DeKovats Playground is a Great Place to Cool Down, Chill Out

I hate going to parks alone. It always seems like the nannies, sitters and moms always stare at me like I was just released from Riker’s.

However, DeKovats Playground, a narrow triangle between the FDR and York Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side., is a breath of fresh air.

DeKovats Playground is small enough to run into familiar faces after a couple visits and enough off the beaten path to keep away from tourists.

The water fountains shooting out of the ground are a great way to cool down. My son thinks it’s hilarious to have the water shooting up his backside.

My son loves the sand pit but after witnessing a kid insanely scratching his head in the great pit of Carkoon recently I am now doing Jedi mind tricks to hold my son back from certain death by the Sarlacc. There are also swings and plenty of trees to offer shade on a hot and sticky New York City summer.

INSIDER’S TIP: There is a hidden restroom for park goers inside the first set of doors entering Asphalt Green.

Here’s some other great playgrounds in NYC you may want to visit this summer:

• Dry Harbor Playground
• Billy Johnson Playground