The Main Playground
Discover Budapest’s coolest playground
The City Park is for everyone... But most of all it belongs to children. This is why we are so happy that the Main Playground (which is really big, over 13 thousand square metres) has been used, loved and enjoyed by young and old alike from the first moment it was opened. It is an integrated playground in more than one way: children who have disabilities can play together with ones that do not, but children and their parents and carers can also have lots of fun in the playground together.
Let’s head for the balloon
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The central feature of the playground is a three-floor climbing frame, the ‘original’ of which you might have seen in Pál Szinyei Merse’s painting titled Balloon in the Hungarian National Gallery. You can see a reproduction of it here, next to the climbing frame named after it. We set it up so that if you look inside, the red and white striped dome of the balloon comes to life. Check it out and show it to the little ones too.
Playground of wonders
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Some fifty special playground features have been set up here on over 13,000 square metres. They have been selected to develop key competences and cognitive skills for all age groups. Six different slides, ten types of swings and carousels, four types of spinning toys, three sandboxes and seven types of solo and pair spring toys, as well as two individually designed large rope-climbs with half a dozen features each and ten in-ground trampolines. The biggest hit of the summer is the long winding stream, which the little aspiring water engineers can manipulate with locks, wells and water toys. Besides the biggest central climbing frame, the playground has other large climbing elements, including two slide towers connected by a unique multi-level 3D climbing net for older children. In addition to the unforgettable fun, the special playground features were designed to improve motor coordination.
1 Did you know?
When building this children’s paradise, we made a concerted effort to install playground equipment to cater to different age groups and different levels of development: we separately arranged the slide systems, nest-swings, carousels, seesaws, hammocks, rope courses, rotating toys, solo and pair spring toys, trampolines, several types of sandboxes and water toys for each age group.
2 A disadvantage elsewhere, but not here
For us equal access is a top priority, which is why many of the playground features are designed so that children with disabilities can play on/with them together with healthy children. Some of the special toys are also suitable for the whole family to play together on: for example, the special mesh structures can support the weight of an adult.
3 Safety first
The Main Playground is located in the southeastern part of the City Park, near the intersection of Dózsa György Road and Ajtósi Dürer Street, making it easily accessible from all directions. To ensure children’s safety, the area is protected by a one-and-a-half-meter-high, custom-designed fence with five entrances. Every piece of playground equipment has the necessary safety ratings and undergoes daily, weekly and monthly maintenance to ensure that children are safe while having fun.
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Tips for parents
If you have had enough of jumping or just want to relax and sit a bit, you can do so on the terrace of the Balloon Garden or on one of the nice benches. The layout of the playground has been designed to ensure that even the smallest kids can play in a protected inner area, while their parents can keep an eye on them from comfortable seating areas. Moving towards the outer parts, there are lots of attractions for older children. The playground is fitted with washrooms, where nappies and clothes can be changed. Of course those of you with Liget+ membership can use them free of charge. More can be read about the benefits of Liget+ membership here:
Sculpture in the playground
Placed under one of the shady trees of the playground is a statue of Sándor Kányádi, who remains one of the most well-known figures of Hungarian contemporary literature. His poems for children were set to music by the Kaláka ensemble and the two are inseparable: Kaláka concerts without Kányádi’s poems would be quite inconceivable.
How was it made?
When we designed the Main Playground it was a top priority to create a community space that – above all else – is safe and has all the functions for every age group that can be expected of a modern playground. Even in the preparatory phase we sought the advice of dozens of NGOs and we involved child psychologists, landscape architects, educators and even children themselves in the design process to be able to create a modern and integrated playground paradise that families looking for leisure time activities are happy to return to regularly.
