A guide to the best and most budget-friendly activities to do over the summer school holidays in Melbourne and Victoria.
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Melbourne’s best playgrounds for kids and families
Playgrounds hold a special place in the heart of all kids and parents. Here are five of the best playgrounds for every occasion around Melbourne.
Whether it's finding a unique side, unusual swings or hills and grassy areas, every kids has a favourite playground beyond their own back yard. While many playgrounds are carbon copies of each other, Melbourne hosts some of the most exciting, imaginative, and inspired play areas in Australia.
Whether it’s for an afternoon playdate to burn off some energy, the next venue for your kids’ birthday party, or a simple day out with your little ones, here are our top five playgrounds for a day to remember.
Fun for every occasion
1. Splash park: Crocodile Park – Point Cook
Particularly during the warmer months, there’s no better place to cool down than Crocodile Park at Point Cook. This fun park ticks all our boxes when it comes to the perfect splash park.
Surrounded by artificial lakes, this kid's arcadia is designed with both the young and old in mind - nest swings, slides, stepping stones littered across pools of flowing water and an actual (but fake) crocodile spurting water from their mouths.
Equipped with toilets, picnic and BBQ facilities, we suggest more than a fleeting visit. Instead, pack a basket, grab a towel, apply sunscreen and settle in for an afternoon splash session.
2. Obstacle course: Selwyn Park Ninja Training Playground - Albion
Set your kids on the path to being the next Australian Ninja Warrior at the aptly named Selwyn Park Ninja Training Playground. For careered ninjas and those just starting, it’s the perfect place to hone their (or your) rope bridge climbing skills, conquer the circle monkey bars, practice the zen art of rope, wire and ladder balance, and when they’re (you’re) skills are mastered, it’s time to ace the Ninja Wall.
3. Adventure: Skinner Adventure Playground - South Melbourne
If you’re looking for an adventure outdoors where you can let the kids’ imagination run wild, look no further than the Skinner Adventure Playground in South Melbourne.
Suited more for the 5+ crowd, this fully staffed (check out their opening hours) space has haunted houses, tree houses, a variety of slides, sandpits, ride-on cars (of the motorless variety), and even has in-built sports facilities - basketball anyone?
With so much to explore, inspire and create, this is what we like to call a ‘destination playground’.
Kids can have some cheeky fun at these imaginative playgrounds
4. Accessible: All Abilities Playspace and Splash Park – Mill Park
The All Abilities Playspace and Splash Park, located in Mill Park, nails it when it comes to all-inclusive playground design. This park is fully fenced and offers a water play area featuring accessible water play tables, shooting water jets, even misting rings.
If you prefer dryer and higher ground, the jewel in the park’s crown is a 4.5-meter multi-level climbing tower with accessible ramps and bridges. We’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention the double flying fox with an accessible seat, trampolines, inclusive swings and slides.
Even a quiet and sensory play area acts as a peaceful retreat when needed. With its inclusive ethos, this playground sets the standard for future playground design.
5. Themed: The Maritime Cove Community Park – Port Melbourne
Who loves a theme? The creators of The Maritime Cove Community Park sure do. The City of Port Phillip has gone hard on the nautical vibe, using repurposed equipment to create this maritime-themed park which includes forts fashioned from repurposed channel markers, a climbable crows nest, marine bollards, old rail lines, a ladder bridge and replica shipping containers.
There’s also sand play, musical instruments to inspire impromptu shanties and two water play areas for the hotter months. So, grab your first mate for some seafaring fun.
