Park Profile: Becky Temko Tot Park in Berkeley

Becky Temko Tot Park is a small — about half the size of Totland — fully-enclosed playground primarily for toddlers and their siblings. On our visit, there were mostly children ages 0 to 3 with some 4 to 6 year olds running around, too. Because it is small and fenced-in, I love it to keep an eye on multiple children.

Becky Temko Park Features

Location: 2424 Roosevelt Avenue between Dwight and Channing Ways in Southwest Berkeley
Unique Features: Play structure includes slide structure with 2 different level slides; spinning seat; unique stone sculptures that look like cats; sand pit with water features; many ride-on toys left behind from other families
Swings: Two baby bucket swings
Fenced in? Yes, hooray!
Surfaces: Grass at the back, rubber playground mat, sand, concrete
Bathroom: Nope, sorry. Diapers were changed on the lawn and in strollers. Disappointed.
Picnic tables & seating: One regular sized picnic table, one kid-sized long picnic table, two kid-sized colorful picnic tables (seats 4). Bench by the entrance.
Parking: Street parking was pretty available on the same block as the park on a weekday afternoon. The curb right in front of the park is a loading zone.
Shade: Yes, aged trees provide great shades by the picnic tables.

The sand pit and water feature mean that we got super messy today. We had lots of sand toys and donated ride-on toys and tricycles to push around. For new walkers and children who do not have Every Single Toy at home, these are so special and exciting.

My daughters are three and one, and we liked Becky Temko Tot Park a lot in terms of keeping eye on both of them at the same time. I would assume park is busier in morning between nap times for littles. With bigger kids running around, I worry that little ones can easily bump and fall. Since the tot lot is small and open, I can see everything and quickly run to attend to them when needed.

Having no on-site bathroom was a challenge for my older child, so we had to use the portable potty out of the trunk of my car. I saw nannies changing diapers on strollers and on the grassy lawn. I wish there was a proper water faucet to wash hands. The drinking fountain was filled with sand because kids were using it to wash their sandy hands. Other than those minor things, we had no complaints and liked this hidden gem for little ones.

The Bottom Line on Becky Temko

Becky Temko Tot Park is clean and fully enclosed, making it a perfect spot for toddlers. Its compact size makes it easy to keep an eye on multiple children, and it’s definitely a playground we’ll be visiting often.