Toddlers are busy, toddlers are fun, when they throw a tantrum you’ll just want to run! Toddlers can be hard work, but can also be SO MUCH fun. Give them the right space and it’s so entertaining (and also very important) to just let them free and watch them learn, experience, climb, run, fall, work out and try again. Finding that safe space can be tricky though and a fully fenced playground, shallow spot for a splash on a hot day, a cafe with a great play corner or a venue that caters for toddler needs is like finding gold in them thar hills. Here’s our top 10 ways to keep your toddlers happy, entertained and having fun in Adelaide
Visit one of our favourite toddler friendly playgrounds
Fully fenced, soft fall areas, sand and water play, shady, toddler suitable equipment. When it comes to toddlers not all playgrounds are created equal so we’ve come up with a list of our top picks for toddler playgrounds in Adelaide.
Train and Tram Rides
.Toot toot! Pretend to be Thomas for the day! Kids love trains. Toddlers love trains. They love them so much that we’ve dedicated a whole page of our website for the best train and tram adventures in Adelaide. Make a day of it or let the train/tram be the experience.
Hahndorf Farm Barn
The Hahndorf Farm Barn is a huge favourite of ours & perfect for little ones. They can pat and hand feed goats, have a pony ride, go for a tractor ride, cuddle bunnies, see a reptile show & heaps more! Don’t forget they also have diggers and ride on tractors as well as the playground. Make a day of it!
Find a Free place to splash!
When it’s hot in Adelaide, it’s really bloody hot. So here are some great places you can take the kids where you will find FREE water, shade some playground fun to keep the kids happy and the electricity bill down. These are also fantastic even when it’s not so hot cause we all know how much toddlers love some water play!
PLEASE be very careful with your kids around water. We love kids exploring, having fun in nature and having a splash but you need to watch them at all times! And don’t forget to slip, slop, slap and wrap!
AFL Max
At a quick glance, AFL Max might only seem fun for older kids, but we are here to tell you that the toddlers will also LOVE all the fun they can have at this ripper indoor play centre!
There is an Inflatable Zone, Interactive Zone, Aerial Zone with trampolines and of course plenty of room to have a go at kicking balls around. If you want to visit regularly, you could enrol your toddler into their weekly Mini Max session over term times to really start developing their coordination and teamwork.
Adelaide Zoo
They say never to work with kids and animals, but in this case, that combo is a sure fire hit. Kids LOVE wandering through the zoo looking at all the different animals and a visit to the Zoo isn’t complete without a stop at the Variety Childrens Zoo. The Children’s Zoo is an absolute must do with your toddler, it’s perfect for children of all abilities to play and explore.
Once you’re done there head to the nature playground just a few metres away. Complete with areas for children of all abilities to play and explore. Theres climbing, forts, water jets and tons of shade. Here you can let them run wild (the kids not the animals).
Play Dates at Bounce
Play Dates is a 3 hour ticket designed especially for walking age pre-schoolers available Monday to Friday during school term. These extended sessions offer little adrenaline hunters unlimited time to explore and play, while parents can choose to join in, or watch on from nearby with a coffee. Plus the Mini Bounce Zone at Marleston is fabulous, especially if your little one isn’t ready for the big tramps just yet. It’s a great way to let the kids bounce off the extra energy!
Cirkidz Classes
Enrol your little one into a Tiddlerz class at Cirkidz – they will be guided by their excellent trainors to roll, jump, stretch, hang, play and learn some tricks! This place is heaven for kids and the toddlers are no exception! Circus classes are a great alternative to sports or gymnastics, but with the same benefits – increased coordination, strength, learning to listen & take turns and of course having lots of fun!
Rhyme Time at your local library
Libraries are now THE place to be with your toddler and preschooler. Most now offer FREE rhyme time or giggle time sessions for 0-2 years old and a story time for ages 2-5.
Rhyme Times generally include songs, games and stories and sometimes include musical instruments. Toddlers love these sessions, filled with catchy nursery rhymes they can dance too, and stories told in super engaging ways. It’s a great free activity especially for those days you want to take them out but don’t want to be out all day.
Little Kids Screenings at Event Cinemas
Enjoy family films in a child-friendly setting, perfect for their very first trip to the cinema (and beyond!). This big screen experience has been designed specifically for kids under 5 with fewer ads & trailers as well as dimmed lights and volume.
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When we think of the playgrounds for toddlers we think of one key thing FENCES. Anything else is pretty much a bonus! We also look for swings, toilets and, even better, a nice shaded space. These things are not always possible (why don't ALL playgrounds have fences ALL the way around?!), but check out these playgrounds around Adelaide that we think your kids- and you- will love [catlist id=1175 thumbnail=yes]
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The Variety Children’s Zoo is an amazing play space for kids filled with interactive areas that allow them to get closer than ever to some of the zoo’s most popular residents. Located right next to the Nature’s Playground and Wisteria Café you can grab a coffee while the kids learn, explore and meet some new animal friends. Complete with areas for children of all abilities to play and explore you can get up close and personal with goats, rabbits, guinea pigs and many other animals! This is a great time to get unlimited visits to this fantastic new family favourite with a Zoos SA membership! Receive unlimited visits to Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park plus discounts at the retail shops and cafes. If your kids can't get enough of the Adelaide Zoo, consider booking in for an Animal Experience or their A to Zoo sessions for pre-schoolers. For more info visit the Adelaide Zoo websiteadelaidezoo.com.au/childrens-zoo
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Adelaide's biggest indoor action awaits at Funtopia. Featuring the world’s safest and most technically advanced climbing walls, restaurant quality food, coffee (and booze!), six private party rooms and so much more!! Funtopia is divided into three sections, Playground World, Climbing World and Toddler World. You really will find a 'fun-believable' adventure for the whole family here. Plus now is as good a time as any to tell you that the onsite cafe Mr Spriggin's is guaranteed to serve you a good quality hot coffee, healthy nutrition bowls, salads and wraps, homemade nuggets and popcorn cauliflower and of course some guilty pleasures just to get you through your visit! The platters at Funtopia are great too (rookie tip; pre-order your platters). Actually, Mr Spriggin's seems far too funky to be hiding inside a kids adventure mecca - but who's complaining? Not the coffee/lunch/brunch Mums. CLICK HERE TO BOOK FUNTOPIA'S PLAYGROUND WORLD suitable for ages 2 and over. Socks must be worn at all times and can be purchased on site for $2. Expect Multi, multi (yep 5 x multi) level obstacles, slides and climbing, look out points as well as a pretty epic soft balls / cannon room. Not the germ-y…
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