Ibach Park is one of the greatest parks in the metro area to discover, learn, and play. You might be surprised that it has been around for a while, but it hasn’t lost a bit of its splendor. It actually has been around so long, there are dinosaur bones! Well that’s a bit of an exaggeration, it isn’t THAT OLD, but there is a replica of dinosaur bones in which you and your kids can walk and/or dig through. Because there is so much to learn and explore at Ibach Park, it reminds me a lot of RiverPlay Discovery Village Playground in Eugene. (Which according to Spoonful.com ranks among “The World’s Best Parks and Playgrounds.”) Ibach and RiverPlay Discovery Village specifically have a few features that are the same such as the ferry, canoe, and turf representing a specific river. They are also both designed by Landscape Structures and teach Oregon history through one of the best ways of learning – play. However, if for some reason your child gets tired of discovering the great history of the Tualatin Valley through play, they can either pretend to canoe to the other side of the river and cross the meteor and/or dig in the sand, which also leads to a slide and climbing structure. In addition, they can run across the grass, and twist and spin on a whole other playground. My only reservation about the main playground is just like Pirate Park the incline hill is a slippery slope for children. My children, as well as others have gotten scraped knees and elbows from the turf and sand rubbing against their skin as they have run or slid down the hill. Be careful. (I tell my kids if they want to slide down the hill, slide down the actual slide. That is what it is there for.) Despite this minor per-caution Ibach Park is wonderful, and I forgot to mention always calm! Truly its greatness must be unknown to many because Ibach Park has endless opportunities for your child(ren) to imagine, discover, create and explore.
Click on The City of Tualatin to their description of Ibach Park.
Click on maps for directions to Ibach Park.
