structure presents a scaled-down but still very generously sized version of the big-kid climber, with no less creative elements to explore and no fear of getting bored — always a welcome factor for toddler parents.
In between the two structures is a set of swings with regular and bucket versions, along with an accessible saucer swing.
Several other cute pieces pop up around the area: flower and butterfly spinners and stepping stones, adding to the bees-in-a-garden theme; a log tunnel and balance beam; and a sensory play panel.
The surfacing — updated from the previous playground’s wood chips — is now a bouncy, rubberized, bright green turf that’s easier to move around on. A blue ribbon running throughout resembles a brook.
Inclusive design
One unique addition I have personally never seen before is a communication board: a neat tool designed to assist those on the autism spectrum or with other language difficulties. The panel shows a number of image tiles for basic words that nonverbal children or those with language delays may need to express to caregivers or friends, along with numbers and letters of the alphabet for those able to spell things out.
More to do at the park and nearby
The playground is surrounded by a paved path perfect for trikes and scooters, and borders a wide-open grassy picnic lawn. The rest of the 17-acre park spans sports fields, softball diamonds and tennis courts. On weekends, the venue fills up with sports families cheering on their players.
Need a pick-me-up after a play session? Head on over to Cafe Joy just a couple of minutes away for fancy tea drinks, pastries and a cute puppy mascot.
If you go to Hidden Valley Park …Location: Hidden Valley Park is located at 1903 112th Ave. N.E. in Bellevue. Hours: The park is open daily, dawn to dusk. Parking: There is a parking lot on one side of the park, a short walk from the playground, along with extra spaces at Bellwood Office Park overlooking the play area — watch for signs indicating spots reserved for businesses. Additional information: Restrooms are conveniently located right next to the play area. More must-visit playgrounds for Seattle-area families: |
