Park Profile: Imagine Inclusive Playground in Dublin

Imagine Playground is a renovated fully-inclusive park in Dublin. During our visit, my 5-year-old genuinely said, “this is the best playground ever!” I can’t promise your kid will have the same experience, but I can tell you why she (and I) felt Imagine Playground was super duper awesome and totally worth the drive.

Look for the giant head art installation shining from the road and you will easily find the very sweet and the surprisingly large, Imagine Playground. At first glance, this playground is sparkly, clean, and unique. But what you don’t notice right away is how deceivingly large this playground actually is. Giant structures, sand pits, climbing domes, lovely landscaping, and all-abilities everything. I’m excited to see that inclusive playgrounds are the new black.

There were so many unique features that I don’t even know where to start. Here are our top three favorites:

• It’s not all crammed together. The structures are nicely spaced apart with distinct play areas for each interest.
• Kid-powered carousel that goes super fast! This was both my daughters’ favorite. Watch out though because smaller kids will and did fly right off this thing.
• Unique disc-shaped climbing webs that are super high and I haven’t seen anywhere else. My oldest spent a good amount of time exploring these interesting climbing challenges, they’re hidden in the middle of the big kid structures.

Imagine Playground Features 

Location: 6700 Dublin Blvd at Dublin Sports Grounds (a 30-minute drive from Oakland).
Swings: Lots of swings, 2 adaptive swings, 2 big kid swings, a basket swings, and a cute parent/kid swing for sharing.
Fenced in? Yes, but not 100%. Some of the perimeters are lined with benches, which I appreciate when you need a break. But kids can move in and out of the perimeter if they want to.
Surfaces: Impeccably clean and bouncy. Outside the playground is a giant, grassy, sports field.
Bathroom: Yes, three. One has a changing table and all are big enough for strollers and wheelchairs.
Lunch tables & seating: Tons! There is also an inclusive, bright yellow picnic area with easy access to restrooms.
Parking: Plenty of free parking, with easy access to the playground.
Shade: Some shade to be found all throughout the playground, both on the structures and sitting areas that have been outfitted with permanent canopies.

While Imagine Playground doesn’t have a dedicated tot lot like some other playgrounds, it does feature a thoughtfully 2 different toddler play structure woven into the space. My younger kids especially loved the climbing structure and bridge, both perfectly sized for them to explore.

Pros of Imagine Playground: Just when I thought I’d seen all the latest and greatest playground structures, I was surprised and delighted to see innovative, inclusive structures and new playground features. What a delight! Even my older kid didn’t get bored playing here.

Cons of Imagine Playground: While I can appreciate a park that has something for everyone, this sprawling playground and park can be very challenging to watch two or more small kids. I lost track of my two-year-old even when I was watching her closely. The structures are difficult to see through as there just so much square footage (it’s kind of both a pro and con). Unless your kids enjoy playing together, dress them in bright colors to keep an easier eye on them. I only had one dressed brightly, so wasn’t totally prepared for this.

More to do with kids in Dublin

To be honest, I haven’t spent much time in Dublin so we were happy to explore. We stopped at a few Indian stores to stock up on some hard-to-find grocery items and grabbed takeout for lunch after burning off so much energy.

From In-N-Out to Curry House Pizza and more, there are tons of places for a quick lunch just a few blocks away as the playground is very close to the Dublin/Pleasanton BART.

Bottom Line on Imagine Playground in Dublin

This playground is the bomb! We had so much fun exploring this new spot along with lots of other families. We arrived late morning on a weekday, and it was already busy. This playground is excellent for adventurous little kids and mixed age groups.

Pro tip: parents, definitely wear sneakers if you’re trying to keep track of more than one small kid and enjoy! We’ll be headed back to Dublin to visit and shop for sure.