Oh, sand. Sometimes we love you, sometimes we loathe you — but the kids always have a great time with this sensory-friendly activity that encourages them to get down to build, dig, and play! It also helps us parents cultivate a ‘brush it off’ attitude that comes in handy during parenting, if we’re being honest here. Chuck a couple of beach towels in the back of the car or stroller and head to these fun destinations.
We’ve rounded up a big list of local parks with sand available to play. Use this list to find a great park for your sand-loving kiddos to dig, tunnel, and build to their hearts’ content.
Phillips Park at Mastodon Island Peninsula in Aurora
Mastodon Island Peninsula at Phillips Park
Ray Moses Drive
Aurora, IL 60505
Themed after mastodon bones once found in the area, this playground is on its own island! Cross the bridge to play on the playground and “excavate” mastodon bones built into a sand pit. The playground is also in the same area as Phillips Park Zoo.
Harvester Park in Burr Ridge
Harvester Park
15W400 Harvester Drive
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Harvester has a big sand area with pulleys, a conveyor belt, and a screw auger. There’s also a water feature. Dress to get wet and sandy! Helpfully, there are bathrooms on-site.
Butterfield Park in Lemont
Butterfield Park
21W730 Butterfield Road
Lombard, IL 60148
This park is located behind the Butterfield Park District building, right by playground and recreation spaces at The Glen. The smaller of the two playgrounds there has a fence and a sandbox. Be aware that it’s sometimes being used by the preschool.
Knoch Park Playground in Naperville
Knoch Park
724 S. West Street
Naperville, IL 60540
This big park has a small sand area with sand play tables that kids can pour sand through. I recommend bringing cups or shovels, which make the little tables much more fun to play with.
Ty Warner Park in Westmont
Ty Warner Park
700 Blackhawk Drive
Westmont, IL 60559
Ty Warner is a huge park with a ton to do, including a big sand area with a train to play in! There is a big splash pad area (with a fee), plus picnic tables and a bathroom on-site, too.
Maryknoll Park in Glen Ellyn
Maryknoll Park
845 Pershing Avenue
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Maryknoll is another big park with lots of activities. In addition to the playground with its sand table, you can visit the splash pad (be aware there is a fee) or picnic at the shelter.
Walker Park in Burr Ridge
Walker Park
7425 S. Wolf Road
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
This park was redone in 2021. Between the Challenge Course and playgrounds is a sand play area and swings. Click here to get all the details on the new features of this great park.
Crestview Park in Elmhurst
Crestview Park
245 Crestview Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126
Parking for Crestview Park is at the corner of Van Auden Street and Crestview Avenue.
Deicke Park Discovery Zone in Huntley
Deicke Park Discovery Zone
11419 S. Route 47
Huntley, IL 60142
This inclusive playground was designed for kids with many different abilities to play together! The sandpit has a water feature, a train slide, diggers, and sand toys. Check out Rita’s scoop on Deicke Park Discovery Zone.
Wilder Park in Elmhurst
Wilder Park
175 S Prospect Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126
There’s a large sand area at Wilder Park, which is also situated next to Elmhurst Art Museum and the Wilder Park Conservatory.
Sunnyside Park in Wheaton
Sunnyside Park
1120 Coolidge Avenue
Wheaton, IL 60189
This neighborhood park has a big sand area with a train in addition to a larger playground with a soft, spongy surface.
Atten Park in Wheaton
Atten Park
1720 Wiesbrook Rd S
Wheaton, IL 60189
This park has a sand area with tunnels for tots to crawl through and circular bins for filling and scooping.
Toohey Park Tot Playground
1900 Orchard Rd,
Wheaton, IL 60189
This little playground has a mud-free play surface and was designed specifically for kids ages 2 to 5, as well as a sand area with diggers. There’s also a small Safety Town at this location.
Bison’s Bluff in Schaumburg
Bison’s Bluff Nature Playground
1111 E Schaumburg Road
Schaumburg, IL 60194
This extra-cool nature playground has a large sand area with buckets, a sand table, and scoops. For the summer, one-hour play sessions are required to prevent crowding. Admission is $2 or $3 for kids, depending on residency. Check out our review of Bison’s Bluff for more details.
Want to find out about more playgrounds?
Head to our Ultimate Guide to Playgrounds in Chicagoland. It has suggestions for every age group and type of park you are looking for!
