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HomeLifestyleKidsKeep the kids active on the Sydney Northern Beaches this lockdown

Keep the kids active on the Sydney Northern Beaches this lockdown

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.

Forty Baskets Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Forty Baskets Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

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 Playground - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Collaroy Beach Playground – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Collaroy Beach Playground - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Collaroy Beach Playground – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Michaela Howie Playground - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Michaela Howie Playground – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Lagoon Reserve Playground - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Lagoon Reserve Playground – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Lagoon Reserve - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Lagoon Reserve – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

North Harbour Reserve Playground - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

North Harbour Reserve Playground – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Tania Park Balgowlah Heights Playground - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Tania Park Balgowlah Heights Playground – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

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.

Clontarf end with track access nearby - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Clontarf end with track access nearby – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Trail near Castle Rock Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Trail near Castle Rock Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Castle Rock Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Castle Rock Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

  • 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.

Dirty Haul Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Dirty Haul Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Fairlight Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Fairlight Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Delwood Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Delwood Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Fairlight Walk - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Fairlight Walk – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Cove Beach Area - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Cove Beach Area – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

  • 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.

Long Reef Walk around Long Reef Golf Course - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Long Reef Walk around Long Reef Golf Course – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Long Reef Tessellated Tiles close to cliff - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Long Reef Tessellated Tiles close to cliff – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Long Reef Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Long Reef Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

  • 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 Balgowlah start of the walk - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

North Balgowlah start of the walk – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Waterfall near Manly Dam - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Waterfall near Manly Dam – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Dam - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Dam – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

  • 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.

Forty Baskets Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Forty Baskets Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Forty Baskets Beach start of the walk - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Forty Baskets Beach start of the walk – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

balgowlahtotaniapark03.jpeg
  • 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.

Queenscliff Beach end - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Queenscliff Beach end – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Beach close to Shelly Beach end - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly Beach close to Shelly Beach end – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Fairy Bower Pool

Fairy Bower Pool

  • 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!

Berry Reserve Playground with nearby Tramshed Café - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Berry Reserve Playground with nearby Tramshed Café – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Track before Bilarong Reserve. You can use your scooter on most tracks except for the bush tracks - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Track before Bilarong Reserve. You can use your scooter on most tracks except for the bush tracks – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Bilarong Reserve Playgrounds - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Bilarong Reserve Playgrounds – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Narrabeen Lagoon Walk - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Narrabeen Lagoon Walk – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

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.

Harbord Road end, start of John Fisher Park - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Harbord Road end, start of John Fisher Park – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

North Curl Curl Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

North Curl Curl Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Curl Curl Community Centre Skateboard Ramp - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Curl Curl Community Centre Skateboard Ramp – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

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

Dee Why Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Dee Why Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

  • Fairlight

Fairlight Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Fairlight Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

  • Freshwater

Freshwater Beach - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Freshwater Beach – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

  • South Curl Curl to North Curl Curl

South Curl Curl Beach end - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

South Curl Curl Beach end – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

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.

Passmore Reserve Manly Vale - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Passmore Reserve Manly Vale – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Passmore Reserve Manly Vale Playground - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Passmore Reserve Manly Vale Playground – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

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.

Manly West Public School - Photo Credit: @busycitykids

Manly West Public School – Photo Credit: @busycitykids

We hope you have a great two weeks with the kids during this lockdown. Stay safe and warm xo

South Curl Curl Photo: Busy City Kids

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.

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