Peterson Park District

This park is huge and it is a nice asset for the city, it just doesn’t hold up as nicely against the other great parks for kids in the area. The playlot is actually a little hidden and parking is a little goofy if you are coming from out of the neighborhood. The playlot is larger than most in city parks but not as well maintained. There is a huge grassy field near the playlot for kids to run around on. Overall, worth stopping by if in the area, but there are better parks to go to in the broader area. (The Nature Center is a completely different story.)

Coaches are pretty good but the place is consistently dirty. Floors, bleachers, bathrooms are disgusting. The woman who (I think) is in charge of the classes is rude and crabby to the kids. I have been a competitive athlete for my life and I get the value of discipline with even very young kids. But she is just plain rude and mean. Someone please help her get an attitude adjustment!

I have my children enrolled in Moms, Pops & Tots, preschool and Mighty Fit Kids. I absolutely LOVE the instructor who teaches all the programs! She is so great with every child in each of the programs, knows everyone’s name and is always coming up with creative ideas and activities for them! Her level of enthusiasm for each class is exactly what you would want from an instructor, and my children absolutely love her, which is what keeps us coming back every season!
I first enrolled my children in these programs because of how close Peterson Park is to where we live and because the cost of the programs cannot be beat! But the wonderful staff is what has kept my family coming back for the last few years! Everyone who works there is always so pleasant and always willing to assist you in any way that they can. I recommend the programs within this park to every mom I know! Thank you guys, we love Peterson Park!

You really get what you pay for in life. I signed my daughter up for gymnastics class here, but it’s run by a really gruff girl named Michelle. They got into a ghetto yelling match when I was there and another one of the instructors accused me of «getting smart» with her when I tried to tell her I was just doing what the other lady had said to do.
I’m used to being treated well in better places, but I figured the city class at Peterson was worth checking out for the price. Surprise, surprise, it’s not. It’s my own fault for expecting more.
Also, the place stinks like socks :/

Just signed my 2 y/​o daughter up for the Moms/​Dads/​Tots class here– we’ve only met once, but I’m impressed! For $ 40 for 8 sessions through the park district, how can it be beat? The facilities are great, the teacher, though young, was energetic and learned all the little kids’ names the first day. My daughter is easily thrilled but she’s been talking about it all week and I’m excited to go back. My husband and I have taken both the kids to the playground, and are looking forward to checking out the trails/​nature center sometime this summer. I also have a 6 month old and we’ve been in hibernation all Winter/​Spring– so thank you Peterson Park for drawing me out of my cave (good place to mingle with other moms too!)

I have my child enrolled in the rising stars gymnastics program (for the past 3 sessions!!). My child has been telling me that she doesn’t wish to go to this facility any longer because she is so bored. After viewing the class, I understand very well her reason. They have 13 kids enrolled with only 1 instructor! Not much attention towards the kids and the kids are rather wild because they are bored. i can’t understand why the park district doesn’t just double the price and cut the amount of kids in half! I’d gladly pay double to have some decent training for my child. Great facility, though, but they seem to concentrate more on the kids that compete. I think the instructors are good, but they are overburdened by too many kids in a class. You get what you pay for with the Chicago park district.

For the price, this gymnastics center really cannot be beat. They have all levels of classes for all kinds of interests. They even have summer camps. An average class that meets once a week for an hour for 10 weeks is $ 47… super affordable and worth the money.
Ballet, tap, dance, gymnastics, Mom and tot classes… all worth it. Lots of parking in the free lot and you can often catch a glimpse of deer roaming the area.
The only down side is that some of the teachers are kinda lazy… classes often start late yet always end a couple minutes early. But, again, you get what you pay for.

I have my son enrolled in the Twinkle Stars gymnastics program at the Peterson Park Gymnastics Center. They are great! Very organized, safe in monitoring how the toddlers use the equipment, and great with kids! My son (3 y.o.) loves to go to his class and loves his teachers.
The grounds at Peterson Park are beautiful complete with a nature trail. You can definitely see some wildlife here!

Who knew that such a place could exist in the middle of the city? Wooded paths, deer, grassy fields. All within the complex of North Park Village which also hosts a community garden for neighbors, a fieldhouse, a really amazing gymnasium for kids classes, a recycling center, the North Park Village Nature Center, and more.
This is one of the few «wilder» parks in Chicago with less attention to landscaping and more attention to nature. A lovely place for soccer, a picnic, deer watching, hikes, and playground visiting.
The local
describes it better than I could:
For years, the Peterson Park Playground has been the meeting place for the diverse communities of North Park, Hollywood Park, Pulaski Park and Sauganash.
Hundreds of children have used the playground as a gateway to explore the 24-​acres of wooded parkland and the 46-​acre nature preserve beyond, a unique sanctuary in an urban setting. It is not unusual to listen to children speaking in Polish, Spanish, Hebrew, Korean, Russian, Greek, English and other languages as they laugh and play together in this wooded area. As such, Peterson Park Playground provides a special opportunity to create intercultural community along with providing urban families with a natural and beautiful space to enjoy.
I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because some of the facilities need updating. However, this lovely park is a hidden gem in the city.
The Peterson Park Fieldhouse has a public gym, classes in the martial arts, summer camp, soccer, tennis, dance, tumbling, Mommy & Me classes, softball, basketball, etc. They also host the annual «Trails of Terror» at Halloween.
One of the best places in the City for cross-​country skiing and showshoeing!
The Peterson Park Gymnastics Center has amazing gymnastics classes but you need to sign up early to get in. All levels, plus classes in tumbling, toddler classes, cheerleading, ballet, jazz and hip hop.
The North Park Village Nature Center is covered elsewhere on Unilocal but if you’ve never been, you have to try it out.

Great neighborhood park with a large loop to run or walk the dog, and a nice fitness center that offers several classes, including yoga. But you have to sign up in advance cause space is limited.
The park has outdoor tennis courts that I used to spend many summer hours on, but now they’re in an utter state of disrepair.