Playing Around: Village Science Park in Falmouth is worth the trip

There's a rock climbing wall painted with a nautical scene, perfect for the Cape atmosphere. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

The swing set at Village Science Playground is well-loved. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

There are many ways to climb into the main set of equipment at Village Science Playground in Falmouth. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

Village Science Playground in Falmouth is a huge playground with plenty of nooks and crannies to explore, but it's safely fenced-in to keep kids from wandering too far. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

There are plenty of obstacles to swing from at Village Science Playground in Falmouth. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

It wouldn't be Cape Cod without lighthouses -- and a New England lighthouse tower is the centerpiece of Village Science Playground in Falmouth. You can climb to the top and survey the whole park. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

A slack line is tons of fun. The surface at Village Science Playground is mainly wood chips and dirt. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

If kids need a break from swinging and climbing, there's a stage for doing some play-acting -- and semicircular bench around it for parents to take in the show. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

The swing set at Village Science Playground in Falmouth lets kids grab some air. They're a good height for both taller and smaller kids. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

A sign at Village Science Playground lays out the ground rules. It's next door to Mullen-Hall School in Falmouth, and open from dawn to dusk. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

Falmouth is home to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, so naturally there are plaques decorated with mako sharks hidden on the equipment for kids to find. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

These numbered plaques are hidden all over Village Science Playground -- it's up to kids to find them all and complete the scavenger hunt. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

A New England village facade is great for play-acting. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

A wooden train is great for little ones to play engineer. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

Falmouth's Village Science Playground pays tribute to the town's nautical history with boat-shaped equipment and ocean murals. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

Village Science Playground in Falmouth is next door to Mullen-Hall School, and boasts not one but two Little Free Libraries, if you need to take a reading break. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

A New England lighthouse is the centerpiece of Village Science Playground. You can climb to the top and survey the whole park. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

A trio of slides leads down from the equipment at Village Science Playground in Falmouth. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

Another set of swings at Village Science Playground features a variety of types. [Herald News Photo | Dan Medeiros]

Right down the block from the Village Science Playground, the Carousel of Light will be opening for the summer season on Saturday at 11 a.m. [Photo from CarouselofLight.org]

Village Science Playground is right in the heart of historic downtown Falmouth, which has an array of shops and restaurants to make the drive worth it. [Google Maps]