Archive for playground

A playground where I nearly had tears when it was time to leave.

September 24, 2008 at 12:10 pm · Filed under Diana Memorial Playground, baby activities, bush babies, pirate ship, playground, sandpit, slides, swings, toddler activities, toddlers

Diana Memorial Playground - 5 stars

This incredible playground in Kensington Gardens was built in the memory of the late Princess Diana, and is quite a tribute to one who loved children.
It has so much to offer. It is free, and open to children up to the age of 12. The policy of adults only allowed if accompanying adults is reassuringly well ‘policed’.
The many attractions are dominated by the huge wooden pirate ship. Without stumbling over too many adjectives, the ship isn’t just a ship. It offers an amazing climbing frame, a big wheel to turn in the captains cabin, and you can even jump below deck and play in the sand, and peer through the portholes.

The ship is surrounded by a beach (read one BIG sandpit) and provides a good opportunity to play with the little ones whilst watching those slightly older, clamber and climb to their hearts content.
Wander through the playground further and you’ll find tepees, wooden playhouses, a sensory trail (jumping on the big pavings that play different notes is lots of fun for all), and so much to climb on, run around and generally discover. Oh – there are slides and swings too.
Nothing is ignored here and it certainly isn’t overly kid-gloved. There’s a great rocky area that frequently has water in it – don’t be surprised if shoes are off for

the majority of your stay. There are some little taps and fountains to play with… so a change of clothes might be advisable too.
Practicalities -

Pram Access: Excellent. Prams are ‘parked up’ throughout the playground. No secure parking for them or any bags however.

Cost: it’s FREE. Park opening times are available at the website here.

Cafes: The Diana Playground cafe serves up sandwiches and hot food for all ages. The food’s a little pricey. I’d suggest bringing your own, and indulging in a nice cup of tea or an ice-cream!

Where is it & how to get there?
Queensway, Lancaster Gate, High Street Kensington tubes are all nearby, however none are step free. Many buses run along Bayswater Road and Kensington Road.

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playgrounds (and posers) galore!

September 3, 2008 at 12:16 pm · Filed under baby, cafe, hammersmith, playground, run around, sandpit, slides, swings, toddler activites, toddler activities, toddlers ·Tagged , , , , , ,

Ravenscourt Park – 4 stars

You know sometimes when you just get bored of the same playground all the time, but can’t be bothered walking for half an hour, or jumping on a bus to get to another one? Not a problem at Ravenscourt Park which has 3 playgrounds suitable for toddlers, PLUS a sandpit, PLUS (most times) a paddling pool PLUS, if you’re a parent with children who are a bit older, there’s lots of green space to kick a ball around.

We mostly tend to stick to the one on the south east of the park which has 4 baby swings (very handy for a toddler who struggles to wait) and a climbing frame with a fun slide. There is also a pretend jeep to climb and play in, plus a slide built into the small hill.

The downside of the park, in a way, is how good it is. It is mostly, very busy. On a nice day you could amuse yourself by counting Bugaboos. Or you can sit in the cafe grounds (there is also seating indoors with high chairs) at one of the picnic tables and watch the glam mums stroll by as you wonder why some people go to such effort just for a playground visit (heels, big sunglasses, full makeup), or somedays wonder why you don’t go to that kind of effort yourself. It kind of depends on my mood :)

Though it gets busy, it is a big park, and i’ve never felt crowded there. There are enclosed grassy areas that are dog free, and there’s also a pond with some lovely ducks and geese that are incredibly bread savvy.

The details – Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith – entrances on all sides – see map below.

How to get there: Ravenscourt Park tube has steps (surprise surprise), but there are plenty of buses from Hammersmith Tube (step free for District and Picadilly lines) which run along all sides of the park except the western side.

Cafe: Well priced adult teas, coffees, cakes and small meals (such as baked potatoes). Also sell child friendly food and snacks. No baby change facility.

Where is it?

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this playground is a diamond in the rough

August 16, 2008 at 3:57 pm · Filed under acton, baby, baby activities, playground, slides, swings, toddler activities

Springfield Garden Playground, Acton 3.5 stars

It’s certainly not the most glam of locations – a playground within sight and all the noise of Horn Lane, Acton, but the Springfield Garden’s playground sure is worth a visit – for babies, toddlers and younger children alike.

There was a lot of flooding in Acton in 2007, so Thames water decided that it needed to do waterwork, exactly where the Springfield Garden Playground was. Rather than just lose a playground, Ealing Council rebuilt it, in a different corner of the Park, and this time further back from the ever noisy Horn Lane.

(It must be mentioned though, that the noise from Horn Lane can be a good distraction at times. If your child is excited by vehicles that blow a siren… this is the place for you!)

Sorry, on to the playground…

It’s split into 3 quite defined areas. The first has baby swings, a small little climbing frame (which unfortunately has steps that aren’t the easiest for the smaller children) with a slide and some little roundabouts.

The next one has a more challenging climbing frame and some ‘big swings’. Plus some extra different kinds of swings and equipment to climb and play on.

The third area has a really cool climbing frame with a BIG slide that looks like great fun. Each area provides great physical challenges for children, and each area is covered by that soft squishy flooring that provides a bit of protection should your child (or you!) need it.

The whole area is fenced and gated, and is a decent size that allows your child to have a good run around, and not feel restricted by the boundaries.

I love this playground because it has variety.

It is however let down by some aspects of the climbing frames – whoever designed them seemed to forget that children do need to be able to climb up safely in the first place. With close supervision though, they’re fine.

There is also areas of shade most times of the day and seats for weary parents.

Access: no steps anywhere

Babychange: none

Cafe / Toilets : none, but Acton High Street and Churchfield road are within 5 minutes walk.

Where is it?

Horn Lane, Acton (nr the corner of Rosemont Road)

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How to get there: It’s about a 15 minute walk from Acton Town station (steps) or Acton Central Overground station (step free!). Lots of buses go either up Horn Lane or to Acton High street.

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