There are many parks in Lynchburg and the surrounding counties. Parks are free and a great way to enjoy being outdoors.
In addition, there are many church playgrounds which are open to the public. Some have specific hours they are not available due to preschool use or church service hours. Even for churches that don't specify times on Sundays, it's probably best to go after services are over since the parking lot may be busy before and after services.
Smoking, alcohol, and pets are prohibited at all of the church playgrounds. Check signs for other rules at individual playgrounds.
Here's a listing of some of the top church playgrounds in the Lynchburg area, including a little information about each playground.
Indoor Playground
Kids Cove, 1 Mountain View Road, Lynchburg is the only indoor playground in our list. Kids Cove is located inside Thomas Road Baptist Church. You can park in the church parking lot and enter through the main doors (Kids Cove is straight ahead, just past the coffee stand) or park in the parking lot behind the church and access Kids Cove from that side. The playground is contained in a large closed room with doors on two sides. Play equipment includes a small toddler area with treehouse and slide, large ark-themed climbing structure with tunnels and slides, a climbing tree, and lots of bright colored murals. There are bathrooms just outside the play area available for public use. Kids Cove is open to children 9 years old or younger and shorter than 52". A parent or guardian must be inside the play area with the child at all times. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9 AM - 6 PM, Saturday from 9 AM - 5 PM, and Sunday from 12:30 PM - 5 PM. You can schedule free birthday parties at Kids Cove by calling 434-239-9281 for available dates and times. Parties book up fast, so plan ahead.
Outdoor Playgrounds
Forest Area
Forest Presbyterian Church playground, 1226 Two Church Lane, Forest is located beside Forest Library. There's a path from the Forest Rotary Park behind the library to the Forest Presbyterian Church playground. There's one playground structure for ages 2-5 and another for ages 5-12. Both have climbing options and slides. There are also monkey bars. There's a covered pavilion at the playground. In addition, there's a half court basketball court and a gag ball pit. Bring your own balls. During Forest Library hours (open at 10 AM Monday through Saturday; closed at 8 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays; closed at 6 PM on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays), you can access the restrooms inside the library. There's no signage about hours for public use, so I'd recommend sunrise to sunset daily and maybe a little later on Sundays. The church parking lot may be busy before and after Sunday services.
Forest Baptist Church playground, 1313 Two Church Lane, Forest is located across the street from Forest Presbyterian Church. The playground is fully fenced and geared toward preschool ages. There is a playground structure with slides, and a variety of swings, including toddler swings, child sized swings, and a saucer swing. The ground cover appears to be made from used tire material rather than mulch, but is smooth on the surface with nothing toddlers can pick up and eat. There's also a covered pavilion outside of the fenced area. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Bathrooms inside the church are open to the public during office hours (Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM). During other hours, it's a short walk to the Forest Library. There's no signage about hours for public use, so I'd recommend sunrise to sunset daily and maybe a little later on Sundays. The church parking lot may be busy before and after Sunday services.
Mountain View Church playground, 1077 Viewpoint Lane, Forest (off Route 221) is an unfenced playground located on church property. There are two playground structures, one for older kids and one for younger kids. In addition to slides, there are climbing features and monkey bars. There are freestanding swingsets with toddler swings and child sized swings. The playground uses crushed gravel rather than mulch for ground cover. There's no signage listing available hours. However, there is an afterschool program from 2-6 PM during the school year and a summer daycare program from 7 AM - 6 PM. It's recommended that you check inside the church for use during the week.
Waymaker Church playground, 1650 Hooper Road, Forest (off Perrowville Road) is completely surrounded by fencing. The playground has one side for younger children and one side for older children. Each side has climbing structures with slides. There are also small free standing slides, climbing dome, hanging bars and monkey bars, tree houses, and a tire swing. This playground uses astroturf on the ground rather than mulch, making it a favorite of many parents of toddlers. There are pickleball courts and basketball courts behind the building and a hiking trail at the rear of the field with the Cross. The hiking trail includes prayer prompts along the way as well. Restrooms are available during regular office hours when staff is present, normally Monday through Thursday from 8 AM - 4 PM. Playground hours are Monday through Saturday from sunrise to sunset and Sunday from 1 PM to sunset.
Lynchburg Area
Compassion Church of the Nazarene playground, 1737 Wards Ferry Road, Lynchburg is a fully fenced playground geared toward children ages 2-12. There's a playground structure with one side for ages 2-5 and one side for ages 5-12. The structure has slides for both age groups and there are climbing features. There are two picnic tables located outside of the fenced area. There is not a preschool or daycare program at the church; however, they do have a nursery during their Sunday church services. Hours aren't posted, but we suggest Monday through Saturday from sunrise to sunset and Sunday from 12 PM until sunset.
First Presbyterian Church playground, 1215 V.E.S. Road (off Rivermont Avenue), Lynchburg is a partially fenced playground (fenced on three sides) geared toward preschool aged children. There is a two sided playground structure for ages 2-12 with slides and climbing walls, climbing dome, train structure, musical features, playhouses, and a large sandbox. There are also freestanding child sized swings across the parking lot. The playgound is reserved for church preschool on weekdays during use the school year. Public use hours are weekdays from 3:30 PM to dusk from August through May, all day on Saturdays, and 1 PM to dusk on Sundays.
Fort Hill United Methodist Church playground, 106 Oakridge Boulevard (off Memorial Avenue), Lynchburg is a fully fenced playground geared toward children ages 2-12. Playground equipment includes a large two sided playground structure with one side for ages 2-5 and one side for ages 5-12 with slides and climbing features, a play tunnel, monkey bars, a hanging merry-go-round, and a freestanding swingset with child sized swings. There's no signage about hours for public use, so I'd recommend sunrise to sunset daily and maybe a little later on Sundays. The church parking lot may be busy before and after Sunday services.
Heritage United Methodist Preschool playground, 582 Leesville Road, Lynchburg is a fully fenced playground geared toward preschool aged children. Adult supervision is required at all times and no children over age 8 are allowed to play. There's a playground structure for ages 2-5 with slides and climbing features, a smaller young toddler playground structure, a teeter-totter, playhouse, and sandbox. There are also freestanding swingsets with toddler and child sized swings and a small balance beam. The playground is reserved for preschool use Monday through Friday from 8 AM - 2:30 PM. The playground is open to the public on weekdays from 2:30 PM to sunset, all day on Saturdays, and Sundays after church hours.
Peakland United Methodist Church playground, 4434 Boonsboro Road, Lynchburg is a fully fenced playground geared toward preschool aged children. Playground equipment includes a large playground structure with slides, freestanding toddler and child sized swings, tire swings, a train structure, climbing structure, merry-go-round, playhouses, and a covered sandbox (please cover when you leave). The playground is reserved for preschool use Monday through Friday from 9 AM - 12 PM and from 1:30 PM - 3 PM from August through June. It's available all day on Saturdays and Sundays. The church restrooms are not available for public use.
Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church playground, 5810 Fort Avenue, Lynchburg is a fully fenced playground geared toward preschool aged children. There's a small playground structure for ages 2-5 with slides and climbing features, a climbing dome, playhouse, and freestanding toddler slides and toys. Outside the fenced area, there's a basketball court and a tall metal slide. The church no longer has a preschool program, so the playground is open daily from sunrise to sunset and after noon on Sundays. The church parking lot may be busy before and after Sunday services.
St. John's Episcopal Church playground, 205 Elmwood Avenue, Lynchburg is a fully fenced playground geared toward preschool aged children. Playground equipment includes a playground structure for ages 2-5 years old with slides, playhouses, picnic tables, and swings including one adaptive swing. The playground is reserved for day school children only Monday through Friday from 9 AM - 5 PM. Public use hours are from 5 PM to sunset on weekdays and all day on Saturday and Sunday until sunset.
St. Thomas More Catholic Church playground, 3015 Roundelay Road (off Timberlake Road), Lynchburg is an unfenced playgound. It has a large play structure with one side for ages 2-5 and one side for ages 5-12. The structure has climbing features, slides, and monkey bars. There's not a preschool program, so the playground is available sunrise to sunset during the weekdays, Saturdays from sunrise to 5 PM and 6 PM to sunset, and Sundays from sunrise to sunset and maybe a little later on Sundays. The church parking lot may be busy before and after Sunday services.
Amherst County Area
Elon Evangelical Presbyterian Church playground, 2290 Cedar Gate Road, Madison Heights is located within the Elon community off Route 130. The playground is fully fenced, with a climbing structure, one side for ages 2-5 and one side for ages 5-12. There are also toddler and child sized swings and a small merry-go-round. There's no signage about hours for public use, so I'd recommend sunrise to sunset daily and maybe a little later on Sundays. The church parking lot may be busy before and after Sunday services.
Town of Bedford
Bedford Baptist Church playground, 1516 Oakwood Street, Bedford, is a fully fenced preschool playground. There are multiple playground structures with climbing features and slides, including one large structure that looks like a castle. There are also several freestanding toddler slides, a toddler playhouse, swings, and monkey bars, There is a weekday preschool operating Monday through Friday. The playground is available for public use Monday through Friday from 6 PM to sunset (after preschool closes), all day Saturday, and from 1 PM to sunset on Sundays except during church or preschool functions.
Trinity Baptist Church playground, 947 Lyle Street, Bedford is a fully fenced playground for use by supervised children ages 12 and younger. The playground features a climbing dome, hobby horse, freestanding toddler slide, and two teeter-totters, including one shaped like an airplane that holds six children. There's also a playground structure with climbing features and slides, a saucer swing, one toddler swing, and one swing for older children. Posted playground hours are 8 AM - 8 PM.
Concord and Gladys (Campbell County)
Calvary Baptist Church playground, 9388 Village Highway, Concord, is a large unfenced playground. On one side of the parking lot, the playground features two large playground structures, one for ages 2-5 and one for ages 5-12, both with climbing features and slides. There's also a large freestanding slide, multiple swings including two toddler swings and a tire swing, climbing dome, monkey bars, and another structure with various climbing bars. On the other side of the parking lot, there's a freestanding wooden playground structure, which includes slides, climbing features, and multiple swings, including a standing swing (with foot-shaped cutouts on the seat of the swing), and a plastic toddler swing. The church is located across from Concord Elementary School.
Kedron Baptist Church playground, 7862 Brookneal Highway, Gladys is an enormous fully fenced playground for supervised children through age 12. This is one of the biggest and nicest playgrounds we've seen. The playground features several playground structures connected by bridges, including features for older and younger children. Each structure has slides and climbing features and there are tire swings attached to one of the structures. There are also multiple swings, including two toddler swings, a hanging swing, and a hanging teeter-totter type swing. There are benches throughout the playground area too. The playground is open to the public from dawn to dusk Monday and Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday. On Wednesdays and Sundays, the playground is reserved for church use during the following hours: Sunday mornings from 9 AM - 12:30 PM, Sunday evenings from 5 PM - 8 PM, and Wednesday evenings from 5 PM - 8 PM.
We have many videos on our Facebook page from parks and church playgrounds in the Lynchburg area. Facebook only leaves videos up for 30 days, so we revisit playgrounds and record new videos every month or so. You'll find links to all of the videos in this article:
Find Lynchburg Area Parks and Playgrounds Videos on Our Facebook Page
You can find information about parks in Lynchburg and the surrounding counties in our Parks Guide on our website. You'll find places to enjoy indoor fun in our Indoor Fun Guide.
Lynchburg Virginia Parks Guide - Parks in Lynchburg and the Surrounding Counties
Lynchburg VA Guide to Indoor Family Fun - Find Your Family Fun® indoors and stay warm!
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