Parks of the Space Coast: Kiwanis Island Park

This blog entry tells you all about a local park, and also introduces the concept of centripetal force.

Park Time Fun!
Are you looking for a well-maintained playground with shade?
Check out Kiwanis Island Park. 
This park is located within a wildlife sanctuary, and appeals to a wide range of outdoor enthusiasts. There are tennis courts, racquetball courts, softball fields, indoor basketball courts, outdoor pavilions, and a community center. 

Playground 
Today we're sharing specifically about the Tracey Bagwell memorial playground. Here is a photo of our 6 year old with the sign.
Tracey Bagwell was a valued member of the community. She was an honest and caring foster care case worker who had a tragic death. This beautiful playground is a reminder of her compassionate legacy.

A trio of dolphins adorn the sidewalk that connects the swings to the rest of the playground and parking lot. This flat pathway is concrete and easy to navigate with a stroller. 
You may notice the many large Oak trees that surround this part of the park. There are many shady benches and picnic tables to enjoy throughout the playscape.

The substrate at this playground is a thick layer of wood mulch.  The play equipment includes slides, stairs, ladders, and more. This playground is best enjoyed by children who are age 6-12+. Tall slides, high platforms, and challenging ladders make this play equipment a challenge for toddlers and preschoolers. Here are a couple of photos featuring the tall (and taller!) slides.
Strength and bravery are helpful in this playscape. Our petite 8 year old could safely and confidently navigate all areas of this playground independently. Our 6 year old found some aspects too challenging, but still had fun.
There was also plenty to keep our toddler happy here! She loved the seats that were just her size, and stairs made her feel confident getting to the smaller slides. She especially loved twisting a maze with marbles that was built in to a wall of the playground. It made fun noises! Here's a photo of her playing with the marble maze.
Another fun feature of this play area is that there are hidden treasures to find throughout. Little plaques with shapes like fish, flowers, food, and butterflies appear in hidden corners throughout. These are raised metal shapes which are fun to feel. 
Here is a photo of a toddler pointing out a blue plaque with a fish.
Some of them were more difficult to find, like this white flower.
We loved the unique circular monkey bars that allowed two children to safely race through the bars at the same time! Here is a photo.
Physics and the Pirate Ship Merry -Go-Round
Another highlight of this park is a unique merry go-round that is a metal frame with ropes. Our youngest called it the Pirate Ship. They loved climbing on it and spinning, spinning, spinning! Here is a photo of our children playing on the Pirate Ship merry-go-round.
They found it easier to stay on this spinning circular Pirate Ship when they stood (or hugged the pole) right in the middle. It became more challenging as they moved to the outer ring of the Pirate Ship merry-go-round. Here is a picture of a toddler leaning against the outer ring of the Pirate Ship.

They almost always leaned back as they spun. I asked them why they did that. Our 8 year old responded that she felt forced outwards when she spun. So I told them about centrifugal force - that's when it feels like you are being pushed towards the outside of the circle.

We will explore centrifugal and centripetal force in another blog entry with a more detailed lesson. Here's that link. http://steamma.blogspot.com/2022/02/circles-and-force.html

Here's a brief "Moment of Science" lesson about forces on a merry-go-round.

Finding Kiwanis Island Park
You can get to this park on the water by kayak or boat (we just paddle South to get there from our place) - or you can arrive by foot, bicycle and car from state route 520.

By car, you will find this park if you take state road 520 West out of Cocoa Beach towards Merritt Island, Florida. Here is a satellite map view of the island park.
Here is a satellite map that zooms out a bit. It is located between Molly's Seafood Shack and the Mall.
Here is what the sign for this park looks like from the state highway. It is a big sign, but it is easy to miss this tiny side street.

We hope you enjoy our review of this fantastic local park. I hope this inspires you to explore your local parks. In case you are planning a trip to the Space Coast, here are links to our reviews of other Space Coast Parks. 
Pineview Park:
Go play!

Comments

Popular Posts