While a third lockdown, school holidays and the cold weather have replaced interstate or regional holidays, we still need to keep going and keep those kids active and busy during our allowed exercise time.
We are spoilt for choice here on the Sydney Northern Beaches with gorgeous beaches, parks, walking trails, playgrounds so if the weather is right there’s no excuse not to use our exercise time and explore during lockdown.
Here’s some ideas of things to do outdoors on the beaches for the next two weeks.
Visit your local playground and try some new ones!
The Sydney Northern Beaches has over 250 playgrounds so you are bound to find new ones near you!
Our favourite playgrounds to name a few:
-
Collaroy Beach – Large playground with lots to do, café and beach nearby. Our review & pics here.
-
Michaela Howie Dee Why – Small playground does the trick with beach and food places nearby with our favourite An Viet Dee Why, kids love Pho Beef Soup! Our review & pics here.
-
Manly Lagoon Reserve – Great little bike & scooter trail and beach nearby, perfect for a picnic or a snack if allowed. Our review & pics here.
-
North Harbour Reserve – Great playground with small scooter track, large reserve for ball play, café nearby and nearby walks. Our review & pics here.
-
Tania Park Balgowlah Heights – Great playground with nearby reserve to run around. Our review & pics here.
For more reviews & pics of playgrounds, head to our dedicated page.
Go on scenic walks
-
Clontarf, Castle Rock to Tania Park Walk – Start at Clontarf Reserve, make your way along the beach when the tide is out up the stairs and through to Castle Rock, up Balgowlah Heights to Tania Park and back.
-
Fairlight to Manly Walk – An easy and enjoyable walk and pooches can tag along too. Start around Balgowlah and walk along passing a number of little beaches like Delwood Beach, Fairlight Beach and finish up at Manly Cove Beach. So many gorgeous spots.
-
Long Reef Coastal Walk
Park at Long Reef Surf Life Saving Club and start the trail all the way around Long Reef Golf Course and then walk back on Long Reef Beach back to the surf club. A gorgeous spot with sculptures along the walk, tessellated tiles near the cliffs and kids will love making rock piles on the beach too. Our review & pics here.
-
North Balgowlah to Manly Dam Walk – Start at North Balgowlah and walk all the way to Manly Damn and back. A great scenic route along the bush, see water dragons, wildlife and waterfalls.
-
North Harbour Reserve, Forty Baskets up to Tania Park Walk – Start at North Harbour Reserve or park at Forty Baskets, follow the beach and the little track next to the water along the bush and be prepared for lots of steps up to the lookout and finish up at Tania Park oval and playground.
-
Queenscliff to Shelly Beach Walk – Start at Queenscliff Beach, North Steyne, South Steyne towards Shelly Beach which is always a favourite and nice to see the Fairy Bower Pool on the way too.
-
Tire the kids along the Narrabeen Lagoon Walk – This long walk is a bit much for little ones’ legs but with some snacks & playgrounds stop-overs it is possible. This walk includes three playgrounds Wheeler Park, Berry Reserve and Bilarong Reserve and places for a coffee or juice along the way. Take the scooters, bikes, prams or walk/run after the kids like we tend to do!
Take our little scooter trail around North Curl Curl
Grab the scooters, start at John Fisher Park and make your way to North Curl Curl beach and make your way back to Curl Curl Community Centre’s skateboard & scooter park, netball courts and back.
Walk barefoot on the beach
Ok so the water is freezing but you can still walk along the beach, look at the horizon, build sandcastles, draw lines in the sand, let the kids run, discover, walk barefoot on the sand to build their muscles and breathe that fresh sea air. And if you’re lucky you’ll find sea slugs at Fairlight Beach like we did today!
Our favourite beaches to walk along:
-
Dee Why to Long Reef
-
Fairlight
-
Freshwater
-
South Curl Curl to North Curl Curl
Grab a footy, soccer ball and head to an oval or sports field
Passmore Reserve in Manly Vale is a great spot, it has a large oval which is great for a run around, kick a footy as well as a nice trail around which is ideal for a scoot, bike ride or walk and there’s a great playground there too!
Other great reserves are Harbour Reserve and Tania Park Reserve.
Teach your little ones how to ride their bike
We like heading to local Manly West School but there are other schools which are open with fake grass to scoot, ride on and play at. Another area which is great for learning how to ride a bike is the Netball courts in Curl Curl area used by many families to master skateboarding, rollerskating etc.
We hope you have a great two weeks with the kids during this lockdown. Stay safe and warm xo
For more reviews and ideas, head to our blog.
And if you need some ideas for keeping the kids busy at home instead, head to our Top ideas to keep the kids busy at home blog post.