Top 10 Best Toddler Parks in Fort Lauderdale: Shaded, Safe & Mom-Approved
Looking for the best toddler-friendly parks in Fort Lauderdale? As a local mom of two under two, I’ve explored just about every shaded, splash-happy, fenced-in playground Broward has to offer—so you don’t have to!
Your Guide to the Best Toddler Parks in Fort Lauderdale —Slides, Swings, and Splash Pads for every personality!
With year-round sunshine and warm weather, Fort Lauderdale and the greater Broward County area are perfect for outdoor adventures with little ones. Whether you are just visiting the Sunshine State or live here year-round and are looking for a fully enclosed toddler-friendly park where you can actually sip your coffee in peace, a cooling splash pad for those hot summer months, or a high-energy shaded playground to tire out your toddler before bedtime, there’s a park for every need.
As a stay-at-home mom of two under two—who used to travel constantly for work—I am utterly incapable of just sitting at home with crayons and puzzles. We’re always on the go, and trust me, I’ve tested just about every toddler-friendly park in Fort Lauderdale. From quiet, shady spots for sleep-deprived mornings to bustling beachfront playgrounds where you can grab ice cream, stare at the ocean and take a sanity-saving stroll, I’ve found the best parks for every mood and toddler personality!
So, whether you have a little climber, a swing addict, a social butterfly, a splash- loving water baby or a sprint-happy escape artist, this list of Fort Lauderdale’s top 10 best toddler parks has you covered!
Our List Of The Top 10 Best Toddler parks In broward County
Warning: Motherhood may cause insanity.
Get your weekly dose of sanity by subscribing to our newsletter! Get quick recipes, survival hacks, unfiltered parenting rants, and confirmation that your toddler is just being a tiny tyrant sometimes — sent straight to your inbox every week!
1.Florence C Hardy Park – Something For Everyone
Florence C. Hardy Park, just south of downtown Fort Lauderdale on Andrews Avenue, is one of my favorite go-to parks. This massive playground is divided into two distinct sections: on the northern side the play structures are specifically designed for toddlers and the southern play structures are ideal for kids 5 and up. But that said my toddler has been playing on both since about 18 months, and both are perfectly fine for little ones, although they might just need some assistance traversing some of the equipment.
There is an abundance of toddler swings and slides and an open big astro turf covers the entire park, with another big open grassy sports field right next to the park. The Brightline runs right behind the park (unfenced! But far enough away to be safe), adding the excitement of seeing trains, as well as having an abundance of squirrels and lizard to keep little ones amused.
This is also one of those neighborhood parks where you will see the same faces at the same times almost every day, which is always a nice way to make some mom friends and organize some playdates!
Location: 25 SW 9th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
Best for: This park truly has something for everyone! Age appropriate fully shaded play structures for little ones, toddlers and bigger kids, lots of swings, numerous slides, wide open spaces to run, shaded picknick benches and it’s a hit for social butterflies, as there is usually an abundance of kids of all ages running around, but thanks to this park’s enormous size it never feels crowded.
Parking And Accessibility: 5/5
Tons of free wide parking spaces available (never seen the parking lot full, even at crowded times). Easy paved stroller access to and around the park.
Ability To Relax: 2/5
As much as I love this park, it’s not the best option to relax and sip coffee with a toddler due to its expansive size and not being completely fenced in.
Pro Tip: Bring some sidewalk chalk! The paved walkway around the park is the perfect place to let your little one go wild with scribbling on everything! It’s also the perfect place to bring a bike, scooter or ride on car.
2. Bayview Park – A Social Butterfly’s Dream
Another one of my favorite go-to parks, Bayview Park does not really have any particular standout features, but somehow my toddler absolutely loves this place and can easily spend an entire morning or afternoon here!
Some of the smaller play structures are covered by shaded netting, the main play structure and swings are not, but the surrounding trees and this parks’ location provide ample shade throughout the park no matter the time of day, and it always feels somewhat cooler here in the hot summer months.
The main draw for my toddler to this park is that she is a social butterfly obsessed with anything with wheels, and this park provides an abundance of younger kids zooming around on their cars, bikes and scooters.
And with an abundance of squirrels and giant iguanas, there is always something to distract her from having a meltdown if someone doesn’t want to share their bicycle.
Location: 4401 Bayview Dr, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Best for: Social butterflies and active toddlers. This park is always buzzing with an overwhelming amount of activity and kids zooming about on bikes, scooters, rollerblades, ride-on-cars and anything else that has wheels.
Parking And Accessibility: 2/5
There is limited parking next to the park, and on busy weekends or after 5pm on weekdays finding parking is a struggle. After a big rainstorm the parking area also gets completely flooded, making it impossible to actually visit this park. On the weekends you are allowed to park on the grass area facing Bayview drive. Stroller friendly and you can take a walk around the park and sports field with a stroller if your toddler is feeling like sitting down.
Ability To Relax: 0/5
I give this park zero stars for the being-able-to-drink-coffee-factor. Its not fenced in and with a spread-out playground, tennis and basketball court and a wide-open sports field, there’s a lot of distractions and opportunities for escape. Putting this into writing, it’s no wonder I am always stressed out, because I go to this park almost every single day!
Pro Tip: If your toddler loves anything with wheels, make sure to bring a bicycle, ride on car or anything you can use for a trade-off with other kids so that your toddler can play with other cars. I have found most kids to be fine with sharing their cars and bicycles, but it always helps to offer a toddler a tradeoff and avoid tantrums.
3. Caporella Park – Perfect For Hot Summer Days
Located in Tamarac, just west of Fort Lauderdale, Caporella Park is perfect for those hot summer months, as the playground is completely shaded, and it has an amazing toddler friendly splash pad.
The splash pad is really the draw card here and it will be impossible to keep your toddler away from it- as it is right at the entrance and you have to walk past it to get to the playground, so come prepared with swimsuits and swim diapers! Out of all the free splashpads I have been to this one is the most toddler friendly. It’s not too overwhelming with too many crazy features, and it has lots of fun little things they can spin and twirl and explore. There are also a couple of shaded picknick benches, so you might even be able to sit down for a second or two.
This park is also right on a big lake, and has a little jetty, perfect for viewing the ducks and fish! The playground is also very impressive. It’s fully shaded, lots of swings, a not-so-toddler friendly big play structure and even a cool mini little zip line! (my toddler finally mastered this at 24 months and its pretty fun for me to zip on too)
Location: 5200 Prospect Rd, Tamarac, FL 33321
Best for: Splash happy water babies! This park is an absolute must visit for an early morning play session- especially in the summer.
Parking And Accessibility: 3/5
Free parking at the entrance of the park. There is very limited parking for such a nice park, and I’m sure it fills up pretty quick later in the day -especially during the summer- but we are usually here early in the morning – around 9 am- and there’s plenty of parking then.
Ability To Relax: 3/5
This park is mildly relaxing on the being able to drink a coffee scale. The splashpad and play area are both unfenced, and although the park is set back from any busy roads, there is still a very alluring big pond filled with ducks -irresistible for a little sprinter! But usually, the splashpad does offer enough excitement to keep toddlers entertained and gives you a few seconds to sit down.
Pro Tip: Put a swim diaper on before you leave the house! Just put a regular diaper over that for the car ride to catch any pee-pee, and simply take off the regular diaper before heading in to the park. Maybe you are better than me at this, but trying to put a diaper on my toddler as we park somewhere exciting is impossible. Don’t know where I came across this trick, but it’s a lifesaver!
4. Peter Feldman Park – Drink Your Coffee in Peace!
This unassuming little neighborhood park is actually a real hidden gem! Driving past it you might not think much of it; its small, no swings (a plus in my book!) and there are hardly ever more than one or two kids here. But these are actually all the things I love about Peter Feldman Park!
This is my favorite go-to park when I am feeling like I am going to have a nervous breakdown and that I am a horrible mother because my baby is just always strapped into a stroller whilst my toddler gets to run around.
Its small size and the fact that it is one of the few fully enclosed parks I have found, means that I can actually sit down and relax! I can take my 8-month-old out of the stroller and prop him on a blanket with some toys whilst my toddler goes bonkers. It’s one of the rare win-win for everyone situations I have found. That said the playground is not really ideal for smaller toddlers, as you need to climb a ladder to get to the slide and its more of a climber’s park than a fun toddler exploration park. My toddler does seem to get mildly bored after a while here, but there is always an abundance of squirrels and lizards to keep her going.
Location: 310 NE 6th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Best For: Actually enjoying some coffee in relative peace! With 2 under 2, finding a park or activity that both my toddler and baby can enjoy without leaving the baby strapped into a stroller or running around strapped to me is near impossible, but this quiet small parks offers me the opportunity to put my baby on a blanket with some toys whilst ii sit and drink coffee and my toddler bounces all over the playground. Bliss!
Parking And Accessibility: 3/5
There is plenty of parking in the side streets between the high rise condos next to the park. It is all paid parking, but honestly, I have never paid and never gotten a ticket. (My game plan is just to pull the frantic mom card should I see a parking official walking up to give me a ticket and just hysterically explain how I forgot my phone and credit card at home. Theoretically it should work right?). Easy stroller friendly walking from the parking to and from the park.
Ability To Relax: 5/5
Small, fully fenced, mostly shaded, no swings and nice clean astro turf. Aaaa, park heaven!
Pro Tip: Pack an early lunch or dinner and bring a big blanket to sit on the astro turf or sit at one of the many picknick tables and have a nice meal all fresco with your toddler and let the birds and squirrels clean up the mess! Bring some sand toys, (there’s a little dirt patch under one tree that kids always seem to play in) or some sidewalk chalk to keep toddlers entertained for longer.
5. Sugar Sand Park – A Free Toddler Amusement Park!
Sugar Sand Park is one of my once-a-month-lets-do-something-different outings. With two under two, this park requires mental preparation and fortitude. My back needs to be feeling good and capable of strapping my 8-month-old to me for an extended period, I need to be able to find where my toddler hid my running shoes and being in an upbeat preppy mood is key to having a great time at this park.
But once you get there it is really not as dramatic as I am making it! Driving from Fort Lauderdale to this Park in Boca Raton gives you quite the time to mentally prepare yourself, so you will be ready by the time you get there! Honestly the first time I went here and walked into the park I felt like I just skipped the line at some amusement park and slipped in without paying, I genuinely kept looking over my shoulder waiting for someone to tell me I need to go buy a ticket. They never came, and once we left, I actually had to google if it was indeed free or not! Let me assure you, it is free!
I don’t even know where to begin to describe this place. It is absolutely sprawling with a massive 3 story tree-house-like main play structure that is an absolute labyrinth of discovery and running and slides! There are all sorts of swings, slides, spinning things, climbing walls, a misting station, and a whole lot of other things I don’t even know how to describe! There is also a dedicated toddler play area to the back but let’s face it, your toddler will be to enamored by the glory and wonder of the main play area to care about the smaller toddler area.
There is also a carousel with 30 different horses and animals to ride on (you have to pay for this one, a dollar a person, and its only open at certain times), and there is also the wonderful and free Children’s Science Explorium right next to the park. This place is great after a full morning of running around, giving everyone a chance to cool down in the AC and they have such fun and interactive exhibits it keeps all of us entertained for quite some time!
If you head out the back doors of the Science Explorium you will find some nice stroller friendly nature trails to cap off a fun and active day! This really is a park you have to see to believe and it’s well worth the drive from Fort Lauderdale!
Location: 300 S Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL 33486
Best for: A full day of varied fun. This park offers everything that brings joy to a toddler and stress to a parent of a toddler.
Parking And Accessibility: 5/5
Lots of free wide parking spaces right next to the park and Science Explorium. The playground, nature trails and Science Explorium are all stroller friendly.
Ability To Relax: 0/5
Sugar Sands Park is exhausting, overwhelming and non-stop running after a toddler. And if you turn your back for a second, they will get lost in this whimsical maze. But it’s so worth it! Just be prepared!
Pro Tip: Wear comfortable clothes and running shoes! You will be running and going down slides. And if -like me- you have two under two, strap your little one onto you BEFORE you head into the park, as your toddler will bolt off into the abyss of this alluring labyrinth and they will be lost forever: accepted into the tribes of raccoons that come out at night to feast on leftover cookies, juice boxes and apple slices (pro or con depending on how you look at it).
6. Snyder Park – Let Them Loose In Nature
If you are looking to set your toddler free and just let them run around endlessly in nature, Snyder Park is the place! This park offers two different playgrounds -one right by the entrance and dog water park, and one just west of the dog swim area. The playgrounds are not especially toddler friendly, but there are slides and swings to keep them going.
Weekday mornings and afternoons this park is pretty quiet and you will most likely have the playgrounds to yourself, so not the best place for very social toddlers like mine, but that’s not the point of this park- this park is for just escaping it all and getting into nature.
It’s the perfect place to set your toddler free on a bicycle, watch the dogs swim whilst having a picnick in one of the huts overlooking the pond or just simply meandering through nature and running after ducks, squirrels, iguanas and the occasional raccoon. There are also wild monkeys here! In all my years in Fort Lauderdale, I have only spotted them once! But it’s fun to walk around and try to find them. Overall, this park offers so many different things for toddlers to see and do and run after, it really makes for a great morning or afternoon out.
Location: 3299 SW 4th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
Best for: Nature loving toddlers and the perfect place to practice riding bicycles and scooters.
Parking And Accessibility: 5/5
Tons of free parking and lots of quiet paved roads leading through the park, with some nature trails, perfect for putting your toddler on a ride on car or bicycle and taking a leisurely stroll.
Ability To Relax: 4/5
Having 90 acres of park and playgrounds and ponds mostly to yourselves on quiet weekday mornings really is relaxing. With very few or no cars driving around either, it’s the perfect place to just let your toddler explore and run around whilst you walk through the park.
Pro Tip: Keep an eye on the Snyder Park Website for their special events, as they have fun and free toddler activities from time to time. Every fall they have the free big toy and truck extravaganza, where toddlers, kids and adults can see and climb aboard all sorts of fun cars and machines, like firetrucks, excavators, SWAT and bomb vehicles, cranes, dump trucks and more! They also have annual Christmas and Halloween events.
7. Pompano Beach Pier Park – Feel Like You Are On Vacation!
I feel like this statement is just going to perfectly sum up the humdrum mundane life of a stay-at-home mom, but here we go: Pompano Beach Pier Park is not one of my regular go-to’s, as it’s a 20 min + drive for me and not very relaxing and very hands on, but oh boy when I do go here it really feels like I am on holiday!
This park is right on the Pompano Beach, and every time I go here, I feel like I am on holiday in some quant beachside town away from the droves of tourist and hustle and bustle of Fort Lauderdale! That said, funny enough taking your toddler here is a very hands-on experience and not very relaxing, as the main play structure is not very toddler friendly -designed for 5–12-year-olds -and the smaller play structure is frankly just really boring for my 2-year-old, so she never even looks at it. On the main play structure two of the three slides can only be reached by a crazy rope maze, and I end up running back and forth helping my toddler get up to the big yellow slide. But somehow, I am always optimistic when I am here, and I just think, “eh, exercise and an ocean view! Coffee can wait!”
Right next to the park on the beach there is a cool little restaurant with a real island feel to it which is perfect if you are feeling extra preppy and optimistic and want to attempt to sit down and have breakfast with your toddler. They also have grab and go coffee, juice and assorted pastries – a chocolate chip muffin is the perfect thing to bribe your toddler into sitting down in the stroller for a walk down the pier!
Just a short walk south down the boardwalk – right next to the big grassy patch where there is often yoga classes – you will find a tiny splash pad. It’s really more of a fountain with squirting jets, but it’s a fun place for toddlers to cool off, and it’s surrounded by benches so you can maybe sit down for a second and watch your toddler splash around.
Location: 186-198 N Pompano Beach Blvd, Pompano Beach, FL 33062
Best for: Parents who need a break from the mundane! There’re no swings (pro or a con depending on how you look at it) and the playground is not especially toddler friendly, but being right on the beach, taking a stroll down the pier, sitting at a toddler friendly beachfront restaurant or enjoying the mini splash pad make it all worthwhile and a perfect way to spend a full morning outside and pretend you are on holiday away from Fort Lauderdale!
Parking And Accessibility: 4/5
Paid parking is available right in front of the park. The parking is really reasonably priced – $2.90- per hour during the week and $3.80 per hour on the weekends. Get there early on the weekends as parking fills up quick from about 10am, weekdays it’s pretty quiet. The entire park, boardwalk and pier is stroller friendly.
Ability To Relax: 4/5
Although this park is very hands-on, not enclosed and you will need to help your toddler to navigate the play structure to reach two of the three slides, I still somehow find this park utterly relaxing. Maybe it’s just the ocean views or a walk on the pier. Whatever it is I am always in a better mood when I leave here!
Pro Tip: Bring a swim diaper and towel for the little splashpad just south down the boardwalk from the park. Pack a special treat -like cookies or candy- that will keep your toddler busy so that you can enjoy a peaceful stroll down the pier or boardwalk and soak in the calming ocean views.
8. George English Park – Great For Crazy Climbers
This is another one of those unassuming neighborhood playgrounds, which at first glance you might think, eh, it’s not really that nice, but George English Park has really become one of my favorite parks.
Most of the play structures here are geared towards climbers -you need to climb a crazy cube maze to get to the slide, which has been easy and safe enough for my toddler since she was about 18 months -but there is also a smaller toddler friendly pirate ship jungle gym with a slide for those non climbers (lucky you!). There’re also two toddler swings, a new age tire swing and big kid swings.
But what really makes this park one of my favorites is the type of kids that seem to hang out here.
All that said, its not one of my favorite parks mid-summer, as the playground is not fully shaded and it is fully exposed to the mid-day sun, making it almost unbearable in the peak summer.
Location: 1101 Bayview Dr, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Best for: A climber’s dream play playground! Most of the play structures here are designed for climbing. But if you don’t have a climb crazy toddler, this park is still great for toddlers who love to socialize -there’s always a lot of very friendly smaller kids and toddlers around, and it’s the perfect place for riding cars and scooters, playing in the dirt or chasing snack loving squirrels. Its also one of those go-to neighborhood parks where you will see the same faces every day -great for making some mom friends!
Parking And Accessibility: 5/5
Free parking right next to the park. There is an overflow parking lot by the boat ramp should all the tennis players be taking up the parking spots by the park.
Ability To Relax: 4/5
Even though it is not fully fenced in, and it is a pretty big spread out park, it is actually quit relaxing. It is easy to spot your toddler running around from almost any angle in this park, and there is a shaded pavilion and lots of benches around the park. It’s also one of the few parks my 8 month old gets to enjoy a swing ride, as I am able to easily see where my toddler is at all times.
Pro Tip: As much as I love this park, and it is one of the best toddler parks in Fort Lauderdale in my opinion, it really is not the best park to go to in the peak summer months, due to the lack of shade covering the play areas.
9. Hortt Park – Crazy Slide And Watching Boats
This is another great little hidden neighborhood gem of a park. Hortt Park has all the things that a toddler would want – lots of colorful age-appropriate things to climb and swing and spin on, and also a really cool 2 story slide, accessible by a spiral walkway.
This park is also in the very quiet neighborhood of Shady Banks, and although it is unfenced, it is completely set back from any roads, and there is a giant grass sports field where toddlers can run to their hearts delight. Weekends and after about 4 pm there is quit a bit of activity and kids running around here, but mostly it is pretty quiet.
But what I really like about this park is taking a short walk south to the Bill Keith Preserve Park. It is just a tiny little slice of nature with some nature trails and a boardwalk that leads to a tiny little beach area. It’s a great spot to just let your toddler splash around for a bit and throw rocks into the water, and also a great shady spot for a little all fresco lunch or snack at one of the shaded picnick tables.
Location: 1700 SW 14th Ct, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Best for: A quiet, yet entertaining park and a nice little nature walk followed by a riverside picknick to look at boats, ducks and lizards.
Parking And Accessibility: 5/5
Lots of free, wide parking spaces right next to the park and easy stroller walkways through the park and the nature preserve to the south.
Ability To Relax: 3/5
You will most likely need to help your toddler get up to the giant slide, but there are plenty of other toddler friendly things to play with too. No toddler swings though, and not a great place to get your younger baby out of the stroller but sitting at one of the huts or picknick tables in the bill Keith Nature Preserve to the south does offer some time to sit down and relax.
Pro Tip: Pack an early lunch or some elaborate snacks and head to the nature preserve for all fresco dining whilst your toddler splashes at the little beach and chases lizards. Or stretch out your time to sit down by bringing some crayons and a coloring book to keep them entertained for longer.
10. Virginia Young Park – Lemonade Stands And A Cozy Neighborhood Vibe
Virginia Young Park is set in arguably one of the nicest neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale, and although it is small and not enclosed, there is just something about this little hidden gem that keeps me coming back.
There are toddler swings, a smaller play structure with two slides for little ones and then a bigger 2 story play structure with a giant enclosed slide and a smaller slide. My little climber still struggles to scramble up to the giant slide by herself, so there is a lot of running back and forth and my baby mostly just stays strapped into the stroller -occasionally getting a little bit of swing time when his sister is distracted by sidewalk chalk or someone’s toy car, so, its not especially relaxing.
But there is also a big open grassy field right next to the park where kids are always running around with balls or some fancy new RC car or spinning toy, and that does keep my toddler well interested for a long time. But what really draws me to come to this park over and over again, is how nice this neighborhood is, and all the kids that come here are mostly local kids from the neighborhood and everyone is just really friendly and shares their toys.
On weekends or holidays there is usually also some industrious kids setting up a little lemon aid and cookie stand next to the park or somewhere in the neighborhood, which is quite cute when I give my toddler a dollar and watch her ask for all the cookies and then start screaming when she only gets one. This is a really nice, quiet and shaded neighborhood to take a stroll in after the park, especially during the holidays when you can stare at all the Christmas decorations and wonder how big of a storage unit these people have for all these Christmas things.
Another really fun thing to do with your toddler whilst you are in this neighborhood is walk north from the park to Stranahan Landing to the free Lauder Go! Water trolley. This is a completely free little water trolley that will take you across the river to Las Olas, where you can grab some ice cream and take a stroll, or you can simply just catch a free ride down the new River and back (it takes about 20 or 30 min) -something my toddler really loves!
Check the Lauder Go! Water Trolley website for more info on this, or if you are looking for other fun and free things to do with your toddler, I have compiled a list of my favorite free things to do with toddlers in Fort Lauderdale.
Location: 1000 SE 9th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Best for: If you are into eavesdropping on unsolicited finance bro advice to another finance bro about finance bro things then this is the place for you! There really is an overwhelming amount of dads with their kids here on the weekends, probably giving the moms a chance to sip mimosas and get Botox -not judging, just openly jealous.
But for toddlers this is just a great little neighborhood park, with enough stuff to play with to keep them entertained, a wide-open grassy field, a lot of nice kids with a lot of activity going on and the chance to buy some cookies and lemonade. It’s also a great place to take a stroll during Halloween or Christmas and look at all the over-the-top decorations.
Parking And Accessibility: 4/5
Very limited parking -like 6 or 8 spots. I have never not found parking here, even during busy weekend times, as this is such a hidden local neighborhood park most people walk here or take their golfcarts and park in some ostentatious illegal way. Mostly nice wide, paved sidewalks to take a walk through the neighborhood with your stroller.
Ability to Relax: 2/5
Your toddler will most likely need help getting up to the big slide, it’s wide open to the (very quiet) street, and on the chance there is a little lemonade stand across the street from the park you will be running back and forth. But on the odd chance your toddler gets into playing with a ball on the field or someone brought in some crazy RC car and is racing it on the field, you will probably get the chance to sit down for a while on one of the picknick benches next to the field.
Pro Tip: Bring a couple of dollars in case there is a little lemonade stand and watch your toddler be utterly confused at how a piece of paper gets her a cookie! Bring a bike or ride on car for your toddler if you want to take a stroll through the neighborhood.
Share Your Favorite Toddler Parks in Fort Lauderdale!
Have you been to any of my favorite toddler friendly parks in Fort Lauderdale? Or have I left your favorite go to place off my list? Let me know in the comments below which are your favorite parks to go to with your toddler! I am always looking for new suggestions on sanity saving parks or free things to do with my toddler! And just remember, you are probably doing a good job, toddlers are just tyrants sometimes!
