A kid's dream playground and totally worth the small entrance fee. This nature-themed play space is huge, creative, and packed with fun. Because it's so popular, they use timed entries to give more families a chance to enjoy it without crowding. It's located inside the Spring Valley Nature Center, so after playtime, you can wander the trails or explore more of the natural area. A great combo of fun + learning + nature. Perfect for an afternoon with littles read more

I get it... people do not want to pay to go to a public park, but then.... Maybe don't go? It's a park district park, so perhaps they need the money to help maintain the park or to help with crowd control. And I'm sure there are plenty of other parks in the area that do not charge. The place was pretty packed on a Sunday morning at 10:20am, but not in an annoying way. I thought the equipment was uniquely different from your standard playground. Lots of creative equipment for sensory play. I wasn't SUPER thrilled to see the gritty sand and water (am I just super OCD or are there actually parents out there that see that at a playground they drove to that says "oh yay! Water and messy sand!"). Oh and the death trap tight rope was also a "yikes" reaction, but my kids stayed away from it, so no biggie. It was fun. I wasn't bothered by the one hour time limit (although, I don't even know if they actually kick people out because we left a little after 11am and I didn't see them trying to clear the area). But.... It was hot and I was ready to leave the park and do not mind having the backing of being able to tell my kids that the park is closing to help get them to leave. read more

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I honestly did not know what to expect when we came here with my two young grandkids. Admission was $3 per kid because we are not Schaumburg residents. My understanding was we were allowed to stay for one hour, and it was well worth the nominal admission fee! It had all the best components of a park, with lots of attention being focused on exploration and discovery. I did not see any swings, but there was plenty to climb on and signs posted everywhere encouraging the parents to not be helicopter parents... to let their child explore and try to problems solve on their own. There was a man-made creek running through one edge of the park and half the children were in bathing suits and had shovels and buckets with them. My grandkids declared it the best park they've ever visited! The playground is attached to a large piece of land that has tons of walking paths and picnic areas along with nice bathrooms and an educational nature center! It would be very easy to spend the better part of a day here! read more

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Yes, this is a great playground with a lot to do. There are slides, sand areas, water areas, and they explicitly encourage parents to let their kids run wild and explore on their own. Love all that. But even now after the worst of the pandemic they're still charging to get in and they have set play times. When they're not as busy they don't seem to be as strict on the play time issue, but it's still ridiculous for us to get to a park and have to wait around for 15 minutes before we go in. Maybe in the summer it will get really crowded, but even then, every park has to deal with that. We'll probably still return because of how nice the playground is, but I hope this isn't a pattern other parks start to follow. read more

Obsessed with this playground. Entry is 3 dollars for an hour but before you walk to the playground, be sure to go into the nature center there, wonderful customer service, great education for the kids, there's an observation tower before you get to the playground. I love how many different areas for play are scattered around the park, it gives kids so much to do, one hour flies by fast! read more

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What a beautiful park! Incredibly clean and MASSIVE. The fact you can play in ALL of the water is so cool. Really happy we came by. My son LOVED it here. Will 100% be going back. read more

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I had the pleasure of going here last Sunday. Very nice piece of nature. Entry was free except for the playground part of the park. Me and my kid got to see cows and pigs at the farm there and we also seen their log cabin read more

Finally was able to check this place out on a Chicago spring day! Bison's Bluff has been on my bookmarks for quite some time. Bison's Bluff is part of the Spring Valley Nature Center in Schaumburg. Bison's Bluff is a decent sized playground where you can climb, explore, and just have your kids run around for a bit. The playground consists of several musical fixtures to entertain kids, a shelter/house consisting of rope bridges, walls, and hammocks. They also have a small waterfall like feature where kids can wade in the water to cool themselves off. Note, there isn't much shade, so if it's a sunny day in Schaumburg, definitely bring the sunscreen. And as noted, this place is part of the Spring Valley Nature Center, so if you're done with the playground, there's trails where you can hike along and enjoy a nice spring day. Beware, parking, although consisting of four long rows, does fill up, with signs at the drop-off location suggesting additional parking at St. Matthew's church 0.25 miles away, with shuttle buses available depending on the time. We went ahead and parked in the nearby neighbor of million dollar homes and walked the block and a half back to Bison's Bluff. BATHROOM REVIEW: By far, the best bathroom I've experienced in a public park. Talk about #BathroomGoals. The mens consists of two urinals and a couple of stalls. There are extremely quiet hand air dryers and several sinks. Everything was great. Sit or squat? Sit! read more

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This park is very cute! I loved the walking path as well, it's a nice little break from the playing kids. I didn't mind paying to get in ($2 for my daughter) which was worth it to me. We can't wait to return! read more

Amazing park, lots to explore. Kids love it. We like farm. They have pigs, cows and horses. One time we had chance to pet baby cow in a barn. Another time we saw deer family. Lots of small birds and plants. Also they have place for kids to try gardening. Trails have nice views, small rivers and lakes. If you go there you definitely will go back. Want to say thank you to people who keep it organized and clean. read more

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Great park in nature. $3 per kid admission of you don't live in Schaumburg. It's park off the Spring Valley Nature Center.

I've been going to this park with the kids I nanny for years, it's always a hit. I'll never stop going here, as it's always so much fun for the kids, but beware before going that much has changed in the past year, likely due to Covid. There is an entry fee now -- $2 for residents or $3 for non-residents for children ages 2-12. This entry fee pays for 1 HOUR of play. To be honest, I don't love this. I get why they are charging an entry fee & am happy to pay it but for one hour is a bit stingy. I say this because we went to the butterfly release & then by the time that was over, kids only had about 45 minutes or less to play & obviously wanted to stay much longer than that. That's literally my only complaint. Otherwise, this park is amazing. read more

Nice playground. Spacious e great staff! This is a perfect place for kids! The slides, water feature, are all good.

We visited during corona virus so the equipment was closed but it looked seriously cool. We did however get to walk the trails which were stroller accessible. There are little nature play pockets, we stumbled into a farm and looked at cows and chickens, and exited through a very interesting catholic statue yard. Definitely loved this place. read more

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Perfect place to relax, hike, enjoy nature includes a beautiful wooden playground for the kids! The paths and hiking trails are very well maintained and it's fairly easy to walk around the place, but be sure to stay on the path! We had so much fun! read more

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Bravo Schaumburg! We spent the good portion of our Saturday at the natural playground, Bisons Bluff, and our 3 year old son had a blast. I love these types of playgrounds popping up now, it's great for exercising your child's imagination. The man made creek for kids to play in and the large sand and water station were big hits with little ones and perfect for a hot day. There's a small waterfall, bridge, sound stage, treehouse style fort, oversized slide and more. This is located next to the parking lot of the Sugar Valley Nature Center & Heritage Farm. You could make a full day out of it: hike the surrounding trails, visit the Heritage Farm, cool off in the nature center to see the pond, turtles, bee hives, and fun nature stations. Tips: Plan to easily spend several hours at the park. We were there for nearly 3 hours and still didn't explore each station. Sunscreen and hats for the park since most stations are not shaded, bug spray if you plan to hike the paths too. Have your kiddo barefoot or in sturdy shoes/water shoes. I wouldn't suggest anything with a slippery bottom as there are lots of wet areas and wet rocks. Pack a picnic and cool drinks! You'll be happy you did. It can get fairly busy and seating filled up, bring a blanket or folding chair. There is a small picnic table area and a couple shaded spots where you could set up camp. As others mentioned, although the parking is close, the path leading to the park entrance is off a trail so you'll want to bring a small wagon or bag if you plan on carrying a bunch of items. If you have younger ones you'll find yourself hovering a bit when they're running around on the bigger rocks in the creek bed or if they wander over to the older kid area. Besides that the rest is pretty toddler friendly. Even though we came at a busy time, it was spacious enough to not feel crowded. Great birthday party spot! You can host small events in the nature center meeting room, and then have the kids let their wiggles out at the park. **If your kiddos enjoy this park, there's a similar style natural playground in Geneva IL. (Fairly certain designed by the same company). Look up Peck Farm.** Homeschoolers! Super location for a day of learning and fun for all ages. Programs also available at nature center. read more

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My kids (as any kid would) are in love with this place and never want to leave. My husband and i also agree that this place is pretty nature loving fun. After 1 hr of playground play, we usually walk the loop. The Heritage Farm is also pretty accessible by walking there with a 2 & 5yr olds. read more

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Color me impressed! Schaumburg has plenty of playgrounds and parks, nestled in neighborhoods and community complexes, but none quite like Bison's Bluff! This very long awaited playground is so unique - you won't find the traditional swings, and ladders. Instead, prepare yourself to watch your kiddos carefully, as there are tons of water elements, large rocks to climb, large ropes to balance upon, musical chimes, drums, a few slides of varying materials, and plenty of climbing opportunities. The main attraction is mostly for kids 5-12 (there's a plaque that states as much), but there are plenty of other elements for the little ones to indulge. My 2 and 4 year old loved exploring but, as mentioned, my husband and I had to watch them closely. If you have little ones, encourage them to explore the ground elements and keep the more advanced stuff for the bigger kids. Although this park is right off of Schaumburg road, it's beautifully done and set amongst the nature center. I can't wait to bring my kids back and explore a bit more. Pro tip: There are (clean!) restrooms inside the nature center, and they include changing tables. read more

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Great addition to Schaumburg! Came here with all 3 of my girls ages 2, 6 & 9 and they ALL loved it so much they didn't wanna leave! Best part is that it's all free! We went this past Sunday, which was a day after the grand opening and it was busy! We lucked out on getting a parking space in the lot next to it but there are shuttles that take you to a lot nearby. This isn't your typical playground...tons of things for the kids to climb on, slide down, make sounds with, sand (bring your sand toys!), little streams of water where the kids could dip their feet in or just play, some tables under the shade to hang out/eat, etc. Very clean and just a breath of fresh air. Looking forward to bringing my kids back soon! Make sure to bring a change of clothes, snacks, water & some water shoes for the kiddos cuz they will get dirty REAL fast! My older kids were mad at me for not bringing lunch so we could spend the whole day there and have a little picnic. read more

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Such a cute place. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Went on Labor Day weekend and it wasn't too busy. The 1 hour play time wasn't enforced since it wasn't busy. read more

I can not express how much I love this park and the concept behind it! We were there for 3 hours without being bored at all! Bring a lunch, bring a change of clothes!!!! Also, sunscreen! Mine was missing from my bag and a nice Mom let me borrow some! I suggested that the gift shop should maybe have some, they seemed totally open to it. We had a few issues with some kids throwing rocks, but that was a parent problem, kids will be kids! My daughter LOVED the park, did NOT want to leave. It's busy but there is a lot of space. We went on Monday at noon and it seemed we got the last parking spot. Great place, our new favorite! :) read more

Bison's Bluff - Balancing - Playgrounds Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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Looking for a park to enjoy on a warm April day, and just happened to pass by on Schaumburg road. We made a gasp and decided to turn around and check it out. Seems like it's new, a great area for creative music, an awesome play structure, fun with sand and water in prospecting themed area. A top ten of parks for kids I'd say. It has all you'd want for a good trip out for fun in the sun. read more

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It's all dry at this time due to no water use ( due to the pandemic ). Will go again only if water is available otherwise not worth it IMO.

Definitely for the nature lovers and outdoorsy people. Playground has mini bridges and waterfalls, you can skip rocks and wade mini river water. You can slide, play musical chimes, go thru tunnels and climb things. If you get bored, go on a nature walk a this is located in the spring valley trail. If your child is ready to get outdoorsy and dirty, this is the place. Lots of barefoot children running around. Would recommend for children 4-5 and above. Smaller toddlers maybe too young to do some of these activities. read more

Bison's Bluff - Bisons Bluff - Playgrounds Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

EXTREMELY disappointed. Bisons bluff has been an amazing park that I have taken my kids to many times. We have not been back since the newer renovations due to Covid so today I was super excited to bring them. We showed up at 10:34.. I was immediately shocked to see you now have to PAY to play. Ok fine it's only $2-$3 I will suck it up and pay (i guess someone has to pay for the Renovations) but then, I was told they have a ONE HOUR play time limit. I said wait what???? The guy said since it is busy they only allow for one hour play and actually since we got there at 10:34 we really only would have 27 minutes. I said so you are saying we have to pay $2 per child to only be allowed to play for 27 minutes?! And then you are going to kick us out of the park to allow another group in for ONE HOUR? Wtf is that?!?! This used to be a FREE PARK! There is no difference to the actual park just the surrounding outside areas. And if it's "too busy" why are you letting even more people in???? Does that make any sense. And PS, the parking lot still have 2 completely empty rows of parking available so too busy my a**. This is a joke, rude, and makes absolutely no sense. It's just like wood field mall charging $2 a kid to play in the same play area that's been free forever and only one hour Or Woops 27 minutes incase you don't show up exactly at the start. Complete garbage, and embarrassing for schaumburg. Which already charges a ridiculous amount on taxes. Shame on them for taking advantage of moms/dads trying to enjoy nature and a park. read more

Fun, free, and it'll keep your little one entertained for at least an hour. Remember to pack water shoes, and a change of clothing in case your child plays in the sand, or plays with the water. There are also plenty of tables to enjoy a nice picnic. Parking is waking distance, and while many families come here there is never a time I felt it was too crowded. If you haven't been I do recommend bringing the kids here. They will love it. read more

This is easily one of our kids favorite stops on a weekend. Between the trails, the indoor nature center with hands on activities, books and small creatures to watch and the outdoor play area I don't know what else you need. My kids were fixated on the water areas that were large enough for several kids to play at together so there were no concerns about kids wants what the others were doing. There was also a playground with a rope ladder, slide, and a large structure for them to climb on/in/through/over and basically all the other good prepositions kids love! read more

This is a diamond in the rough. An absolute must for summer. Spent 4 hours there with my 3 1/2 year old grandson.

While Schaumburg has a kick arse park system in general, Bison's Bluff's may be the summer of 2017's hottest playdate spot yet. Drawing from kids' love of slightly risky nature play, Bison's Bluff offers little ones the chance to walk in man-made, but otherwise convincing stone filled streams; travel across rope bridges and down tunneled slides; and perch oneself atop a giant Bison statue. It's truly a kids' paradise. Even if it's not your parenting style, you'll need to hover at Bison's Bluff. There are plenty of opportunities for some boo boos here. Plus, it's almost always really crowded and it would be easy to lose sight of your child amongst the other park patrons. Other suggestions: 1) Bring a picnic to enjoy in the clean, covered picnic area nearby, 2) Hit the bathrooms in the nature center before heading over to Bison's Bluff, 3) Be sure to follow the nature trail right in front of the play area. It will take you to a great pond observation area. You'll likely see lots of birds, turtles, rabbits, squirrels, and maybe a grass snake! Bison's Bluff is a fabulous new addition to the Schaumburg park scene. I'm thrilled to live so close to this treasure. read more

Amazing little park for kids. The little water path they have is great to help them cool off. Will definitely be coming back here again

What a great place for kids to really play. A get dirty in water and sand kind of play! To take full advantage have your kids in water clothes, boots, and bring a change of clothes. Such a great spot! read more

A beautiful new park courtesy of Schaumburg Park District. Bison Bluff encourages your youngster to explore and maybe even get a little messy! You can go down a slide into water or just dip your feet in a stream. Go checkout the club house or climb a bee statue. There are tons of options here. The only thing that made me nervous was how crowded it was. You have to be vigilant about watching your child so he or she doesn't get lost in the crowd! read more

I walked in saying... Is this even legal?!? I left saying.. Thank you sweet Lord it is!!! Thank you Schaumburg for being Awesome ! My two boys are 11 and 5 and loved it sooo much!! EnJoY! read more

I agree with all the other reviews except I wish they would reconfigure the parking lot so we could enter the gate right off of the driveway. After spending a couple of hours in the sun and running from activity to activity the last thing the little ones want to do is make the trek back to the car. Also, it would be nice to be able to wash the sand off of them somewhere before getting back into the car. Not a lot of shade either so if you're lucky to find a spot set up camp because your are going to be there awhile. It is a great place for the kids to use their imagination. read more

With the beautiful weather on friday (and impending snow storm saturday...) the kids and I needed to go do something outside all day. A friend suggested Bison's Bluff in Schaumburg and it was amazing!! This is a "Nature" playground right next to their nature center. The massive playground area is as beautiful as it is fun. The signs around the playground encourage exploration across the many areas from a huge treehouse-esque structure to streams, waterfalls, musical elements, and more. I probably am sounding like a sales agent, but that is just how much I loved this place. It is completely free (except for larger groups) and on a beautiful day with a packed lunch you could stay there for hours and not hear your children whining for their screens. I work in child development so I really appreciate a place that allows for open ended outdoor play with opportunities for healthy risk taking. Love this place!! (I would have posted more photos, but children are visible in them and am trying to protect privacy) read more

Bison's Bluff - This is just one side of the treehouse climbing structure. - Playgrounds Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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It's a great place for the kids. The only thing I don't like is the big rocks in the sand area. Kids run there and it's just a matter of time when one gets hurt read more

Bison's Bluff - Don't like the rocks in the play area - Playgrounds Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

Great park! If you are going there during summer, I highly recommend to bring clothes or swimsuit. There are water play areas.

What a great place to take kids and spend some time! I took my nieces and nephews to the park this morning and we easily spent a couple of hours and probably could have spent longer. I love that they encourage play, exploration, and getting a little wet and messy! The different equipment provided fun challenges to help kids learn and grow in a safe environment. We arrived right at 9:00 when they opened and it did fill up quickly, by the time we left at 11:00 it was definitely very busy. On our way out we stopped in the nature center which was also fantastic for kids, next time we will plan more time to also walk out to the farm. Honestly such a great place, I can still hardly believe there was no charge to get in! read more

Great outdoor nature playground! My boys 2 and 6 had a great time when we visited from out of town!

Great spot for kids to explore! Didn't realize they had a time limit the kids wanted to stay much longer. There was climbing, slides, water rocks and then we did a hike with a story book. We saw lots of interesting flowers, plants, birds, insects, and bugs on our short hike. We took a break for a snack and the. Found a small garden to walk through. They have a nature center with library. They even had a cute craft for the kids. We would have stayed longer but kids got hungry. read more