Wednesday, February 27, 2013

under 5's in Sydney

After becoming frustrated while searching online for activities for my children (who are both under 5) I decided I'd compile my own list. The first section are places I've visited with my kids but I am going to include recommendations from other people that I have not yet tried.

We used to live in Elizabeth Bay but, as many of you know, we live near Manly so I have included mostly activities on the Northern Beaches but have also included some Eastern Suburbs locations.

Can you add to the list?

Free

Art Gallery of NSW (additional costs for travelling exhib's)
North Head Discovery Centre, North Head
Museum of Contemporary Art, Circular Quay
Brett Whiteley Gallery, Surry Hills (for very well behaved children) - I'd plan a visit to the Bourke st Bakery too!
Kids at the (Opera) House - school holiday creative play program
Mount Annan Botanical Gardens - take your bikes or scooters, a ball, a frisbee. There's a cafe but you might prefer to take your own picnic.


Parks & Playgrounds

Hyde Park, Sydney
Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney
Lavender Bay & Watt Park
Manly Vale Community Garden (no toilets)
Brightmore Reserve, Neutral Bay (great kids' bike path)
Manly Corso (a small playground)
Tania Park, Balgowlah
Manly Dam (take your swimmers)
Mort Bay Park, Balmain
Woolgoolga Reserve, North Balgowlah

Parks with cafes

Rushcutters Bay Park
Lagoon Park, Queenscliff (take-away coffee around the corner)
North Harbour Reserve, Balgowlah
Beare Park, Elizabeth Bay
Clifton Gardens, Mosman
Dee Why Beach Park (Bacino cafe around the corner)
Centennial Park
Clontarf Reserve
Balmoral Beach (good coffee from Bather's Pavilion or Bottom of the Harbour) 

A Day Out 

Cockatoo Island
Katandra Bushland Sanctuary, Mona Vale
Flint & Steel Bay, West Head 
Muogamarra Nature Reserve (check online, only open 6 weekends a year)
Three Sisters, Blue Mountains 
Royal National Park

Walks (parts of these walks are good depending on your child's interest in walking & competency)

Circular Quay past Opera House to the Domain
Spit to Manly walk. All or part of this walk
North Head (great views to the city)
Spit Bridge Reserve past the Mosman Rowing Club (bring your scooter)
Fairlight Beach to Manly
Manly Beach Esplanade
Balls Head Reserve, Waverton
Waverton Peninsula Reserve
Parsley Bay
Bondi to Bronte
St Ives Wildflower Garden
Berry's Island Reserve, Wollstonecraft 

Beaches

Reef Beach on the Spit to Manly walk
Clontarf Reserve (with cafe)
Little Manly (with cafe)
Bronte Beach (with cafe)
Fairlight Beach
North Curl Curl
Nielson Park (with cafe)
Parsley Bay
Balmoral (with cafes)
Camp Cove (with cafe)

Kid Friendly Cafes

Bar Coluzzi, Darlinghurst (free babyccinos)
Forty Beans - North Harbour Reserve
Infinity Sourdough, Manly
Bellagio, Bronte (great paved outdoor area with kids toys)
Gypsy, Potts Point (previously Toby's Estate - now roasts own beans)
Room 10, Lankelly Lane, Potts Point
Awaba Cafe, Mosman
The Source Espresso, Mosman
Bottom of the Harbour, Balmoral
Shot Cafe, Middle Head, Mosman

Entry Fee/Cost Involved

Kids at the (Opera) House

Taronga Zoo
Ferry: Manly to Circular Quay
Dandy Lions at the Royal Botanical Gardens (with a changing program this is well worth the $15 per family & parking)
Powerhouse Museum

Others to look out for:

Sydney Youth Orchestra
Your local library. Libraries regularly have preschool and baby reading sessions.

Friends' Recommendations:

Australian National Maritime Museum: you can catch the ferry from Circular Quay
Tumbalong (water) Park, Darling Harbour
Sydney Park, St Peters
Clovelly Beach

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