What a crazy year 2021 has been!
Hasn’t 2020-2021 been the biggest whirlwind? Isn’t it amazing to be free, to go out into the world and breathe in the fresh outside air after months of self-isolating at home during the Corona virus pandemic?
For sure, it must have been very difficult for you and particularly your kids who would usually love to be active and socialise with other kids outdoors. On a much brighter note, the weather is great so it’s the perfect time for you and your little ones to visit parks with great playgrounds that they will love to explore in and have fantastic experiences. Taking them outdoors will give them confidence and boost their self-esteem. The more time they spend interacting with others outside, the less likely they are to have a tantrum especially as they will be more relaxed and more focused on the particular activities they are engaged in. Additionally, it will help child development in babies and toddlers with their motor skills growth, moving around in the playgrounds and climbing on structures etc.
After visiting any of the playgrounds listed below, you can sit down with your kids on a cool grassy spot or a find a table, and enjoy some relaxation time. We have a wide range of awesome printables with activities like writing, drawing and colouring which they’ll love including a fun scavenger hunt they can do in the park! Plus, they can use our adorable set of colourful shaped crayons to get even more creative!
Are children’s parks open now?
Yes, they are. However, you still should continue to take appropriate precautions to be as safe as possible. We advise you to remember these important precautions before you travel to any park or playground:
- Please do not use playing equipment if you or anyone you live with has corona virus symptoms.
- Make sure you always carry hand sanitiser with you and use it before and after using any equipment.
- Please maintain social distancing (at least 1 metre) from everyone else in the parks even while using any play equipment.
- Try to visit the parks during less busy times.
- Wash your hands as soon as you get home.
1. What to do in Kensington Gardens
The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground at this park has an adventurous Peter Pan themed playground. Children can play on the pirate ship (as you can see in the picture at the top), the fun sculptures and the sensory trail. Wander through the magical realm of the Elfin Oak- an oak tree carved with goblins, elves, fairies, animals, witches and birds. Let the youngsters explore this amazing wonderland and be encouraged to use their imagination while the adults relax on the seats nearby and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee from The Broad Walk café. You can also take a bus from Kensington Gardens to Harrods at the end- it’s only an 11-minute bus journey and you can treat yourself or your kids to some shopping!
2. Looking for a playground near London Zoo?
Regent’s Park is a huge green park (410 acres!). It has beautiful rose gardens with more than 12,000 roses, pathways, wildlife like ducks, birds and hedgehogs as well as 4 adventurous playgrounds for your kids.
The Primrose Hill Playground is really close to London Zoo, only a 4-minute drive or 7-minute walk! It features a giant scramble net pyramid, climbing frames, slides, bridges, tunnels, and monkey bars, perfect for toddlers and young kids!
The Gloucester Gate playground is newly refurbished! It features a 50-metre zip wire, bespoke climbing equipment, and water play, as well as swings, slides and a sandpit.
The Hanover Gate playground has boating lakes and a boat house where you and your kids can rent a boat and ride around the park. There are also two areas for children to play in, with one section having an exciting wooden tree house for older children!
The Marylebone Green Playground boasts swings, seesaws, a sand pit, climbing frames and fallen trees for sitting or climbing on.
3. What to do at Holland Park
The Holland Park London Adventure Playground is very exciting for kids aged 5 to 12. It has awesome wooden features to explore like a climbing wall, zip wire, swings, climbing frames, rope bridges perfect for your brave older kids! The enclosed playing area for little toddlers are safe for them to crawl around and have fun in the sandpit building castles! Enjoy a takeaway hot drink or a treat like a cake from the café and relax while your kids go wild!
4. Is there any playground near London Bridge for kids?
Coram’s Fields playground is close to London Bridge (about 12 min drive) and is great for kids under age 16. There are lots of cool features like swings, slides and climbing structures and a sensory music area. The aerial slide and two zip wires are great for the braver and more adventurous kids! There's also a large sandpit and a paddling pool which is usually open during spring and summer- pack your swimsuit and get splashing!
5. What's on in Battersea Park London?
Kids can explore the Battersea Park adventure playground that has exciting features like slides, high climbing nets and climbing structures. It is separated into 2 sections- one is for ages 4 to 7 and the other is for age 8 to 14 which is perfect for both younger and older kids. There are toy tractors, ships and cars that kids can role-play and pretend to drive- even pretend to be a firefighter in the fire engine! The sand pits and water pumps are great for wet play and feels like a mini beach! Parents can rest on the surrounding seats or picnic tables as the kids are having fun and later grab some pizza from ‘Putt in the Park’.
6. Where is Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park?
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is located in Stratford. There are two playgrounds in this park- one is Pleasure Gardens that has very exciting features to explore. This east London adventure playground has a huge red climbing wall and a water fountain to have some splashing fun- the PERFECT water play park! There are also large slides, swings and a sandpit to play in.
The second playground, Tumbling Bay, features swings, awesome rock pools with water pumps and fountains and lots of space to run around. It feels like a magical adventure with the timber treehouses with netted walkways, rope bridges and wobbly bridges to walk along. There are also large slides and a sand-pit and the Timber Lodge Café located next to this playground is the perfect place to grab a sandwich or a homemade cake while your kids play.
7. Clissold Park in Stoke Newington
The Clissold Park children's playground is great for kids of all ages. They can pretend they are pirates and climb on the wooden shipwreck or the variety of climbing structures like climbing ropes and an exciting zip wire! There’s also a giant sandpit, swings and slides and parents can wind down on the surrounding benches while the kids interact with each other and have fun role-playing! The Clissold Park café (Clissold House) has a menu serving a range of delicious hot and cold foods such as a traditional English breakfast, salads, sandwiches and hot or cold drinks, including foods catered to kids so you can grab a bite and wind down at the end.
8. What to do in Brockwell Park
Brockwell Park in Lambeth has an adventure playground with wooden climbing frames and slides sectioned for specific ages. Younger kids can climb on the smaller bridges, explore the playhouse and the ship- perfect for your toddler! The climbing wall, see-saw, swings, larger slide and exciting zip-wire are great for older kids. The Wet Play Area with a paddling pool that opens during the summer is fun for babies as they splash around in the water and make sandcastles in the huge sandpit that is open throughout the year. More Brockwell Park activities include having some family fun on the miniature train going on a journey from Herne Hill to Brockwell Lido!
9. How big is Highgate Wood?
Highgate Wood is situated in North London and has an area of 70 acres- massive right!? This large forest wonderland with ancient woodland and wildlife feels like a mystical dream! Kids under age 15 will have fun being outdoors and have some play time in the playground with swings, slides and climbing frames and ropes where they can have some creative play. There is a large climbing rope structure in the shape of a mountain that they can climb all the way up to the top! If you and the family are feeling extra active and full of energy, you can take a 7-minute car ride from Highgate Wood to Hampstead Heath to take in even more nature!
10. Burgess Park adventure playground
Burgess Park in Southwark has a Woodland Play area for kids over 5 is great for adventurous play dates. It has wooden geometric structures to climb on as well as bridges, balance ropes, net tunnels, slides, climbing walls and many more! There’s a separate section for older kids with larger slides, climbing rope structures and a zip wire.
During the summer, kids can splash around with the water play jets at Chumleigh Gardens and then have some refreshing snacks and drinks from the Burgess Park café Park Life café located nearby. You can also go on a 30-minute bus ride from Burgess Park to London Bridge to do some fun sightseeing with the family!
11. Kew Gardens playground
In Kew Gardens, children aged 2 to 12 can visit the new interactive garden where they can go on a mini adventure climbing through a bamboo tunnel, jumping on trampolines, walking through a jungle and watching a really cool sensory show of blossoms, cherry trees etc. The stream and splash pool in the Water garden are perfect for hot summer days! You can also go from Kew Gardens to Richmond Park if you have extra energy to walk around and see some incredibly beautiful deers! Visit the Kew Gardens gift shop and treat your little ones to some gifts to remember their experience. You can also go from Kew Gardens to Richmond Park if you have extra energy to walk around and see some incredibly beautiful deers!
12. Archbishop’s Park playground near London Eye
Archbishop’s Park has a playground near London Eye, around a 7-minute drive. It’s adjacent to the River Thames and has a gated playing area with really awesome features including a huge sandpit! There are swings, slides, climbing frames and ropes, a pirate ship and much more! If your kids are feeling even more active, they can play sports in the Archbishops Park football pitches or tennis courts!
So, there you have it! 12 really awesome parks that give your children a sense of adventure and an unforgettable experience! We are sure that once you visit these places, your kids will want to visit again and again.
When you get home, make sure to spend some quality one-on-one time with your kids by writing in your gratitude journals. Togetherness is key for this process! You can write about what happened today, the things you enjoyed and what you are thankful for!
Let us know in the comments below if you visited any of these playgrounds and how you and your child’s experience was!