Adelaide has a number of places that you can take your kids to learn to ride a bike, scooter or skateboard. Some of them are speciality bike safety centres where you can learn about road rules, giving way, understanding road signs etc and some of them are playgrounds or parks that have great flat, concrete areas perfect for learning to ride and not get run over by the big kids in the skatepark or have to worry about too much other bike traffic.
Some of our favourites are:
SA Police SAPOL Road safety centre
The SAPOL Road Safety Centre has moved from its traditional home at Thebarton Barracks to a new location on Military Road at West Beach. Open to the public (and FREE) on weekends and school holidays, as well as out of school hours times during the week, the new mock roadway includes
- intersections with working traffic lights
- pedestrian crossings
- roundabouts
- traffic signs
It isn’t very well shaded as the young planted trees develop, and there isn’t a public toilet in the vicinity, but it is still a fantastic facility that we have loved testing.
Robertston Street Reserve
This fabulous suburban playground and mock roadway down south at Reynella has been a favourite of locals for years. Quiet and perfect for the little ones to hone their skills, the roadway includes street signs and road markings, looking very much like the real thing.
With a great playground adjacent as well as tennis courts, this is definitely one to add to the list.
Mayfair Ride Safe Park, Andrews Farm
Children in the City of Playford now have a safe space to learn to ride their bikes at Mayfair Reserve in Andrew’s Farm!
The park is the first of its kind in the North and features mini replica road signs, sealed roadways, intersections and crossings, art pieces, as well as a pretend school and pretend petrol station.
Location: Mayfair Drive, Andrews Farm
Sturt Linear Park Trail Coromandel Valley
The trail is a joint initiative between City of Onkaparinga, City of Mitcham and the SA Government – who put a combined 3.5 million bucks behind the path extension/joining project. Previously you could not continue on her and the path came to an end. We believe eventually the Sturt River Linear Park Trail will span the Patawalonga Basin at Glenelg North to Frank Smith Park – connecting the hills to the coast. Bring that on.
The path is flat, wide and suitable for bikes, dogs on leads and prams a like. Perfect for beginner bike riders, Nannas who are unstable on their feet and curious kids who like to explore water ways, climbing trees, nature and well, EVERYTHING.
Golding Oval Reserve, Para Vista
Golding Oval has a specialised road safety track and some fantastic games were added to the site? Mock roads have been painted onto a large bitumen area to simulate riding on the road, with the inclusion of stop signs, give way signs, a roundabout, even a zebra crossing and some parking bays, all designed to enable parents to teach their kids road rules in a safe environment.
Some great games that were also created at the site, including 2 hopscotch boards and even a 4square board!
If you are looking for something fun and unique for the kids these holidays, consider a trip to Golding Oval Reserve (Corner of Redhill Road and Kalina Avenue, Para Vista).
click here for more info
Coastal Path along Adelaide Beaches
This Coastal Walk is a collaborative effort between 6 local councils to create a 70km walking and cycling path along the Adelaide coastline that is continuous, from North Haven to Sellicks Beach. The path has most of the sections developed for both walkers and cyclists. It is shared access and you can walk or cycle and it is accessible for wheelchairs and prams.
Ridgehaven Road and Cycle Safety Centre
The Road and Cycle Safety Centre is located at Hazel Grove, Ridgehaven and makes learning fun for children ages 5-12 years. The track is open for free public use from 9am to 7pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Sundays and public holidays with traffic lights activated between 9am to 5pm.
– Please note that on these days toilets are not accessible….and don’t’ forget to bring your bike and helmets!
The centre’s road network, in miniature, gives children real-life experience as they learn essential safety skills including how to:
- Read traffic signals
- Walk across railway and school crossings
- Negotiate roundabouts and gutters
- Recognise traffic signs and line markings
- Cycle on roads or footpaths
They also offer paid sessions for groups which you can find more about here!
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