Joanna James
Discover some of the best parks and playgrounds in Melbourne to allow your kids to have some outdoor adventures while you relax with some of the finest coffee and treats Melbourne has to offer.
Birrarung Marr's ArtPlay is a vibrant riverside playground that your little ones will love. The playground is decorated with artistic murals to inspire your child's imagination. It offers a range of play equipment like slides, sandboxes, balance beams and swinging hammocks. For adventurous kids, there are rock and rope climbing activities. Also, there is a liberty wheelchair swing so everyone can join the fun.
Lincoln Square is Melbourne's oldest playground which recently underwent a makeover. It now includes rope bridges, slides and swings, play towers and timber structures. Kids will enjoy playing under the comforting shade of the park's 150-year-old beautiful Moreton Bay fig trees. While there, stop by Bar Holiday for amazing coffee, baguette sandwiches and flaky pastries.
A fun-filled place to visit with your children is Fitzroy Gardens. In these whimsical gardens, kids can glide down dragons and explore the fairy tree with its magical carvings. There is also a small model Tudor village, which children can play in! For a quick caffeine fix, there is the nearby KereKere Green, which serves ethically sourced coffee without you ever having to leave the gardens. There is also Square and Compass if you are hungry for a fresh baguette and some Seven Seeds coffee.
This modernistic maze of a garden is the perfect place for playing hide and seek and chase. The maze has many hidden holes to climb and peek at, making it all the more exciting for kids. Bigger kids can let loose on the flying fox while allowing the younger ones can run riot in their own toddler-friendly playground. All coffee lovers, you're in luck! Head to Market Lane, a tiny hole-in-the-wall cafe dedicated to brewing that perfect cup of coffee. For a yummy snack head to Baker D Chirico next door for some freshly baked bread, flaky pastries or a cannoli.
Discover one of Melbourne's unique places of interest at the Risk Playground! This unique playground is made to challenge and exhilarate your kids while ensuring their safety. The playground has a variety of play features, along with massive rocks on fixed trolleys. Keep an eye out for the 'runaway rocks' as you stroll along Southbank Boulevard to the playground. Admission to the Risk Playground is free, and you can enjoy it at any time of the day. Don't forget to visit The Bond Store Cafe, where you can indulge in thick shakes and toasties with the kiddos.
Royal Park is one of Melbourne's most beloved areas, and has an incredible natural playground. Apart from the standard slides and swings, you'll find a sandpit, a water play area, rocks, logs and swing ropes to climb, and a hard-to-resist grassy hill for tumbling down the hill. You can pre-order some drinks while staying at the park from Auction Rooms, and their general store is packed with goodies to treat your kids as well! Or, you could head to Code Black for some amazing coffee, to you relax time away while letting the kids have the time of their lives and you can visit websites like Wellknownplaces to have a better grasp on things should you need it!
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
