The best playgrounds in Melbourne

Let your outdoor adventurers swing, slide and climb to their heart's content at these parks and playgrounds in Melbourne. Plus, discover the best spots to find coffee nearby so you can sip while they play.

ArtPlay

ArtPlay features a colourful riverside playground in Birrarung Marr. It's decorated with arty murals sure to fire up your little one’s imaginations. It boasts slides, sandpits, swinging hammocks and balance beams. For the daring youngsters, there’s rock and rope climbing. There’s also a liberty wheelchair swing, so no one needs to miss out on the fun.

• Get the holiday vibes you're craving with a trip to Vacation and load up on coffee and tasty sangas.

Lincoln Square

The site of Melbourne's oldest playground has had a makeover. The Carlton playground features rope bridges, play towers, slides and swings. Plus timber structures to climb and conquer. The kids will have a ball playing under the shade of the park's beautiful 150-year-old Moreton Bay fig trees.

• Visit Bar Holiday for coffee, loaded baguettes and flaky pastries.

• Treat the fam to mochi pancakes and homemade sodas at Adozen Adozen.

Fitzroy Gardens, CBD

We couldn’t leave this children’s wonderland off the list. Slide down a dragon in Fitzroy Gardens' otherworldly playground or explore the rest of the gardens. The kids will be enchanted by the magical carved Fairies' Tree. And stop by the tiny model Tudor village, they’ll feel like giants!

• You don't even have to leave the gardens to get your ethically sourced coffee at KereKere Green.

• Need some sustenance? Grab Seven Seeds coffee and a baguette from Square and Compass.

Carlton Gardens

Carlton Gardens’ modernistic maze is the perfect spot for a game of chasey, with hidden holes to climb through and peek from. Big kids will have no trouble wearing themselves out on the flying fox, while the younger ones get their own toddler-friendly playground.

• Good coffee is guaranteed at Market Lane. This tiny hole-in-the-wall is dedicated to perfecting your brew.

• Can you smell the freshly baked bread? Drop into Baker D Chirico next door and pick up some flaky pastries or a cannoli while you wait for your coffee.

Risk Playground

This is Melbourne's one of a kind play space, the Risk Playground. Designed to challenge and excite kids in a completely safe environment. Huge rocks have been placed on fixed trolleys and are joined by a variety of play components. Watch out for the ‘runaway rocks’ as you walk along Southbank Boulevard towards the space. It's free to enjoy all day, every day.

• Visit The Bond Store Cafe for thickshakes and toasties.

Royal Park Nature Playground

Melbourne’s largest park, Royal Park is home to an incredible natural playground. As well as your standard swings and slides, you’ll also find a sandpit and water play area, logs, rocks and ropes to climb all over, and a hard-to-resist grassy hill for rolling down.

• Pre-order your drinks from Auction Rooms so you have more time to play. Their general store is stocked up with goodies too.

• Code Black is famous for its ridiculously good coffee.

Bellair Street skinny park

This little slice of outdoor paradise packs a tonne of fun into its small footprint. Watch on as they play on slides, sandpits and cute wobbly cars. Train-obsessed kiddies will love this spot, with the occasion V-Line passing through Kensington station. Find the skinny park on Bellair Street.

• Stop and refuel at Fruits of Passion. They've got a huge range of veggie, vegan and gluten-free snacks alongside coffee, smoothies and juices.

• Local Folk Cafe is happily serving local parkgoers through lockdown. Get brunch faves to go for the whole crew, even your pup!

Ron Barassi Senior Park

Imaginative kids will love clambering over this futuristic playground in Docklands. They can visit outer space in the rocket ship slide or get to work on the digger in the sandpit. Hot day? Cool off in the water play area.

• Swing by the oh-so-stylish Higher Ground and grab a coffee and brunch to go.

Docklands Park

Forget the cookie-cutter playgrounds you’re used to. The Docklands Park interactive playground is filled with obstacles to climb, swing and spin on. Built on wetlands right by the water, this is a beautiful green space. Explore the surrounding sculpture park with its quirky characters, they’re sure to keep the adults entertained too. 

• Mix up your coffee order with a bevvy brewed in a Japanese syphon or Vietnamese phin at Blended Beard.

• Load up on specialty coffee and French pastries at The Espressionist.