It turns out that playgrounds aren’t just for kids anymore. In fact, you can get a great workout while the kids play – and you don’t even have to go to the gym! Grab the kids and head on over to any of these local parks and recreation centers near your Washington DC, Bethesda, Northern Virginia or Chevy Chase neighborhood. 
Playgrounds Around Washington, DC
• Chevy Chase Community Center – 5601 Connecticut Avenue, NW
• Friendship Recreation Center – 4500 Van Ness Street, NW
• Guy Mason Recreation Center – 3600 Calvert Street, NW
• Hardy Recreation Center – 4500 Q Street, NW
• Kalorama Recreation Center – 1875 Columbia Road, NW
• Lafayette Recreation Center – 5900 33rd Street, NW
• Rose Park Recreation Center – 2609 Dumbarton Street, NW
• Volta Park Recreation Center – 1555 34th Street, NW
Playgrounds in Chevy Chase
• Chevy Chase Local Park – 3315 Shepherd Street
• Leland Neighborhood Park – 4300 Elm Street
• Norwood Local Park – 4700 Norwood Drive
• North Chevy Chase Local Park – 4105 Jones Bridge Road
Playgrounds in Bethesda
• Cabin John Regional Park – 7400 Tuckerman Lane
• Carolina Freeland Urban Park – 7200 Arlington Road
• Stratton Local Park – 9925 Harrogate Road
• Whittier Woods Local Park – 7400 Whittier Boulevard
• Woodacres Local Park – 5850 Wynnwood Road
Playgrounds in Northern Virginia
• Concord Green Playground – Barnstead Drive, Reston VA
• Cunningham Park – 1001 Park Street SE, Vienna
• Eugene Simpson Stadium Park – 426 E. Monroe Avenue, Alexandria VA
• Hayes Park – 1516 N. Lincoln Street, Arlington VA
Playground Exercises
Why not try these five simple exercises in your local Washington DC area playground that will help you stay tone and healthy.
• Monkey Bar Chin-Up – See how long you can hold your chin above the monkey bars while holding yourself up.
• Squats, Sprints and Crunches – You don’t even have to use the playground equipment for these ones (although you might need a mat for your back and a bench to rest your legs on for crunches.)
• Calf Strengthening – You can do step-ups on raised surfaces around the jungle gym. Simply step up onto the raised surface then step back down. You can also lift yourself up on the balls of your feet (ie: tippy toes) and slowly lower your heel back down to the ground.
• Push Up – You can do this exercise while keeping an eye on the kids. Simply hold the back of a park bench (preferably unoccupied) and angle your body to make a diagonal line to the angle. Push your chest toward the bench, bending your elbows. Keep your back straight the whole time.
Do you have a favorite Washington, DC area playground you go to? Tell us which one!
