Where to find the best free playgrounds and parks in NJ

👨‍👨‍👦‍👦 Where can you find the best and free playgrounds and parks in NJ?

👨‍👨‍👦‍👦 NJ mom and teacher created an Instagram page dedicated to playgrounds

👨‍👨‍👦‍👦 She has reviewed more than 100 parks around the state

If you’re a New Jersey parent with young kids looking for free, enriching, educational playground experiences and outdoor explorations, you’re in luck.

Nikki Kelly is not only an 8th-grade English teacher at Kawameeh Middle School in the Township of Union Public Schools, but she is also a married mother of two young boys — 6-year-old Camden, and 4-year-old Cavan — and the founder of NJParkSharks, a place to find the most unique parks and playgrounds in New Jersey.

How did NJParkSharks start?

The inspiration behind NJParkSharks, which can be found on Instagram, started at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown when she and her family were going stir-crazy stuck inside their Kenilworth home.

The Roselle Park native said she was trying to find things not only to occupy and entertain her children but also for her and her husband, Ryan. They began visiting local playgrounds within Union County. Kelly decided to put together an Instagram page to track her family’s experiences at these parks. Then her husband had an idea.

He felt a lot of other people would enjoy following his wife’s reviews. It would be impactful to be able to provide parents with information on the different locations and what’s available to people.

“I don’t think a lot of people understand that New Jersey has so many options for free play so that kind of spawned me to make the page from private to public and as soon as I made it public, it really started to take off,” Kelly said.

What is NJParkSharks?

NJParkSharks is a free resource to find the best free playgrounds and parks in New Jersey.

With NJParkSharks, Kelly and her family visit a playground in the state. When they get there, her boys play, and so does her husband, she jokingly admitted. She then gathers information, takes pictures and videos, and posts reviews geared toward what people are asking about.

In the review, she’ll include a rating out of 10. She’ll write if there is parking, wrestrooms, if the playground or park is gated, etc.

“Parents will ask for the inclusivity aspect, which is really huge for us. I feel like inclusive play paves the way in these different locations. Is the ground rubber? Is it ADA-compliant? Can my kids play there regardless of their age or ability,” Kelly explained.

She also said people who have caught on to NJParkSharks have been messaging her with park suggestions for her to visit, and for things to review.

Oftentimes, the “shark” from NJParkSharks will be at one of these parks and playgrounds, running around, and playing to get everyone excited.

Spoiler Alert: Kelly said it’s her husband, Ryan in the shark suit.

How many parks?

The Kelly family has visited about 200 New Jersey parks since the inception of NJParkSharks at the end of the COVID lockdown, and at least 100 of those parks have been reviewed on NJParkSharks so far.

What are some unique parks visited?

As an English teacher, Kelly said she loves a good theme. So, when parks incorporate a local and community feel, she loves it. One park she highlighted is Mayor Dennis P. Collins in Bayonne.

“There’s a whole backstory to it. Everything is carnival-themed. So, when you get there, you’re like, this is awesome. You see how in each piece they incorporated the aspects of the town’s history, the founder, and to whom the park is dedicated. I really like that,” Kelly said.

She also likes it when playgrounds do a community park like Jackson Jungle, for example. They have dedications on each of the fence rails or on the benches and that brings a unique spin.

“Now, do my kids recognize this? No. That’s kind of more like when I put it in a review, I like to reveal that for the adults,” she said.

What other parks are reviewed?

Many parks they’ve been going to recently have mixed the standard traditional playground with splash pads or spray grounds.

Those combo dry playgrounds/splash pads are something parents are really looking for, especially in the hot, summer months, she said.

She just visited and reviewed some cool playgrounds and parks in North Arlington and Harrison. Those reviews should be up at NJParkSharks very soon. Kelly said she’s looking forward to visiting other parks in areas of the Garden State like in Cumberland, Gloucester, and Sussex counties.

Most recently, Kelly has actively collaborated with industry experts and local officials to design secure and captivating play environments. She is currently working with officials in her hometown of Roselle Park to offer her input for a playground rebuild.

"I'm not a park expert, but I'm a park enthusiast and I'm so excited to be a part of this," Kelly said.

The goal is to get many more playgrounds visited and reviewed before it becomes non-playground-friendly weather.

For reviews on more than 100 parks and playgrounds in different nooks and crannies of the state, visit NJParkSharks on Instagram.

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