Activity Category: Free

Volcanic Playground , Rotorua

The equipment here is fairly traditional – swings, slides, monkey bars, things to climb and balance on but there’s a reasonable range including a section for younger kids (not fenced or sectioned off). As a whole, there should be something for a good range of ages. There’s also a large grassy…

Gallagher Bike Skills Park, Cambridge

This is a series of bike tracks and areas to suit different ages and abilities of bike riders (balance bikes, trikes and scooters are all acceptable here as well as regular bikes). There is an awesome mini-road set up with traffic lights, stop and give way signs. There’s a fenced off…

Victoria Square Farmers’ Market, Cambridge

The area around Cambridge is home to multiple producers, many of whom sell what they grow and make at this local Farmers’ Market every week. It’s a great place to pick up meat, dairy products, bread and other baked items, fruit and vegetables and a coffee. Especially good if you’re…

Leamington Domain, Cambridge

Lots on offer here for outdoor fun. There’s a good playground (several slides, swings, obstacle course including monkey bars), although it’s near the main road with no fencing so kids with a tendency to run off, will need to be carefully monitored. Miniature trains also run on Sundays, weather permitting, including a…

Parana Park, Hamilton

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This park on the edge of the Waikato River, has a large water feature in the form of a summer pool, made up of 3 separate pools – very popular with kids of all ages. Note the warning sign near the pools though, advising that due to the natural location, kids…

Huka Falls, north of Taupo

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This is New Zealand’s most visited natural attraction (apparently!) but don’t let that put you off taking your kids there for a look. To find out more about why the Huka Falls exist, check out the website link under contacts. This link also has info on the various walks available…

Minogue Park, Lake Rotokaeo, Hamilton

The playground opened in 2015 with several different pieces of equipment especially suited to younger kids like the mini trampolines, set into the matting. There’s also 2 mini tunnels set into the grassy hills, dual flying foxes, a mini spider web climbing rope and a bike track goes all round the…

Hamilton Lake Domain (Rotoroa) Playground

This playground is popular for its big fort-like structure with bridges, a steep and decently long tunnel slide, bucket swings and water channels that can be turned on/off and kids can try to redirect or dam up the flow. There should be something for all ages at this playground. It’s worth…

Westburn Reserve Mini Road Bike Park, Burnside, Christchurch

On the West-side of Christchurch CBD, the mini road has road signs, roundabouts, stop junctions etc for kids to practice their road safety skills when riding. Any wheel-based ride on from bikes, to trikes to scooters work well on the smooth concrete. They’ll also get good practice using their brakes…

Leith Valley Glow Worms, Dunedin

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This is an after dark trip that kids of all ages can enjoy if they’re allowed to stay up! The glow worms are on a cliff face and further round in a cave – approximately a 15 minute walk in each direction. It’s a good idea to wear gumboots as it…