Adelaide in summer is H-O-T, but that doesn’t stop our kids from wanting to get out and about to their favourite playgrounds. A shaded playground is always a winner in our books, and shade or lack of, is one of the main topics of conversation whenever we post a playground review. So to make it easy to find a spot with lots of natural shade from trees, or great shade sails over the play area we’ve put together a list of our top picks for shaded playgrounds in Adelaide and regional South Australia.
Have we missed one? We’d love to know about it in the comments below.
Find it at: Hamilton Terrace, Paradise Thorndon Park playground has been voted Australia’s Best Playground (Winner of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects award for best play space 2023) The upgraded (in 2023) playground at Thorndon Park is amazing! A hen (water play sculpture), wren (climbing structure) and crane (swing) now call the park home and don’t forget the biggest bird, a heron (slide structure), which takes...
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Marshmallow Park on Glen Osmond Road, in the Adelaide Parklands is a firm favourite with our families from the 2 year old to the 10 year old. With its huge new renovation, there is now heaps more to explore at this site – also known as Pelzer Park or Pityarilla activity hub! The renovation includes some brilliant new nature play features, alongside more traditional swings, slides and climbing frames. There is a great water feature...
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Find it at: Wigley Reserve, Genelg The incredible upgrade at Wigley Reserve at Glenelg is an outstanding attraction for an already pretty awesome area. Sometimes fantastic photos do a far better job at telling a story and this is absolutely one of those occasions. Check out how good it looks! The old playground is long gone and has been replaced with this impressive looking structure that really does catch the eye as you approach Wigley...
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Find it at: The Parade, Magill What a fabulous playground and reserve this one is. Talk about a stunning location, you will find this if you head east on The Parade far enough til you think you are about to drive into the front garden of the fancy houses in the foothills. The playground has had a huge upgrade in December 2022 and is set a little way back from the car park, which is great because you get to walk across a beautiful little stone...
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Find it at: Hugh Johnson Boulevard, Sheidow Park The Hugh Johnson Boulevard Reserve upgrade is complete and we love it just as much as the locals. There are multiple areas for play including a sports area complete with netball and basketball rings and soccer goal. There’s some great equipment for older kids as well as a smaller shaded area for little ones with climbing area, swings, seesaws and more. And if that’s not enough...
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Find it at: Heron Way, Hallett Cove This is a great new playground with amazing views over the ocean. The reserve includes a new 5-way swing, tunnel slide, water and sand play, nature play, fitness equipment, shade sales, toilet, seating, shelter and BBQ facilities. The playground is unfenced, and there is a drop down to the rocky beach that parents with fast moving smaller children will need to be mindful of. There is parking close to the...
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Find it at: Stanley Street, Glengowie This one will have your little crew buzzing (little bee humour there…you will see why in the pics), with this bee hive themed playground opening in May 2021. This has jumped straight into some of our favourite playgrounds, with some very unique pieces of play equipment and a real commitment to the bee theme (even if the ride on bees do look sort of like they will appear in your nightmares at some...
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Find it at: South Parklands, Lightsview A fabulous adventure playground has been added to the Lightsview development, which is well worth the trip! Opened in April 2021, the nature play themed park includes water play, a huge number of logs and balancing beams to test out kids and parents alike! Throw in a climbing hill with slide, a basketball court, sand play area, in-ground trampolines, swings and even more slides, we love this park for...
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Find it at: Railway Terrace, Tailem Bend Train fans this one is for you! That might even equally apply to the train enthusiast parents as well, because this one is a beauty! A fully fenced, humungous playspace in the heart of Tailem Bend, this one not only caters to train fans but includes a great range of play equipment for all ages. When we popped in for a visit, there were lots of local families enjoying what is obviously THE place to be for...
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Find it at: Alpine Road, Seacombe Heights Opening for business (kid business that is) from the start of November 2020, this fantastic new park is tucked away in the quiet back streets of Seacombe Heights. It really has it all this one, with a junior playground and flying fox, as well as a really fun ninja course for the older kids. Don’t forget to pack the bikes, scooters and balls to use on the scooter/pump track and basketball court! We...
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Find it at: Heritage Street, Keith If you are heading to the states South East or on a road trip to Melbourne or any where along Dukes Highway, Keith Playground (around 2.5 hours from Adelaide) is an iconic MUST stop. Their famous ‘train’ could well be the last of the states REAL fun old school play equipment and I guarantee your kids will run and run and play and burn energy ready to get back in the car. The park also offers a...
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Find it at: Riverside Drive, Felixtow Tucked away in the backstreets of Felixstow, away from the busy main roads, this fantastic playground with modern and updated equipment is not only great for those in the area but just about worth a drive to visit. This playground is massive. With huge shade sails covering the majority of the fenced (yep entirely fenced!) new play equipment with a mix of rubber and bark flooring, not only will you and your...
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Find it at: Burbridge Road, Westbeach Complementing the playground, Stage 1 of the upgraded area at Apex Park caters for a wide variety of ages and is great for catch ups, parties, a general play or hit of tennis. The fully fenced playground features lots of equipment over a quite large area. It is a bark chip surface, so with considering if unsteady on your feet, and there is unfortunately no accessible play here. If that doesn’t rule...
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Find it at: Esplanade, Brighton The Holdfast Bay Council has really spoilt the Adelaide community with some great upgrades to the local parks and here is another one we just love. Bindarra Reserve was already a great playground and is always busy and with a fabulous new upgrade will now be even busier. With a lovely seaside theme this new play space has come at a perfect time with summer school holidays as it directly opposite Brighton...
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Find it at: Esplanade, Seacliff Although the playground is scheduled for an “official” opening on September 9th, the fences came down today for all the little ones to enjoy the newly completed playground in Seacliff. Shadesails and more plants will be added in September. The playground is in the same location as previously, although it includes part of the hillside now, spreading further than before. Yippee Angus Neil Reserve is...
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