Blue Jay Point County Park sits along the shores of Falls Lake just north of Raleigh.

The leafy 236-acre park includes trails to the lake, an environmental education center and a large playground. It's a perfect stop for a picnic lunch and afternoon excursion with your kids.

My daughter, mom and I went for the first time last week on a day when temperatures soared into the 80s. We stopped in the Blue Jay Center for Environmental Education first where displays focus on water quality, how growth effects the environment and the habitats found at Blue Jay Point.

My preschooler loved the "ranger" made of all recycled materials, listening to bird sounds and making her own movie by drawing a set of pictures and spinning it around in a cylinder.

But the highlight of the day was the large playground and sandy area where we spent the better part of 90 minutes. The equipment features lots of slides and places for kids to climb and hide in. For parents, there are benches and picnic tables in the shade and clean bathrooms right next door.

There are four miles of trails in the park, most are short enough for even the youngest hiker and several take you down to the lake. 

We would have explored these if we didn't experience a scene of the likes I haven't had to deal since the terrible twos. Let's just say that apparently a pregnant women (me) carrying a screaming preschooler who falls in the process is worth watching.

But we'll be back.

Looking for something new to do with your kids? Go to www.trianglemom2mom.com/play and check back every Thursday. For more playground reviews, go to www.trianglemom2mom.com/being-mom/things-do/activities/parks-and-playgrounds/playground-reviews