DeVoy Playground: Simply Great Fun for All in Queens

Sometimes simplicity is the best thing. That is why the Joseph E. DeVoy Playground in Forest Park (71st and Union Turnpike in Queens) is not only one of my kids’ favorite parks but one of mine.

Is there a sandbox? No. Water feature? No. Bathroom? No. But what it does have is an element of nature, rolling hills and plenty of swings. Also, the ice cream truck never stops by. Which is a good thing.

In front of DeVoy Playground, which is right near a hiking/ horse trail, you will find three climbers, each with increased difficulty, a set of swings and an old-fashioned tire swing. As you go up, you see baby-safety swings and a giant tree house with monkey bars. It can be a store or a castle or a spaceship or some combination of all three.

The park is also fully shaded by trees, which is a real bonus in the swelter of a New York summer. The ground is also all-natural (grass and wood chips) except for an asphalt pathway, which is great for drawing with chalk or riding your scooter way too fast.

My kids and I go to the DeVoy Playground and park in all seasons. Autumn is great because of the giant piles of leaves you can jump into. And when it was covered in snow this winter the natural contours made for super fun sledding slopes. I’ll always have an affinity with this park because my son took his first steps near the twisty slide my daughter was trying very hard to climb up.

DeVoy Playground features

Shade – Almost completely covered in trees
Water feature – No.
Bathrooms – Not in the park, but there is a Stop N Shop down the block with facilities.
Sand – No.
Grass – All grass and wood chips.

Photos: Niel Vuolo