If you love the accessibility of the Sassafras All Children’s Playground at Laurel Hills Park, you are sure to love the Kids Together Playground at Marla Dorrel Park in Cary! Parts of the playground are almost identical to Laurel Hills, with multiple structures and a variety of different equipment to play on. In addition to the kids together playground, there’s also a large dragon climbing structure, fenced in baby play area, and water misting garden!
Dragon Climbing Structure
If your kid is obsessed with dinosaurs or dragons they will be enthralled with the giant dragon climbing structure built into the ground. My kids enjoyed “riding” on the dragon’s head, and there’s an especially cozy spot in the tail! It’s the perfect spot to climb, but beware it can get slippery when wet.
The dragon’s name is Katal, which stands for “Kids Are Together At Last”. After seeing this huge sculpture, your kids will probably ask to return to “the Dragon Park” every day!
Kids Together Playground
There are two separate playgrounds at Marla Dorrel Park, but the one in the back is the accessible Kids Together Playground. It is fully wheelchair accessible with ramps instead of ladders. This makes it especially easy for young toddlers to navigate as well, and unlike Laurel Hills, there’s no ramp to the parking lot!
The Kids Together Playground is much smaller than the All Children’s Playground, but many of the features are the same. They have the rolling slide and sway fun, as well as many of the same climbing structures. The playground also isn’t as high as the one at Laurel Hills, so you don’t have to worry about falls from tall heights.
Kids Together playground and sandbox for children of all abilities 
close up of the rolling slide and bridge
Around the playground you will find some additional play features, such as swings, bouncers, and balance beams. There’s plenty to keep the kids occupied and mine just ran from station to station to continuously find something new!
Traditional Playground
In the middle of the park you will find you traditional playground. This one isn’t as accessible as the other one, but it offers lots of tunnels and spots to climb. This spot is surrounded by trees so it’s also a bit more shaded on those hot summer days.
Fenced-in Baby Area
If you have a child under the age of 2 you will appreciate the baby area. There’s a large sandbox and a few low to the ground structures to explore. The area is entirely fenced in so you don’t have to worry about your toddler running off.
Most of the ground is rubber, to prevent any bad bumps and bruises. There’s a bridge over the sand river and a small slide built into the hill.
My kids especially loved the three small houses in the space. They liked to play pretend and visit each other’s houses. My 4 year old has big plans to build her own house one day so this really cemented her plans! 🤣
Misting Garden
Unfortunately the misting garden was not turned on while we were there. It is currently closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and will not reopen for the 2020 season. However, it looked like great way to stay cool during the summer! Not as much fun as an all out splash pad, but I’m sure kids will have fun running through the mist!
I also liked the cute little amphitheater setup amongst the trees. This is a cute little spot to gather, once it’s safe to do so!
If you want to extend the fun, Marla Dorrel Park also connects to the greenway and you can walk over to MacDonald Wood Park as well! The Kids Together Playground also hosts various events throughout the year during regular operations. Check their calendar for all of the fun!
Did you know there’s actually one more accessible playground in Raleigh? Check out Marsh Creek Park in Northeast Raleigh!