6 New Playgrounds in Richmond: Fun, Family-Friendly Spots to Explore

The West End Mom
Aug 28, 2025
6 min read

Looking for a new playground to visit around Richmond, Virginia?! You are in luck -- RVA is in its pLaYgRounD eRa!

6 new parks and playgrounds have opened in the last 6 months! Each one offers a fresh place for kids to play, climb and explore. From state-of-art equipment and inclusive designs to new water features, these new Richmond area parks and playgrounds are a must visit before the end of 2025!

Here is your guide to the six newest parks and playgrounds around Richmond, Virginia!

*Follow @thewestendmom for things to do with kids in Richmond, Virginia!

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Discover the newest playgrounds in Richmond, Virginia for kids and families:

This guide only includes playgrounds that opened in 2025 or were renovated in 2025. Each one has upgraded equipment, safer play areas, and convenient amenities for Richmond families.

These parks and playgrounds are located in the Greater Richmond Area: Chesterfield County, Henrico County, City of Richmond, and Hanover County. Each park is open from dawn to dusk daily with no admission cost. You can visit these parks no matter which county or city you reside!

Here's quick look of all the new playgrounds in Richmond, Virginia. For more details on each park, scroll down the page. There you will find a more detailed review of each Richmond area playground, including its address and more pictures!

1.Beulah Recreation Center - Chesterfield County

2.Forest Hill Park - City of Richmond

3.Huguenot Park - Chesterfield County

4.Humphrey Calder Park - City of Richmond

5.Pole Green Park - Hanover County

6.Southside Recreation Center - City of Richmond

Have fun PARK HOPPING around RVA!

1.Huguenot Park's playground:

Huguenot Park’s popular Playground for Katie & Friends underwent a $700,000 facelift to create a new, modernized play space for all abilities & all ages.

At Huguenot Park's playground, you will find: accessibility from parking lot to playground , the original, iconic entrance, smooth rubber surfacing under the play structures, a new sand play area, two large play structures - one for younger kids & one for big kids, lots of swings - baby swings, saucers, all accessible & double swings, hills, tunnels & playhouses, musical instruments, and plenty of benches & picnic tables

Opening Date: April 2025

Address: 10901 Robious Rd, Richmond, VA 23235

Location: Midlothian, Chesterfield County

*Check here for my full review of Huguenot Park's playground!

2.Southside Recreation Center:

Southside Community Center reopened after its $20 million renovation. And YOU need to check it out!! This public community center is now double the size with so many areas to enjoy — inside & outside. It even has Richmond’s first indoor, public playground!!

This public community center is now double the size with new spaces inside & outside!

The indoor playground has: soft flooring for sock play, play equipment for little kids, massive climbing net, 2 large play structures for climbing & exploring, 2 large tube slides, a climbing wall, and lots of space to crawl, run & move around!

HEADS UP: The indoor playground will be open from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday and from 9am-6pm on Saturdays. Closed on Sundays. I try to call ahead before we visit just incase it's being used for camps, too!

The outdoor playground is fully fenced with a gate, and it has: soft flooring, a spider web climber for big kids, swings including a saucer & baby swing, and play equipment for little kids.

Southside Recreation Center is the top recreation center to visit in Richmond, Virginia with all ages. It has adventure features for older kids in the indoor playground and it also has play features for little kids inside. It has a completely fenced in outdoor playground geared towards toddlers and preschoolers. It also has an indoor and outdoor basketball court, and it has a skate park!

Opening Date: March 2025

Address: 6255 Old Warwick Rd, Richmond, VA 23225

Location: South Richmond, City of Richmond

*Check here for my full review of Southside Rec Center's indoor playground and check here for my review on fenced in playground.

3.Forest Hill Park's playground:

The historic Forest Hill Park spans 105 acres! You will find a playground, tennis courts, plenty of green space, walking trails, a lake & wetlands. It’s also home to the South of the James Market!

And the playground is now an ADA accessible, eco-friendly & sustainable play area.

You will find: play equipment designed for kids ages 2-12 , smooth rubber surfacing under the play structures, swings under a sunshade - belt swings, bucket swing & adaptive swing, Inclusive Whirl, musical instruments, stepping stones & logs, and sunshades & seating!

Opening Date: June 2025

Address: 4021 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225

Location: Forest Hill, City of Richmond

*Check here for my full review of Forest Hill Park's playground!

4.Beulah Recreation Center's playground:

Beulah Recreation Center has a brand new play space with new playground equipment & a new splash park! You’ll also find a picnic shelter, restrooms & paved walking trails all around the play area.

The fenced-in playground area spans 9,450 square feet with — a playground for little kids, a towering playground for big kids, poured in place rubber flooring & mulch, lots of swings - belt swings, bucket swings & adaptive swing, Inclusive Whirl, climbing structures, musical equipment & spinners, lots of benches, and sunshades over picnic tables!

Beulah Recreation Center's playground is the top new playground to visit in Richmond, Virginia with toddlers and preschoolers. It's completely fenced in, and it has both a playground and a splash park!

Opening Date: June 2025

Address: 6901 Hopkins Rd, North Chesterfield, VA 23234

Location: North Chesterfield, Chesterfield County

*Check here for my full review of Beulah Park's playground!

5.Pole Green Park:

This Hanover park spans 232 acres, and it includes a cross country course & walking trails, skate park, athletic fields, dog park, community center, and a playground! The Pole Green Park loop is a 2.4 mile trail that's relatively easy, and it takes about an hour to complete with kids! It's also home to the annual Halloween event: SpookieFun Fest. This "Not So Scary" Halloween event is the 3rd Friday in October every year.

Notable Playground Features: poured in place rubber flooring, Inclusive Wheel, musical instruments, THREE playgrounds, and swings - 2 baby swings, 4 saddle swings, a saucer swing, 2 adaptive swings and a parent & me swing!

There's a large playground with ramps and a steep slide, a playground for children 2-5 years old, and a turf mound slide for little kids!

Opening Date: August 2025

Address: 8996 Pole Green Park Ln, Mechanicsville, VA 23116

Location: Mechanicsville, Hanover County

*Check here for my full review of Pole Green Park's playground!

6.Humphrey Calder Park:

The City of Richmond Parks and Recreation is on a mission to update all its playgrounds - they've updated 3 playgrounds in 6 months! And Humphrey Calder is the top new playground in Richmond for adventure features for older kids!

Located within walking distance of Carytown, Humphrey Calder Park is just over 3 acres. It is a community center with bathrooms, a community garden, athletic fields with soccer goals, basketball courts, and playgrounds. You can also watch trains go by - the park overlooks 195.

The fenced in outdoor space is next to the fire station. It has open green space, soccer fields & THREE separate playgrounds with equipment for all ages.

Notable Playground Features: With three separate playgrounds, it has 6 smaller slides, 2 steep slides, 2 spinners, ride on toys, climbing structures, and 10 swings - 3 baby swings, 4 saddle swings, 2 adaptive swings and a parent & me swing! It also has poured in place rubber flooring around two of the playgrounds.

HEADS UP: The community center is open Monday to Friday from 3:15pm to 6:30pm. There are no bathrooms on property if the community center is not open!

Opening Date: August 2025

Address: 414 N Thompson St, Richmond, VA 23221

Location: Museum District, City of Richmond

*Check here for my full review of Humphrey Calder Park's playground!