Shedd Park
453 Rogers St.
Lowell, MA 01852
Conveniently located off route 38 in Lowell, near the Tewksbury line and highways. The park is on a main road; however the playground area is tucked back away from it.
Date/Time Visited: Friday, October 3, 2025 at 4 pm
Bathrooms: None available for public use; porta potty during the summer
Parking: Yes; parking lot
Shade: Not much shade at playground (especially during full sun in the summer). Covered area with tables, and lots of trees around track field
Benches/tables: 6 benches in playground area; additional benches and tables in covered area next to playground
Additional Features: Fenced-in playground, little free library, splash pad (seasonal), walking track, pavilion for events
We visited Shedd Park on a Friday afternoon in early October to meet some friends for a playdate. The ages of the 6 kids in our group ranged from 2 years old to 8 years old, and there was plenty to keep everyone entertained for almost 2 hours!
The most important feature of a park when attending with young kids is whether it’s fenced in, and thankfully this playground is. Sometimes people leave the gates open so I’m always aware of that and close them whenever I notice them opened.
The parking lot had an abundance of parking spots both when we arrived and when we left.
I was disappointed to learn that the porta potty that had been there all summer has since been removed. Nothing ruins a park playdate quicker than a kid who needs to potty and has nowhere to go. Thankfully that didn’t happen to us (this time) but heads up to any parents who prefer having a potty option available for those moments.
The playground is situated on mulch, so I’d recommend sneakers (for both kids and adults) over crocs or other sandals, unless hearing “there’s mulch in my shoe” repeatedly sounds like your idea of a fun time.
The playground contains three main play structures: a smaller one with a double slide for younger kids, a bigger one with 7 different slides for older kids, and a climbing/obstacle course type structure (our favorite).
In addition, this park has a zipline, see-saw with room for 4 kids, spinning seats, rocking-horse style bouncers in the form of various vehicles, plus swings (2 baby swings, 3 regular swings, and 1 handicap accessible).
The covered area with tables and benches is a perfect place for snack time, a break from the sun, or just a place to sit while the kids play. Note that during the summer, camps often reserve and use the pavilion all day as a base of operations and for lunch.
There were only a few other families at the playground when we arrived at 4 pm. However, as it got closer to 5 pm, the playground started to fill up. Despite the increase in foot traffic, there was plenty of room for everyone to play. During our time at the playground, various organized sports games/practices were occurring at the fields around the park, but it didn’t affect the playground area one bit.
The older kids in our group (ages 5, 7 and 8), spent the majority of their time on the climbing/obstacle course structure towards the back of the playground. They climbed the webs, swung on the bars, bobbed and weaved through obstacles, and jumped on the standing see-saw with a new friend they made at the park. There’s so much to do in just this structure alone.
Near this structure is a small zipline that the older kids enjoyed playing on. Note that if it gets stuck in the middle, it’s difficult to reach from the ground for an average height adult, let alone a kid. This is usually the part where they’ll gather sticks to try and find one long enough to reach it.
Our entire group of mixed aged kids enjoyed playing either on or around the swings. I just wish there was more of them!
Although the older kids enjoyed climbing the large play structure (stairs and rock wall style options) and going down various slides, they spent more of their time under it on the spinning seats where they could stand and spin while holding onto the overhead handles.
Another favorite activity was playing pretend restaurant under the “little kids” structure, at the built in table and benches.
Our group finished strong stacking mulch into large piles then running/jumping through them to knock them over. Creativity for the win!
Overall, our group of 6 kids (ages 2, 3, 5, 5, 7 and 8), enjoyed a late afternoon at Shedd Park. The kids played for almost two hours and wanted to play longer. There are enough things to do that we could’ve stayed longer but it was nearing dinner time plus someone was bound to need a potty break soon. If you’re looking for a fenced in playground with play options for multiple aged kids, I’d recommend Shedd Park. We certainly plan to return!
Brittany is a Lowell mom of 2 children and a long-time reader of Macaroni KID. She is a beach lover who collects sea glass, and enjoys sharing her food creations with family and friends.
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