Best Things To Do With Kids In The Inner West Of Sydney

From ice skating, trapeziums, cool playgrounds and the frothiest babycinos, to educational activities and the best playgroups to exert kiddy energy and make little life-long friends, we’ve rounded up the best things to do with kids in Sydney’s inner west. 

Playgrounds

The inner west has no shortage of park playgrounds with fab coffee nearby so you can sip away whilst you watch your kids have a blast. Strathfield Park is a local favourite and one of the best Sydney parks for kids. There are two playgrounds to suit various ages and an awesome adventure area with three sky towers, three huge slides, a climbing net and wall, and a triple flying fox. Petersham Park is another must-visit with a smaller toddler area, climbing frame and small slide plus awesome climbing equipment suitable for the bigger kids, see-saws, a merry-go-round, spring riders and swings. There’s also a sports ground (where old fashion “catch” calls), the Fanny Durack Aquatic Centre, a bandstand, gardens, toilets, picnic areas and a fabulous cafe with seriously good coffee and snacks!

Other inner west favourites include Sydney Park in Alexandria with long slides, sky-high climbing structures, a wobbly rope bridge, an awesome bike/scooter track with signs to learn road rules and a fabulous kiosk to keep the little troopers refuelled, and Burwood Park playground featuring swings, spring rockers, seesaws, spiral slides, wobble walk, tunnel, viewing bubble, flying fox, giant chessboard, fabulous duck pond (don’t forget some bread to give them a feed) and a wonderful cafe called The Picnic. 

Activities

If you have active kids but don't want to commit to a full term of gymnastics, check out My Gymkidz Playtime in Newtown. Every Monday and Thursday from 9:30 - 10:30 am and Wednesdays 2.30-3.30 pm during Term, they offer drop-in casual classes (kids aged 0-5 years) for only $10 per child. It's a great way to burn some energy and test out the unique equipment that a kindergym and recreational gymnastics program offer. And if you did want something a little more structured—they also offer classes and workshops! 

For an awesome state-of-the-art ice skating rink that’s loads of fun for the kids, you can’t go past Canterbury Ice Rink. There’s a fun playground for under 5s, where tots can learn to skate as well as play games both on and off the ice, and older kids can slide around the ice with a kanga aid or try and out some new tricks at their leisure. There are coin-operated lockers, a heated canteen to escape the cold and ample parking in the free public car park. 

For a local fav (and arguably the best play centre in the country) you can’t go past Nubo Play in Alexandria. You can let the kids exercise their imaginations in this super cool educational play centre that includes anything from a stunning library weaved around a giant hot air balloon where kids can curl up to read their favourite book, a building room full of Big Blue Blocks, MagFormers and Kaleido Gears, a zone for active play including a giant climbing frame where little ones can slide, climb and hide, the Nubo Café with an emphasis on healthy, wholesome food made fresh to order and a range of children’s master classes including cooking, art, music and coding, and facilitated play sessions.

And for an activity the kids will never forget try the Sydney Trapeze School in St Peters, which hosts a range of fun classes and workshops for kids of all ages. There’s the Mums and Toddler class where kids get to explore aerial arts, mini-tramp, balancing, circus obstacle courses, games, music and more, and kids aged 4-11 can join a variety of classes including Circus where they learn circus arts; from acrobatics, juggling, plate spinning, aerial arts and Flying Trapeze. 

Cafes

Plenty of cute cafes await in the inner west! Babyccino, anyone? 

An absolute favourite local cafe is The Picnic in the picturesque Burwood Park with a delicious menu including a gourmet brekky burger, and wholesome nourish bowl, and a yummy menu for the little picnickers in your life, complete with kids-size smoothies and plenty of choices. The best part? A fantastic fenced playground so you can enjoy a hot cuppa whilst you watch over the kids. 

An urban farm with a restaurant and cafe and awesome kids play area - Camperdown Commons makes a fabulous day out in the inner west! The onsite farm provides a lot of the produce to the Acre restaurant where you can feast on delicious potato gnocchi and fish and chips, or you can grab a coffee and a light snack from the Container Cafe and make your way to the outdoor play area complete with a community library. Post feed, you can even check out some feathery friends at the farm’s chicken coop. 

Pubs

The inner west pub scene has been a hit for some time and there are some super kid-friendly watering holes that the whole fam can enjoy. The Henson in Marrickville in all its inner-city hipster grooviness manages to be family-friendly with a cool rumpus room featuring a mini climbing wall, swinging ropes, and hideouts, and an arcade room for the older kids. While the little ones are burning their energy in there, you can sit down and enjoy a salmon ceviche poke bowl, or a classic steak and chips for lunch while your small human can choose from a dedicated kids menu. The Golden Barley Hotel in Enmore is another kid-friendly weekend haunt, thanks to its easy-going feel, dedicated kids menu and the leafy beer garden that has plenty of room for kids to run around. The bistro menu offers a wide range of snacks, share plates, substantial mains and a kids' menu.

Other kid-friendly pubs include Birkenhead Bistro with large booths, fun kids games room, great kids menu, large courtyard and on the weekends, kids eat for free with each paying adult- no surprise it was awarded a schooner in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Pub Guide, and The Salisbury Hotel in Stanmore, with great kids menu choices such as steak & chips, pasta, Angus cheeseburger, pizza, and an awesome play area for kids (you can't miss the big red truck!) with a carer and arts and crafts on specific nights of the week and during school holidays.

Playgroups

Playgroup is a great activity to do for your little one where they will enjoy imaginative and creative activities as well as stories and music, and mums, dads and carers can connect with other families in the area.

The Magic Yellow Bus is a mobile playgroup provided by the Inner West Council- a free service for kids aged 6 weeks to 12 years and has loads of fun activities for the little ones. The Magic Yellow Bus visits various parks including Petersham Park, McNeilly Park and Tillman Park - see timetable here. Your kid will have a blast with activities like art and craft, painting, play dough, sport, and storytime. The Lennox House Playgroup is another fun local playgroup including activities like sand and water play, play dough, paint and collage materials, bikes, dress ups and ball games and there’s also a toy library. It is located on the corner of Lennox Street and Denison Street, Newtown, and open weekdays 9-11 am. 

Even More Inner West Goodies

Best Cafes In The Inner West
Best Inner West Playgrounds
Top Performing Primary Schools In The Inner West

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