As a full time Mum to 2 young children and part time photographer over the past 4 years, I’ve built up a pretty handy knowledge of things to do with kids in Sydney! Every week, we set aside a day which is just dedicated to going out together and exploring some place new. My eldest will be starting school next year so I am trying to fit in as many adventures together before her 13 years of Monday to Friday schooling begins!
Here are just a few of my favourite places to take my two little ones (aged 1 and 4) on our days out together:
Parsley Bay, Vaucluse Parsley Bay is a fabulous little spot tucked away in Vaucluse. It has a great little play area for kids, lots of flat grass to run around on, a little beach area with lots of sand and no waves, a beautiful wooden bridge (great for photos!), and a little walking path through the little bush area. There is also a cafe for snacks and drinks (and coffee!).(My daughter at sunset, Parsley Bay)
Brighton Le Sands Beach, Brighton Le Sands If your kids are interested in planes like mine, a trip to Brighton Le Sands will be a winner. Located on Botany Bay, it offers a perfect place to build sandcastles and watch the planes come in. There’s also a great boardwalk area with cafes and restaurants
Blaxland Riverside Park, Olympic Park One of the best equipped parks in Sydney. This place has slides that go through mountain sides, flying foxes, a fabulous climbing tower (my daughter calls it the “beanstalk”!), sandpit, swings, bike tracks, a cafe and much more. It’s definitely worth a look!
Wannabees Family Play Town, Frenchs Forest We visited this place recently for the first time and it was a winner! It is a mini city with a supermarket, fire station, restaurant and so much more all for the kids to go wild. My daughter loved using the working cash register in the supermarket (her brother bought up all the vegetables in the shop!)
Steel Park, Marrickville Steel Park is a brilliant waterplay park complete with fountains and splash pools. It is a mostly shaded and is a wonderful place to cool off in the hot summer weather. There’s some great play equipment nearby as well as a well equipped change area. Bring a picnic along and enjoy it underneath the beautiful trees.
Magic Yellow Bus, Multiple Locations Throughout the Inner West The Magic Yellow Bus is run by Marrickville Council and has lots of activities aimed at children under 5. There is playdough, painting, games, toys, books and more. It is a free and there’s no need to book – just turn up. It’s a good idea to check the Marrickville Council twitter account on the morning you’re planning to go to make sure it’s operating (it doesn’t run in wet weather and after heavy rains).
Centennial Parklands Centennial Parklands is a huge place with so many things on offer. Our favourite thing to do after rain is to put on our gumboots and go exploring for frogs in the wetland areas. There is also a lovely little track that takes you through a forested area where LOTS of flying foxes sleep (I couldn’t believe how many there were!). There’s also some great spots for walks and some nice cafes too. During the year there are sometimes outdoor performances so be sure to check the events on their website.
Walk Over the Sydney Harbour Bridge Sometimes when you live somewhere you can forget just how beautiful your own city is. Recently we took a walk over the Bridge from Observatory Hill to about halfway along. There are stairs to get up to the walkway, but once you’re past those it’s flat and smooth sailing! There is a lookout from one of the pylons but there are 200 stairs to reach the top and also an entry fee ($13 for adults on my last visit)