31 of the best playgrounds in Sydney

For energetic kids, playgrounds are the place to be. With fun equipment, accessible features and scenic spaces, these are the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Australia has a world-class selection of playgrounds, each featuring creative spaces, adventure zones, inclusive designs, interactive activities and thrilling play equipment. When the kids aren’t trying to take off while on the swings or chasing that feeling of weightlessness when bouncing on a seesaw, they’re enjoying the cool spray of a water play area. Whether you’re planning a family day out or looking for a last-minute playground stop to burn off your youngster’s boundless energy, these are the best playgrounds in Sydney. Find out where they’re located across Western Sydney, the North Shore, the Northern Beaches, the Eastern Suburbs, the Inner Suburbs and the Sutherland Shire.

Western Sydney

Bungarribee Playground

Bungarribee

Kids love Bungarribee Playground for its ample roaming space, 14-metre climbing tower, 50-metre flying fox and imaginative water play area. There are two large car parks for  convenience, as well as picnic shelters, barbecues and bathroom facilities.

BEST Playground

Rooty Hill

If you’re wondering what makes this one of the best playgrounds in Sydney, it’s all in the name. The Blacktown Exercise Sports and Technology Hub, also known as the BEST Playground, has a variety of family-friendly areas for all ages. Little ones can climb, slide and swing through the playground, while older adventurers can shoot hoops or ride their bike along the dedicated track. The misting area is an additional thoughtful feature designed to help kids cool off when they overheat.

Fairfield Adventure Park

Wakeley

Suitable for the young and the young at heart, this playground’s Obstacle Course is a thrilling activity that helps burn energy. It has boot camp-style elements to promote fitness, including tyre steps, rope and timber climbers, and a treetop walk with flying foxes. The main playground area is just as exciting, with big slides, a sandpit and climbing frames.

Lizard Log Playground

Abbotsbury

Wood-carved animals and play equipment made from salvaged timber make this playground particularly unique. Lizard Log is a spacious play area integrated into the surrounding landscape, featuring a climbing wall, dual and single flying foxes, giant swings and a water play deck. During the hotter months, there are undercover tables and benches perfect for relaxing in the shade.

Blaxland Riverside Park

Sydney Olympic Park

Hours of fun are guaranteed for all ages at Blaxland Riverside Park. Spanning three hectares, the play space has a range of activities, from a double flying fox and a Viking swing to a multi-level treehouse and a large interactive water area.

Livvi’s Place Elara

Marsden Park

Livvi’s Place Elara is part of a network of all-abilities playgrounds created by the Touched by Olivia Foundation. Designed to be accessible for children with additional physical, sensory and neurological needs, this inclusive playground has climbing nets, a trampoline loop, a half basketball court and a water play zone.

North Shore

St Leonards Park Playground

North Sydney

One of the best playgrounds in Sydney, St Leonards Park has play equipment for little ones, tweens and teens. The junior area is toddler-friendly, featuring a quadruple swing set, ground-level spinner and interactive sand-and-water play activities. For older kids, the zone for kids aged 12 and up caters to young thrill seekers with a giant 360-degree swing, an eagle’s nest climbing structure and a track ride.

Berry Island Reserve Playground

Wollstonecraft

Overlooking the water, Berry Island Reserve has a fenced playground and picturesque harbourside space for families. Let the kids loose on the timber climbing structures and swings, embark on a bushwalk at the adjacent track and utilise the grassy area for a casual picnic while admiring the bobbing boats.

Balmoral Beach Playground

Balmoral

Looking for a beachside location? Balmoral Beach has a great playground located mere steps away from the sand. For a break in between bouts on the nest swing, seesaw and slides, kids can take a dip in the ocean to cool off. This play space is particularly popular because it’s fenced and shaded. The proximity to several cafés and restaurants also makes it especially convenient for a delicious lunch or early dinner.

The Canopy

Lane Cove

The Canopy is a vibrant community space with everything from fine dining and retail to a fantastic playground. Separate zones offer age-appropriate play equipment for toddlers and older children, including water play features, a giant sandpit, trampolines and twisting slides. Regular events such as chess and makers markets are held here, as well as concerts, which makes for a fun day out with the family.

St Ives Showground Playground

St Ives

This is undoubtedly one of the best playgrounds in Sydney, and the largest in the area. Accessible for all ages and abilities, the playground at St Ives Showground offers a farm-themed layout with animal and agricultural sculptures, and nature play experiences including balancing logs, climbing rocks and water stepping stones.

Northern Beaches

Collaroy Beach Playground

Collaroy

Set on the oceanfront, Collaroy Beach Playground is shaded and highly inclusive for kids. The liberty swing and ground-level carousel promise accessible fun, while the barbecue facilities and adjacent beach pool keep the family fed and cool.

Berry Reserve Playground

Narrabeen

With a vintage tram, castle-themed area and nearby cafés, this is one of the best playgrounds in Sydney. Berry Reserve Playground is a play paradise, featuring a giant slide, in-ground trampolines, musical instruments and pretend shops for those with big imaginations. While the restored 1930s Sydney tram isn’t technically part of the playground, it’s located at The Tramshed Cafe. Take the little ones to this family-friendly venue to eat inside the old vehicle, choosing from a dedicated kids’ menu that doubles as a colouring-in and activity sheet.

Warriewood Valley Playground

Warriewood

Known for its enormous rocket-shaped climbing structure, Warriewood Valley Playground offers big thrills for little ones. Brave youngsters with bundles of energy can ascend the giant rocket ship and zip down the winding tunnel slide or get hands-on in the sand-based play areas.

Winnererremy Bay Playground

Mona Vale

Affectionately known by locals as the Flying Fox Park, this large and enclosed area has a massive play zone and tracks for scooters and bikes. The playground features forts, swings, climbing frames and – the most popular attraction – a giant flying fox.

Bert Payne Park

Newport

Fully enclosed and situated close to Newport Beach, this playground has a delightfully green hue and varied equipment for all types of fun. The truck structure is an imaginative play zone, the climbing frames and in-ground trampoline are excellent for burning energy, and the picnic area is a convenient rest spot.

Lionel Watts Reserve Playground

Frenchs Forest

The Lionel Watts Reserve is home to an inclusive and enclosed playground with all-abilities equipment, including a garden with musical instruments and a water play area. Different zones are suitable for various age groups, with a toddler mud kitchen, a water play area, flying foxes and a skate ramp on offer.

Eastern Suburbs

Ian Potter Children’s Wild Play Garden

Centennial Park

One of the state’s top nature-play destinations and one of the best playgrounds in Sydney is the Ian Potter Children’s Wild Play Garden. Enjoy a lovely family day trip to Centennial Park, where little ones can splash in the water play area, crawl through banksia tunnels and roam this expansive playground. With dry creek beds, a bamboo forest, a giant slide, a rope bridge and a treehouse, there’s plenty of space for little explorers to run, climb and explore.

Cromwell Park Playground

Malabar

Popular with local parents, this beachside playground is a beautiful and shaded spot for play dates. The nautical and train-themed space is fully fenced, located behind Malabar Beach and suited to young children.

Maroubra Beach Playground

Maroubra

The playground at Maroubra Beach is ideal for kids of all ages. Just steps from the beach, this cool blue space has imaginative ship structures, climbing equipment and a nearby skate park. If you want to make a day of it, there are picnic tables and barbecues for a convenient post-play refuel option.

Lyne Park Playground

Rose Bay

Youngsters can watch the sea planes land and take off from this stunning waterfront park. Situated on Sydney Harbour’s foreshore in Rose Bay, Lyne Park Playground is a modern area with one of the most unique play structures: a flying boat climbing frame that pays homage to the area’s aviation history.

Inner Suburbs

Sydney Park Playground

Alexandria

With giant slides, a bike track for kids learning to ride and a skate park, this is an award-winning adventure play space. Sydney Park Playground is an expansive regional playground situated within 40 hectares of parkland, also offering innovative sensory equipment suitable for developing young senses. There’s also a water play zone for cooling off and an adjacent café for post-play treats.

Richard Murden Reserve

Haberfield

The inclusive Gulgadya Playground is set along the river, and was designed in partnership with disability play experts, featuring sensory walkways, climbing towers and in-ground trampolines that cater to kids of all ages and ability levels.

Wulaba Park

Waterloo

Named after the Gadigal word for rock wallaby, Wulaba Park is a vibrantly coloured adventure playground. It has a towering three-storey climbing structure and a huge metallic slide that brave youngsters will love. Once the kids are all thrilled out, parents can set up a picnic on the lawn, sizzle some sausages on the barbecues or head to the nearby café to refuel.

Gunyama Park

Zetland

This brand-new playground is City of Sydney’s largest, spanning 6300 square metres. Gunyama Park is an urban wonderland designed to entertain kids from toddlers to tweens, featuring 70 metres of tunnels and tube slides, a sandpit, a flying fox, in-ground trampolines, a skate plaza and water play areas.

Harold Park Playground

Forest Lodge

Built on the site of the former Harold Park Paceway, this is one of the best playgrounds in Sydney. Contemporary and colourful, this adventure play space offers climbing structures, slides, swings and barbecue facilities within lush parkland. Proximity to the popular Tramsheds dining precinct makes it a convenient place to take the kids before or after enjoying artisan bites and international dishes.

Sutherland Shire

Como Pleasure Grounds

Como

You don’t have to catch a flight to Italy to get there. Como is a residential suburb in southern Sydney known for its scenic waterfront and historic park. Como Pleasure Grounds Playground is a fantastic destination for families with a swimming complex and tidal baths, bike track and picnic areas. The playground is currently undergoing construction and will unveil a paddle steamer-themed upgrade and new equipment including climbing and spinning gear, slides and a carousel.

Bonna Point Reserve Children’s Playground

Kurnell

This state-of-the-art regional playground has the highest slide in the Sutherland Shire. Attached to the climbing tower is the iconic 4.5-metre enclosed slide, promising an exhilarating ride for big kids. There’s also a dual flying fox, a separate junior play zone and a beginner-friendly skate plaza to occupy various age groups.

Burnum Burnum Sanctuary

Woronora

Climbing towers, flying foxes and in-ground trampolines make this playground a hit with the kids. Burnum Burnum Sanctuary is set on the Woronora River with a modern and shaded playground, free barbecue facilities, and access to bushwalking tracks and river beaches.

E.G. Waterhouse National Camellia Gardens

Caringbah

Aside from beautifully maintained flowers, vistas over Yowie Bay and an on-site teahouse, the E.G. Waterhouse National Camellia Gardens has two family-friendly playgrounds. Each space is fully enclosed, with duck ponds and fun play equipment well-suited to toddlers and young children.

Cooper Street Reserve

Engadine

Cooper Street Reserve is one of the best playgrounds in Sydney thanks to its considered range of accessible equipment. The all-abilities playground has enhanced features that cater to children with extra support needs and non-verbal visitors. This includes a wheelchair-accessible treehouse walk, a ground-flush carousel, water sensory play and communication boards with braille tactile signage.

This article is a Holidays with Kids digital exclusive.

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