Address
1984 S. Duncan Road
Champaign
IL
61822
United States
by Erin Tarr
Tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac, nestled behind Robeson School and surrounded by Robeson Meadows neighborhood lies the gem that is Robeson Park.
While there is a play structure within the park, the laugh out loud, run-‘til-you-sweat-fun was had while playing hide and seek, tag, and ball around and under the mature trees, running up and down the small hills, climbing on the large rocks at the entrance of the park and truly enjoying nature. Far from roads and traffic, parents can relax while watching their children instead of guarding them from the street.
During our visit to the park, here are the variety of activities we witnessed outside of the obvious swings, slides and sun!
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Two upper elementary girls creating an intricate sand structure with building materials brought from home (colander, bucket, water bottle & and funnel) in the sandbox, under the supervision of their grandmother on a bench in the shade.
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A mother and son flying an Angry Birds kite (quite successfully) in one of the open field areas within the park.
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A Little League game on one of the two ball fields – spectators enjoying the beautiful day in lawn chairs along the sidelines.
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Mothers with strollers walking and talking along the trails winding through the park and Robeson Meadows neighborhood, while serious runners passed them by.
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A 6-year-old girl’s birthday party complete with a butterfly cake enjoyed at the picnic table, crafts and bubbles.
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A bright blue Mylar balloon attached to the swing set and “found” by an excited group of young boys on a scavenger hunt.
Based on the variety of ages and activities – I would say this park is already well-loved and has something for everyone!
PARK LOGISTICS to be aware of prior to your visit:
The playground has two separate structures for climbing and sliding, etc. as most Champaign Parks do – one geared towards the smaller crowd (1 & 2 year olds) and the other for older kids and the more adventurous toddlers. The swing set has two “baby swings” and two regular swings as well. There is also a sandbox – so parents beware!
There is a water fountain but no bathrooms (but lots of tress) – something to keep in mind.
Covering a whopping 24.1 acres, there several acres to explore that I didn’t touch on, including a “creek” where interesting life forms and lot of mud can be found – for those not afraid to let their kids be biologists for the day!
Let us know if you have a chance to explore this park, or if it is already on your list of favorites! (If you’d like to offer your own park review for a future post, click here for our contributor form).
Erin (Trent) Tarr made the three-hour drive from Southern Illinois to Champaign in 1997 to attend the University of Illinois and never left. Mother of three beautiful girls, she is currently working at the University of Illinois and enjoys reading non-fiction, listening to leadership podcasts, singing, taking pictures of her kids, and blogging at www.erintarr.com. The epitome of an extrovert, she is an active participant at Quest UMC and loves getting together with strong women for book clubs, writing clubs, and wine tastings. You can often find them at Champaign Centennial sporting events where her beloved husband Adam works as an Athletic Trainer.