The best playgrounds in Melbourne

Nestled in a small reserve in the historically significant Golden Square precinct in Richmond, this inner-city playground has a lot to offer both kids and parents. Set on a hill, the wooden playground offers simple but fun equipment options. Kids can run up the hill and in and out of the main wooden structure, which opens out to two slides: one for children and one for toddlers. There is also a shop front, tic-tac-toe board, abacus, swings, spring-loaded motorbike and musical drums to bang on, among other things. Parents will also appreciate that Serotonin Eatery is just across the street on Stalwell Street. The menu puts an emphasis on healthy and plant-based food, so parents can rest assured that their children will be fed nutritious meals. 

This sprawling Parkville playground has been named the best in Australia, and certainly lives up to its hype. Located on the green site of the former Children's Hospital, Royal Park Nature Play is packed with rocky terraces, slides, swings and climbing ropes, perfect for little monkeys. Bonus: there are beautiful trees, gullies and grasslands to explore, plus some pleasant city views.

A playground that contains a multitude of obstacles, play equipment and activities to keep kids of multiple ages entertained is a winner. Children will have an ace time running along the bridge platform that’s fitted out with slides and climbing frames that extend out from the base. There’s also a sheltered sandpit, little shopfronts and other equipment like climbing nets, a rope-climbing course, a large seesaw, a flying fox and more. For toddlers, there is a devoted play space, and the sandpit has a dedicated climbing mound for them. Bonus features for the kids include huge timber kookaburra statues to hug and climb. Older children can make use of the park’s area for BMX riding, scootering and skateboarding. Together with the bike and walking tracks and the off-leash dog area, it’s truly a playground designed for all to enjoy.

Whether you're organising an epic dodgeball match or bored with your local swingset, this super-playground surrounded by a huge grassy area under the Bolte Bridge has you covered. Expect loads of sand, diggers, swings and a water play area with pumps, fountains and mini waterfalls. The tunnel slides are a standout, second only to the giant wooden teepee that looks like an alien creature with slides for arms.

Hazelwood Park, a real-life adventure wonderland that recently opened in Melbourne's outer west, is a magical place for the young and young at heart. This nature-inspired playground in Aintree spans 8,000 square metres and features everything a kid could want from a playground with slides, climbing nets, elevated towers, seesaws, swings and a shaded billabong-inspired waterplay area. Nestled among river red gum trees and sprawling wetlands, it’s been designed to blend in with its surroundings, with hundreds of indigenous plants and wildflowers planted to attract local wildlife. There are whimsical hidden features for kids to discover (love those tiny magic fairy doors). There are accessible points for wheelchair users and prams, as well as quiet retreat and sensory zones for neurodivergent folk, so it is genuinely a community space that everyone can enjoy. To find out more, check out the website. 

Address: 11 Recreation Rd, Aintree 

This is a fantastic opportunity to instil city kids with a love of plants and respect for the environment. They can get their hands dirty gardening, splash around in the water feature, play hide-and-seek in the bamboo forest or climb the tree tower. 

This parklet located on the NewQuay Promenade combines landscaping and public art with great success. Taking inspiration from Melbourne’s CBD and architectural monuments, the sculptures are solid concrete interpretations of Melbourne buildings. Kids can clamber and climb up the colourful sculptures and they also provide shade. 

Brimbank Park Playscape is another great playground for children of all abilities. The playground design highlights both the First Nations and European coloniser history of the area, and features tactile pathways, animal sculptures, signage in Braille and Auslan, plus play equipment designed for kids who might use a wheelchair.

Hays Paddock Park is lauded as one of Melbourne's original and most inclusive parks, thanks to its very accessible playground. Wide wooden ramps wind around the equipment, and there are braille and sign language instructions throughout the playground. Colourful shade tops cover swings, slides and see-saws, alongside a large rope-climbing frame and an interactive sandpit.