This well used playground caters for wobbly toddlers to busy pre-teens…read more As soon as you walk into this playground you are met by a wind up 'sound' machine, which laughs and gurgles and whirs at you The colourful play equipment is full of clever detail. The small slide has wheels, embossed numbers, slidey handles and binoculars integrated into its neat structure. There are four swings, one 'nest style' for the littlens. There is also a large slide, miniature climbing wall and pole for biggens and several spinny objects for both age groups (spin fast for large, spin slow for small). Grange Gardens playground is surfaced with rubber to save bruised knees. Top tip: If you have an under 5 and want to avoid the boisterous older crowd, choose term times before 3.30 for your visit

Located on an industrial estate between a welders workshop and site for building materials, this…read moreperky lime green warehouse stands out a mile. Yummy mummies and their 4x4's stream in and out of the well guarded gates and high walls that lead to a sanitary paradise of indoor-outdoor adventure. Parc (Welsh for park) is marketed as an 'all weather playground' and it divvies up as two thirds indoors and one third out. The outdoor bit has a fantastic sandy 'beach' area, with large wooden boat complete with pirate flags. In-between the in and the outdoors there is a zip wire, water play area, two swings and a large slide. Inside there are two 'tube' slides, wooden adventure walkway with bridges and ropes and a toddlers area aimed at the 1-4's. The facilities include a cafe area, lots of seating throughout and toilets. I love the little touches such as the double-seater stripy deckchairs. In winter the heated cafe area, with clear views of the toddlers area, is the place to be. I have to admit it I've had my eye on this place from the outset. We live across the river from Parc and when I saw the sign go up wizzed over for a preview. I met the builders (our new, but temporary neighbours) and came back with a carboot full of wood offcuts for the burner. I thought - "a wooden playground on an industrial estate? I like!" ...And I still do, but as I mentioned earlier I do find this type of indoor 'gated' playground a little too sanitary for my taste and in many ways prefer taking my toddler to the beach or the park - But shock horror what if it rains?! A: I just let him get wet. Another small gripe, it seems that there is a small jump from toddler to confident child in terms of the equipment on offer. There could be more for the 3-6's here I feel. All in all well worth a visit, good place to hang out with your mummy mates. Bring your own picnic, sit down, chillax and have a natter...ok if you've got an under 5 that mayyy not happen! Opening hours: Weekdays 10am - 6:30pm last entry 5pm, weekends & school holidays 10am - 6pm last entry 4:30pm Cost: Adults £1.50 peak, £1 off peak. Children £5 peak, £3.50 off peak, reductions for more than 1 child. Note: Parties catered for - but pre-book. Also note: Visits are limited to 2.5 hours on very busy day (but that's about right anyway) Tip: As you can imagine it gets busy during school holidays and after school Tip: Free wifi Top tip: Walk , train it or cycle and get 50p off!

You'd think a place like this would be my idea of hell, but I have to admit I was really impressed…read morewith the facilities at Parc - it's too bad they didn't have play areas like this when I was a kid! I'd never be privy to playgrounds if it weren't for my beloved's two year daughter, who tires herself out by running endlessly from tunnel to slide and back again. I can't wait until she's a bit older so I can live vicariously through her as she tears through Parc on the zip wire... After chasing her around screaming for half an hour, I needed some sort of refreshment (I realised this is neither the time nor the place for a pint), but luckily, Parc has this covered as well, selling coffees and canned drinks, as well as hot dogs and even packs of Oreos (yes!). The best time to go is on a Sunday morning, where you'll pretty much have the place to yourself; otherwise get ready for an onslaught of families and hyperactive children, which isn't so bad, if you can be all Zen about it like the kind lady working the snack hut who simply says, "You don't even hear the screaming after a while - it's like white noise".

Animal farm can be a great place to visit rain or shine. lots of lovely animals to pet and feed…read more The farm has barns with rabbits,ferrets and all other fluffy things. In the 20+ acres you have all the reg farm animals to feed. Theres a couple of rides , bouncy castle and toy tractors to skoot around on. All this could be done in drizzly weather with wellys on but if its really bad theres a massive indoor play area. they have a small area for babys and toddlers thats well padded and keeps them entertained for ages. The older kids have lots to climb and the tallest slides i have ever seen. my heart was in my mouth watching the kids come down it , but they thought it was wicked. The farms very easy to find as burnham-on -sea isnt a big place to get lost in. well worth a visit :)

This is a brilliant place to take your kids to. My little girl is 2 1/2 now and we have been taking…read moreher there for over a year now and she loves it. You pay an entry price and then most of the things are free. It has a bouncy castle, trampaline,'cuddle club' where you can cuddle ginea pigs and rabbits, outdoor slides, swing boats, climbing frame, ride on tractors etc and a large indoor play area with ball pits, lots of slides and places to climb around. Also it has paddocks with animals in (such as cows, lamas etc.) which you can feed and indoor barns with pigs and horses in. It is a great day out and you can stay for hours without your kids geting bored.

I was looking for a park to film a short documentary in a few months back, but it needed to have a…read morebasketball ring and not be too busy on a Saturday morning. I can't remember who found this one, but I wasn't disappointed. I'm too old to appreciate swings and slides in the same way a child can but when I walked into this park I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. I remember parks when I was a kid and either I'm remembering them incorrectly or this park in Lockleaze is simply a cut above the rest. It has everything you'd expect from a decent park, but simply a million times better. There's a giant wooden tower with labyrinthine gangways and walkways leading in several direction. There's a giant round about type contraption set about 4 feet off the ground. At least I think it's a roundabout, but it's unlike anything I'd seen before. There's also (and this was the best thing) a death slide that is attached to the wooden tower. I was taken aback at how extreme this death slide was. It is quite literally a vertical drop down a five foot wide sheet of polished metal with a gentle curve at the last minute to save you from falling to your death. I was with 6 or 7 kids on the day and none of them had the guts to go on it.

The Apex Park is an informal leisure and wildlife park, created around the former clay pits - now…read moresmall lakes - of the Apex Brick works. The works closed in 1966, and the park was created and opened in 1972. The park, consisting of grassland, trees and hedgerows, covers some 42 acres. There are two main lakes: the larger, central one has an attractive hour-glass shape and its banks are lined with rushes. There are walks around this lake with park benches, and footpaths branch off to go to Highbridge (along the line of the old railway) and to Burnham's South Promenade, following the river bank of the River Brue (very muddy after wet weather!). There is a large car park off Marine Drive, which leads to a broad slipway into the lake. The other lake forms the park's north west boundary and lies partly within the Haven Holiday Village. Popular activities include BMX biking, model radio-controlled boating, jogging (there's a 'trim-trail' with various pieces of keep-fit apparatus) and fishing - the lakes are stocked with carp and bream. Dog obedience sessions also take place most Sunday mornings in good weather, and there's a children's play area and skate park. As well as the fish, wildlife includes birds, including geese, ducks, swans and various different types of sea bird, and the hedgerows contain a variety of different types of trees and bushes, home to insect and bird life. NB: The Highbridge Angling Association holds the fishing rights for the Apex Park. Permits can be obtained from Thyers Tackle Shop, 1A Church St, Highbridge - telephone 01278 786934.

Apex park is a beautiful wildlife reserve consisting of lakes, fish, sea birds, outdoor gym and…read morecarpark. There is loads to do with the features of the park including skating at the skate park, a rope climb and dog poo total wipeout. There is also adult entertainment with the odd dogger in the carpark on a summer Sunday evening. Overall apex park is a beautiful visit with activities fort all the family

This place is seriously fun, if you havn't got a kid then borrow one!…read more Coconuts is a softplay centre in Sully, a 10/15 minute drive from Cardiff. It's a large space with netted multi-story play structures which include slides, ball pits, tunnels, bridges, swings and imaginative play objects that I can't even begin to describe. The centre is aimed at 1-14's and it's designed so adults of the over 3's can sit and sup coffee from the cafe Carla's Kitchen with friends. Prices are £3.95 off peak (week days) and £5.50 peak (holidays and weekends). Adults are £1. Coconuts is free before 1pm for CFFIW registered childminders (bring proof). Coconuts also host parties for around £8 a child and include extras such as party bags, balloons and t-shirt designing at a small additional cost. Tip: In the Summer don't forget your son or daughters socks or even your socks like I did! All children have to take their shoes off and be in socks rather than bare feet on the play structures and if you have a small child then you will need to follow them around in your socks too. Coconuts will add an extra 50p per pair onto the entry cost if you forget, though you do get to keep the socks afterwards. Top tip: Sign up to Coconut's email list to get reductions on entry

Excellent value for money, especially if you take your children on a Monday when the price goes…read moredown to £2.00 a child, which I did this week. We arrived at approx 12.00, the three children 2 boys of 7 & 5 and a girl of 3 ran straight to the climbing centre while I had coffee, they were given plastercine to play with all morning and painting was made available all afternoon, they loved both and took their masters home to put on fridge. They had a plate of chips each I had another coffee and we left at about 3.00. The staff were on the ball when a child climbed outside of the frame and was whistled at for his safety, all I saw was a lot of smiling faces from customers and staff alike, Coconuts definatly deserve the 5 stars that I've given them. Thank you Coconuts

Anderson fields is a green space in the heart of Adamsdown that has recently been liberally…read moresprinkled with beautiful alien fun-structures. These new structures include alternative football goals, some small grassy hills and totem sculptures, added to what was before an open, flat space with not a lot to do. When I visited Anderson fields there were kids sitting chatting on a 'skeletal boat' structure, a young mum and her toddler walking, some boys playing football, two men sitting in a seating pod listening to a radio and Brian, an artist in residence, carving totems. This landscaped oasis was designed by artists, with the help of school children from the neighbouring Adamsdown Primary. It was designed to be used by the under 14's in particular. The playground is full of practical art to play on and sit on and slide down, all built from quality, natural materials such as oak and steel. Judging by my recent visit the new space is being well used and enjoyed by all.

Alphabet Zoo is a indoor play zone for children, along the line of Scallywags or other centres…read more This is quite a small area, but it is packed with fun things to do, and is resoundingly bright and cheerful. The staff here were lovely, and there was quite clearly a community of mothers who all got along well as their children played together. I think there's also a free hot drink for parents, but please don't hold me to that one! I spoke to one mother, and she said she's been in the ball pit and around the walkways and slides with her children, which certainly sounds like a lot of fun to me! Few places allow parent interaction in this way, and I think I'd just end up too jealous of the kids if that was the case. This is a great fun space for kids, and is open every day of the week. It's situated just off Penarth Road, and can be a little bit of a devil to find as there's no signing: if you're travelling towards Penarth, out of Cardiff centre, the turning you want is on the left opposite Dream Beds. Have fun!

Really good park located close to the seafront in Weston. It is broken into two halves - one half…read moreis a large field used for sport, most usually informal football matches and the other is a more traditional family park with a fountain, flower beds, bowling green, cafe (open every day of the year until late in the evening) and a well stocked playground for children. There are plenty of benches around where you can sit and watch the world (and his dog) go by.

Nice park, lots of green areas to walk around and a smallish pond to see. Good for taking the…read morechildren when stuck for something to do. Also a small enclosed play area which has something to keep children up the age of about 10 amused. Great during the day time to take toddlers as nice and quiet with mostly other toddlers and their mum or dad there. Toilets are available but obviously as they are public can get a bit whiffy at times! There is also a cafe in the middle of the park which is great for cup of tea, ice cream or even full meal. I would have scored it highre but I often find there are a lot of dogs there runnig around without leads, fine if you are a dog lover but if you have a child who is petrified of dogs not so good!