I am pretty sure I have borderline ADD, in fact in the time it has taken me to write this sentence…read moreI have started a jigsaw puzzle, done two push ups, drawn a funky doodle of a space ship and watched the first 5 minutes of Big Trouble in Little China. So it goes without saying that when I head to a park for a bit of exercise I expect V-A-R-I-E-T-Y! Unity park on South Terrace Pooraka has a plethora of fitness, sport and recreational options that even a 5 year old hyped up on Wizz Fizz and Red Bull would find it difficult to run out of options! Firstly, on the more subdued side, there are two lakes (which have reed beds and other water purification mumbo jumbo to help the enviroment) that are perfect for model sail boats or nitros enhanced remote controlled water madness machines. There are also some lovely tree lined walkes and open fields and I am boring myself! On to the fun stuff! Firstly the playground is crazy good, with plenty of equipment to keep the whipper snappers busy while you pump those pecks and glutes on the circuit training set up they have along side! Pull a hammi? Jump into the rubber hammock (which can also be used as an extreme swing). Feel like some fun that could find you in traction? Head on down the to eastern end of the park to check out the competition standard BMX track and the Skate Park.....Padding and helmets are apparently manditory....If you're a Sissy Girl with spokey dokeys on you bike wheels or tassles on your scooter handle bars! I'm off to play with my Lego now.

Props to Mitcham Council for setting up this skate park in Karinya Reserve. It develops…read moresportmanship skills in our youth plus it keeps them away from the perils of today's society. Strictly for skateboarding, BMX and in-line skating, this facility is open to the public at 7am-10pm. I took my sons here and they were in absolute awe seeing the boys flip their BMX bikes in the air, before coming down on a ramp. Some were diving in straight into the open bowls and churning more fun bike stunts over the ledge. Not one for me to master though! Certainly for those above 12 years who have mastered this skills but I did see a couple of kids in their 8-10 year age range who came here strapped with helmet, scooter in tow and a huge smile. Note: Tricycles and mini bikes are not permitted here. Double note: Seems to be a boy zone, so don't expect to see a pink scooter here! :-)

This is quite a good set up. There's a decent playground, plus BBQs, plus sheltered table/chairs,…read moreplus a drinking fountain (unheard of for Mitcham Council!), plus table/chairs in the open under the trees, plus toilets, plus a skate park! And yet, I haven't given it a five star review? Other five star review playgrounds have had more equipment, and this one is just a little lacking, but still good. Some shade sails over the equipment would have definitely got it five stars. Great place! *Dogs allowed (on leash)*

Karinya Reserve is tucked behind shady trees amidst a greenery haven. Nestled along Shepherds Hill…read moreRoad, this is a fantastic and large playground for the whole family! You'll find your usual suspects here, swings, slides, a little action tower with a pirate telescope and large roller Tic Tac Toe game. They are only better though, with long slides to glide down and lots of climbing bars for the kids to have hours of fun. Large area to kick a ball or chase the kids. My favourite bit is there is a short bushwalk trail within the playground compund, take the kids and spot termites and ants hills, and look out for chirping birds. This is a perfect place to host your child's birthday party as there is an electric barbeque facility, a shade seating area and plenty of benches. Parking is plentiful, so no worries there! Next to the playground is a skateboard ramp and a soccer field. Put this one in your 'Favourite Playgrounds' folder.

This is such a great place. With a playground, skate park AND beautiful bike/hiking tracks through…read morethe local bush land, this really is a pretty place. While it isn't the biggest playground, they certainly have designed it with a wide range of age groups in mind. There's a mix of rubber ground and bark chip ground with toilets right in the middle of the skating area and the playground area. I spoke to a local who said the skate park is great (I've been out of the skating scene for too long to know hehehe). There were a couple of broken street lights in the car park but he assured me that the park gets maintained and looked after well, and he was surprised to see the damage himself. Pack your family up, put the bikes in the car and head over here. It would be a lovely Sunday outing. This is definitely one to check out. It's such a pretty place and while there's more construction happening at the moment (looks like an extension to the playground) this really is a happy blend of playground and nature with plaques along the way with information about the wildlife in that area. *I didn't see a drink fountain or BBQ* *Dogs allowed...under effective control of course* *Stay tuned to this post, I want to check the tracks out more myself! :-) See you there!*

Minkarra Park is a great place to take the kids on school holidays when you just need to get out of…read morethe house. It has exercise equipment, large skate park, hiking trails, fenced dog park and playground with toilets. Whilst I mainly visited for the playground with friends, I was disappointed that it does not cater for crawlers or children under 2 very well. Some of the equipment was too high/difficult for them to climb and they spent the majority of the time on the rubber ground. There was also no toddler swing, so if your kids like swings as much as mine then it's not the place to go. That being said it s well kept and tidy, but probably suited more to 3/4yo and up.

YAY!!! Thank goodness I get to review this playground...it's such a nice change from all the…read moreordinary and unimaginative playgrounds in the area. This playground absolutely blew me away when I stumbled upon it. This street is a little 'industrial' so to find this wonderful park was exciting. It's nestled in among the trees so there's dappled shade over most of the playground. There are BBQs, shaded table/chair areas, lots of nice lawn areas, toilets, a drinking fountain (that works!!!), a skate ramp and LOTS of wonderful play equipment that would suit a variety of age groups and abilities. This is definitely a 'destination playground'. There's plenty of room if you want to spread out a blanket and have a picnic, or there are a couple of BBQs ready for sizzling. To find this playground was such a great feeling, I can only imagine how children feel when they see the place. I can't wait to take my daughter here and see her try out all of the equipment. *Dogs allowed, under control* *Working drinking fountain* *Shaded tables/chairs* *BBQs* *Toilets* *Skate Ramp*

When I first checked out Kings Reserve, I thought the playground was the one on the other side of…read morethe oval, along Ashley Street. Then when I checked out the actual KINGS RESERVE I became excited! There's parking down Meyer Street, down near the Thebarton Aquatic Centre and it's the closest you will be able to get the car to the playground. There's a lot of equipment for a variety of age groups and abilities.There's also a skate park and basketball hoop not too far from the playground. Bring some sausages and use the BBQ....your children will be here for quite a while! There are toilets, a drinking fountain, table/chairs and more than enough space to do any sort of activity you would like (provided there aren't sporting groups using the space). Lots of fun to be had here! Perhaps the only thing missing that would make me feel more comfortable about staying here for a long time is that there isn't a great deal of shade. I burn so easily and while the table/chair area is under a tree, some solid shade for parents not chasing their children all over the place would be great. *Dogs allowed (not near playground)* *Drinking fountains* *BBQ* *Basketball hoop* *Skate Park* *Table/chair* *Toilet*

King's Reserve is a pleasant park in Thebarton, perfect for kids, barbecues, skating, playing…read moresoccer or having a picnic. It doesn't exactly go above and beyond, but it serves the local community well. My main gripe is that the local football team put chains over the goal posts so they can be used by the community - despite the fact that our rates pay for the field! I like to come and kick around a bit with friends occasionally and it would be nice to actually use the posts. Conveniently the reserve is just across the road from the Brickies, so we pop over there for a beer after the game. Other than this, I'm pretty satisfied. There is bubblers and shady spots (could be a few more of these, but not a big problem), a kid's playground and a skateboarding bit.

As playgrounds go, this is a two star place, but seeing as there's more to this reserve, it gets…read morethree stars. The playground by itself is pretty boring but the added equipment dotted around the oval (chin up bars, swinging monkey bar thingys) add something extra for the older children. There are BBQs and table/chairs in a few different locations here...none of them sheltered or shaded though :-( Once again, there's no shade over the playground except for what's built into the equipment. The skate park was the winner on the day I was here. No-one looked like they were even contemplating playing on the playground, everyone was interested in the skate park. *Dogs allowed* *Drinking fountains (in varying working order)* *BBQs* *Table/chairs*

This reserve serves as the Westbourne Park Primary School oval, with cricket nets, soccer and footy…read moregoals. There is also a pretty decent little skatepark that works great for kids and beginners but is also fun for the more skilled skaters. The recently added playground equipment looks great as well. The reserve also features exercise equipment, BBQs and drinking fountains.

Actually is surrounded by Cliff Avenue, Jane Street and Norseman Street. This is so close to a 5…read morestar but is a little outdated to get 5 stars. With a few upgrades, mainly for younger children, it could get there. It's a massive space with netball court, tennis court, soccer field with goals PLUS playgrounds, bike paths and a skate park. The skate park is pretty goos and a little bigger than some others around. It has a better run off area and lots more space for people to watch. Plus a rail and half pipes and the usual skating stuff. Could be used by skaters, riders, boarders and bladers alike. There was a small playground but it would only keep my child occupied for about 5 minutes. There were also a few chairs around the place, some shade and a drinking fountain. There is a proper big old brick toilet block on one side of the park which was fine to use. Take a few balls and your portable BBQ and you could have a really nice day out here. Plenty of parking close by. But I would expect it would be really busy during sport seasons.

What a fantastic little reserve. Hidden away in the quiet backstreets of Goodwood, and super close…read moreto the train & tram stops, this little park is a fabulous neighbour to the Unley Swimming pool, which shares the space. Old (out of date) reviews & pictures of the park mention the space is a little rundown, however this has all changed! The playground is only around 12 months old and is small but AWESOME! There are two trampolines built into the squishy soft-fall ground, along with a super-fun multi-person swing and a great rope climbing-frame. The slide is definitely more suited at younger children, but I come here with the 3-12 year-olds I work with and they all tend to find something to keep them entertained. In addition, the outdoor gym equipment has all been replaced in the last few months. I haven't used it, but it is all very new and looks like it offers more resistance and more of a work-out than the old stuff. As for the 'skate park', it's not huge, but should keep local teens (and the fully grown blokes I see on it often) entertained. Finally, older reviews also stated there was little shade. Again, this has changed. The shade is plentiful and is a mix of trees and sails/shade cloth. There are also two barbecues, one which is completely shaded. If you live in the area I highly recommend you check out this little beauty.

The park is cosied up between a train station, a tram line and a parking lot. You can't say it's…read morenot accessible..! There's a playground, skate park, basketball court, outdoor swimming centre, kiosk and a small selection of exercise machines. Needless to say the park accommodates a wide range of users. At the risk of sounding like a meathead (I'm not!) the exercise equipment is so easy it could only be useful for the elderly and frail. And it's located right beside the skate park... a slightly humorous combination! The bathroom, built into the swimming centre, is accessible from the outside. It's OK in an emergency. Dogs are permitted to run free, but only between 5pm and 10am. The setting is natural and full of native veg, but lacks shade. Depending on the season there will either be a lovely creek or a ditch running through the middle of the park. .

This small playground is right next to the O'Halloran Hill Tennis Club. There isn't a great deal…read morefor children to do here...basic swings and slide. It's far enough from the Tennis Club to be too far to leave smaller children while you're playing tennis, especially with a car park between the two areas. It's also not visible from the oval which it is also right beside playground. What it does have is a lovely blend of art and playground. It's a really nice touch to be able to wander around the plants and art work while your child is playing. There are toilets close by and another playground on the other side of the oval (see Candy Road Playground) that has a bit more for children to do. There's a mix of rubber and bark chips under the play equipment. A quick visit after watching a cricket match on the oval or a tennis match would be a nice thing to do. *Dogs allowed, under control* *There's a half-pipe on the other side of the Tennis Club for those who skate*