Parenting Magazine

Adventure Playground

By Suzanne Robinson @mummy2twinsblog
Dinosaur footprint

Dinosaur footprint

This past weekend was a long weekend so we wanted to go out and have adventures with the twins. Saturday was not that adventurous as they had their immunisations but had fun at a friend’s birthday party. However Sunday was the best day out. Now I bet you are asking “Why was this outing so wonderful?” Well it was due to a most amazing park.

The park is called the “Adventure Playground” and it is located in Bathurst, NSW, Australia.  It is also known as the Dinosaur Park, this is due to the giant dinosaur footprints, sculptures of dinosaurs and the bones that can be unearthed in the sandpit; my little archaeologists had a great time.

My little archaeologists

My little archaeologists

More bones in the sand

More bones in the sand

Lillian climbing

Lillian climbing

Great slippery dip

Great slippery dip

It was a bit of a drive but well worth it, there was so much for the kids to explore and play with. Slippery dips, flying foxes, swings, sandpit with bones to find, dinosaur foot prints, climbing rocks, climbing equipment, a maze, bbq’s and ample seating so you can have a picnic, trees to sit under, and ample green space to just run around. Next time we will take a picnic lunch and stay longer.

Sundial - You stand there and it tells time by your shadow

Sundial – You stand there and it tells time by your shadow

Sundial

Sundial

The girls loved the silver slippery dip as you will see from the pictures and I have more about the other things that were in the park. The facilities were just lovely and something that I wish was available locally, rather than driving over an hour to go to Bathurst. Don’t get me wrong it is nice to go somewhere different, but sad to see that your area does not invest in such great facilities for the community, kids and making their parks more unique. I do understand that it is all down to money and what the council can afford; maybe we need to consider private funding to do this elsewhere? I am not sure what the answer is.

Crocodile

Crocodile

Julia in dinosaur footprint

Julia in dinosaur footprint

Lillian in dinosaur footprint

Lillian in dinosaur footprint

Caterpillers next to silver slippery dip

Caterpillers next to silver slippery dip. Strange grouping of caterpillers.

Recently hubby and I attended a meeting about what the council are proposing for Medlow Bath park and the upshot is that they have no money, the people want changes for the better might not get it due to the lack of money and the up keep is not happening currently due to lack of money. So all in all, I thought what a waste of a meeting as it just sounds like nothing will get done due to no money. It will be interesting to see what the outcome will be, and if changes are what the community want. However I am sure it will not be anything like what Bathurst offered at the adventure park. For one the park at Medlow does not have the space for this type of park, but it would be good to adopt elements of what works well at the adventure playground.  Say the nice bbq and more seating, maybe some different more engaging play things for the kids. The sandpit with bones to find was such a great idea.

On the way home we needed to see if we could get something for our own bbq, however could not find anything that would work with what we needed. I know it is not related to bbq’s but I looked in the plant section while we were at Bunnings and the girls and I were taken with a plant called “Blushing Bride”, it is so pretty we were taken with it and had to have it. Now it is planted in the backyard and I hope that it grows big and strong.

Blushing Bride

Blushing Bride

Girls watering the blushing bride plant

Girls watering the blushing bride plant

Hubby has now left for Brisbane for work so the girls and I will have more adventures tomorrow. One of the girl’s friends from pre-school is coming over for a play date, thinking of going to the fun day for kids that is around the corner from the house. This will be ideal as all three kids can run around and go mad at the school oval and burn off some energy.

Did you have some great adventures on the weekend? Did you also have a public holiday, if so what did you get up to? Did you go away? Have you got a great park that has great facilities? Where is it, please share so we can all go on more adventures.  Why not try using the Playground Finder to find your nearest playground. Send in your comments.


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