Hello! I'm PEAKer 나마카.

May is already here! Known as Family Month in Korea, it brings holidays like Children's Day and Parents' Day, making it a lovely time for a family outing. If you're looking for places to visit in May, I have just the spot for you!

It's the newly opened Maple Leaf Playground No. 3 at Seoul Children's Grand Park. MapleStory and Nexon created this space to promote children's right to play, and I headed over as soon as I heard the news.

Here's a look at my visit to Maple Leaf Playground No. 3 at Seoul Children's Grand Park :D

A Place to Visit in May:

Introducing Maple Leaf Playground

Maple Leaf Playground is a community initiative by MapleStory and Nexon to renovate public playgrounds and promote children's right to play. Following locations in Seongnam and Uijeongbu in Gyeonggi Province, the third playground has now opened at Seoul Children's Grand Park.

Children in Korea reportedly spend an average of just 1 hour and 32 minutes a day playing—among the lowest figures in the OECD and well below its average (2 hours and 30 minutes). That makes a project giving children space to run and play freely especially meaningful. With its convenient location inside Seoul Children's Grand Park, I had all the more reason to see it for myself :)

Seoul Children's Grand Park

My Visit to Maple Leaf Playground No. 3!

Maple Leaf Playground No. 3 is a large playground spanning approximately 750 pyeong. Feedback from the “Maple Leaf Warriors,” a group made up of children, played a key role in its design. The result is a space full of things kids genuinely want.

It's easy to reach by public transportation, and admission to the park is free, so you can enjoy an outing without worrying about the entry cost!

Subway Line 7, Children's Grand Park Station, Exit 1 Subway Line 5, Achasan Station, Exit 4 → Continue on foot

As I approached the playground, I could hear MapleStory background music playing. It was such a welcome sound for a big MapleStory fan like me ㅎㅎ

The playground is divided into three worlds themed around MapleStory characters, each with a recommended age group.

01. Orange Mushroom World

This area features trampolines and Orange Mushroom stepping stones. I tried one of the trampolines myself, and each bounce made me feel a little like an Orange Mushroom hopping around(?)! The children were clearly having a wonderful time bouncing around, too :)

02. Rock Spirit World

This area features an arch crossing, a climbing net structure, a wobbly bridge, a Rock Spirit mound, a mound tunnel & climbing area, and swings. The lovely colors really captured the atmosphere of Arcana's forest—a particularly welcome touch for me as a MapleStory player!

What impressed me most was the Swings for Everyone area. I'd never seen so many different types of swings before. The one on the far left is a barrier-free swing designed to let all children join in the fun, which made it feel especially meaningful.

03. Pink Bean World

This area is packed with things to do, including a variety of slides, stepping stones, and a heart-collecting game!

The slides looked quite high, but the children were enjoying them without a hint of fear. Watching them reminded me just how fearless kids can be ㅋㅋㅋ The Pink Bean figure at the very top of the playground was adorable, too ㅎㅎ

04. Maple Leaf Rest Area

At the center of the playground is a shaded seating area called the Maple Leaf Rest Area, where parents and guardians can take a comfortable break while the children run around and play!

There's also a sand play area for children, with a separate washing area nearby where they can rinse the sand off their hands and feet. They can play to their hearts' content without anyone worrying about the cleanup :)

Maple Leaf Playground No. 3:

Why I Recommend a Visit in May

Having visited myself, I think it's an ideal addition to any list of places to visit in May!

Its location inside Seoul Children's Grand Park means there's plenty to enjoy nearby, including a zoo, amusement rides, and walking trails. It's a great choice for a full day out, and parents and guardians can relax at the Maple Leaf Rest Area while the children enjoy the playground!

I've always found it a little sad that neighborhood playgrounds seem to have fewer children these days. Here, though, so many kids were running around and having fun, even with rain about to fall. It brought back a sense of childhood joy I hadn't felt in a while, which made the visit even better. I left hoping the Maple Leaf Playground initiative will continue for years to come and reach even more places!

That wraps up my report on Maple Leaf Playground No. 3 at Seoul Children's Grand Park!

If you're looking for places to visit in May with Children's Day coming up, why not stop by Maple Leaf Playground No. 3? Admission is free, there's plenty to enjoy nearby, and children helped design the playground themselves—giving your kids even more to look forward to.

That's all for this post!

I'm PEAKer 나마카. Thanks for reading :-)