Flynn Park Takeaway. An elementary park for an elementary school in University City. Flynn Elementary School's playground combines with nearby basketball courts, tennis courts, and a large open space to create this neighborhood park.
The playground is not Playground Complete. Kids will probably get bored without friends in thirty minutes or less. A fifteen-foot climbing net anchors the playground equipment. Swings and a small slide are also available. Tetherball is sometimes set up.
Parking is easy around the perimeter. It's a decent park for open-space birthdays, with a very small pavilion. However, there are no bathrooms, so you'll be peeing on trees.
Flynn Park Experience Summary
Flynn Park is a park attached to Flynn Elementary School. The playground and basketball courts are more recess equipment than a true park, but they are open to the public on weekends and outside school hours.
The park also has a large open field on the west side and tennis courts in the southwest corner. The large field has hosted many kids' birthday parties. I've easily been to a dozen over the last four years, as it was a prime pandemic spot.
There is also a small gazebo overlooking the playground.
You'll notice when it matters that the park lacks any bathrooms. My boys have peed on trees a dozen plus times, and we've had to run to a friend's house for more involved bathroom issues.
Flynn Park Playground Breakdown
Flynn Park is not Playground Complete. Unless you bring friends, you'll have about thirty minutes of things to do before the kids get bored.
The park lacks a big main playground. That lack of central apparatus means that after climbing what the playground offers, the kids start to wander the fields. It wasn't uncommon for our five-year-olds to wander off to the far reaches of the park in small packs.
Main Playground
A fifteen-foot climbing net anchors the lackluster set of equipment at Flynn. There's no real jungle gym, and the slide maybe pushed five feet tall. The slide is nominally a little kids' playground slide.
A unique set of climbing rings can keep older kids busier for a while, but my oldest couldn't really handle it until he was six or so. Some of his friends had the coordination to start climbing all over it around five.
Each piece of equipment has its own space. No two pieces really connect or touch, which limits the ability to interact creatively between them. Instead, kids look for interesting ways to climb up or on what is available.
Other Apparati
The playground has a good set of six swings. One of the bigger ones has a lap strap for younger kids who like to go fast.
Flynn sometimes has tetherball set up above the playground area, but that's been hit or miss historically. I think maybe in the warmer months, you're more likely to have it available.
Flynn Park Amenities And Miscellaneous
During the pandemic, we attended a dozen birthday parties at Flynn Park for families in the area. The big open field on the park's west side offered plenty of space for kids to run around and play outside while we had to stay six feet apart.
The small covered area near the playground has two picnic tables and can be a base for a little kid's birthday party. However, I would limit those parties to five-year-olds and under, as the playground will be boring for older kids.
A bigger problem when having a party in the park is the lack of a bathroom. As a result, my kids peed on nearly all the trees around the park. And when they needed to do something more than pee, we had to run to a friend's house in the neighborhood.
Overall, there are better alternatives for birthday parties at this point.
The park offers public tennis courts, basketball courts, and decent walking or running paths. However, given its size and location, the overall park feels a bit lacking compared to other options in Forest Park, like Wonderland Park or the Nature Playscape.
Heck, even the smaller Lewis Park, a half mile away, probably offers a bit more to do overall.
My advice is to bring friends. With good company, you'll have fun hanging out no matter what.
Parking At Flynn Park
You can find plenty of parking at Flynn Park around the perimeter. The first time I came for a birthday party, we parked in the elementary school parking lot, which was unnecessary. It's actually much easier to park on a side street to the North and walk to the playground.
Be careful crossing Pershing to the south, as it can be a big, busy street at times.
Flynn Park Receipt
