We Dig These Parks With Sand in Chicagoland

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Parks & Playgrounds

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 playground in Aurora
Sand area with fossils buried in it.

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 Lombard

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

Sand area with tunnels and bins with Atten Park playground in the background

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

Sand area and playground for young children.

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

A child pouring sand into a bucket with a scoop.

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.

Veteran’s Memorial Park in Westmont

Veteran’s Memorial Park
55 E Richmond Street
Westmont, IL 60559

There are two playgrounds at this park, with a large sand area in the middle. The park district replaced some of the toddler play structures recently too, so it’s a great area to visit.

Spring Rock Park in Western Springs

Spring Rock Park
4400 Central Avenue
Western Springs, IL 60558

There is a sand pit with a digger to the east of the main playground.

Fox Center & Park in Oak Park

Fox Center & Park
624 S. Oak Park Avenue
Oak Park, IL 60304

This sand area has a large umbrella and three diggers to play with. There is also a small playground and whale fountain to cool off.

Stuart Sports Complex in Aurora

Stuart Sports Complex
39W585 Jericho Rd
Aurora, IL 60506

This park has a big sand pit with diggers and spring rides. It’s also on the sprawling grounds of many sports fields, a small playground, and splash pad.

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!

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