Around the World with Kids

“DENNIIISSSSS!” Those Xennial moms like me can remember Saturday Morning cartoons and watching week after week Dennis the Menace’s antics on our television screens. Those older remember him from the popular cartoon strip, where the five year old boy always seemed to get in some kind of trouble, usually involving Mr. Wilson. Dennis the epitome of childhood curiosity and risk taking, and is a beloved character even today.

The creator of Dennis the Menace, Hank Ketchum, donated the immense playground in Monterey, his adopted hometown. Holding threeplay structures, a large suspension bridge, numerous swings, a maze, and a giant merry-go-round, it’s a children’s haven, where they can run play, and recreate some of Dennis’ antics on their own.

We spent about an hour and a half in the park, and had a hard time tearing the kids out of there. I had never seen them so excited and engaged in play. Something about the park opened my kids imaginations and broke down their barriers allowing them to make friends and play ever increasing new and inventive games. This park, a 15 minute walk from the Old’s Fisherman’s Wharf is worth the stop, and lets kids of all ages release their energy and inner menace.