Brainerd Park, located on Brainard Road (confusing, I know), is home to a small little playground tucked away in a shady corner of the park. It is not the type of playground you drive long distances for, but if you are local, it’s a nice quiet alternative to the busier playgrounds in the area.
We often sneak over to this park in the afternoon so we can play in the shade. That is one of the best things about this playground, it’s cool and not too sunny.
The playground is located in the main entrance of the park. If you are coming from Route 5 on Brainard Road, you would want to take the second entrance into the park just after the sign.
There was a sign upon entrance stating Brainerd Park’s rules and hours.
The parking lot is huge! There were no issues finding a spot. 
The park itself has baseball and soccer fields, a basketball court and woods for walking through.
There was no bathroom on site that I located, however, there is a very lovely port-a-potty.
Signs stated that the playground was for ages for 5 to 12. And though some features were beyond my little guys expertise, he still enjoyed himself and I was able to stay with him the whole time while he ventured the playground.
The ground cover in the playground is mulch. It is not an accessible playground, although strollers can be maneuvered pretty easily. My little guy was happy because we love to pick up and throw mulch.
The playground has two playsets. The larger one was intended for the bigger kids with taller slides, monkey bars, rock walls and climbing poles. The slides were fun, one was windy and the other was a double slide.
The smaller playset was more up our alley. The stairs were a little challenging, and made me nervous because of the rails; but once he was up on top, he loved climbing through the tunnel! The slides were a little less daring but still fun! I actually loved the slide on this playset since it had high sides and I wasn’t worried he would fall off!
The swing set was large, with five swings, 2 infant swings and an accessible swing. The infant swings are pretty high off the ground but are secure and safe.
There are benches for relaxing around the playground. I was too busy chasing my very active child to enjoy a seat.
One downside of Brainerd Park is the wooded areas. I was chasing my boy often to keep him out of the woods. Thankfully the woods separated us from the busy road. I also wish there was better upkeep of this park- the littering was sad.
Brainerd Park is not necessarily a destination playground but it is a nice option for local parents. We often stop in here for a quick play when we want to escape the sun and the crowds of the library playground. For local parents, it’s definitely worth adding to your list of playgrounds to visit.
This about sums it up…
137 Brainard Road, Enfield, Connecticut
Hours: 7 am to 9 pm
Features:
- FREE!
- Strollers can be difficult to maneuver in some areas
- Open playground area, designed for ages 5 to 12
- Swings, including baby swings
- Wood Mulch Ground Cover
- Benches throughout the playground
- Large parking lot with plenty of available spaces
- No bathroom or changing table facility
