Local's guide to Bondi Beach's kids playgrounds

If you're after the short version: the best all-round playground right on the sand is the fenced Bondi Park playground beside the Pavilion, while the grandest day out is Waverley Park in Bondi Junction with its rocket ship and inclusive equipment. I've pushed a pram around every one of these with a coffee in hand, so here's my honest local's guide to which Bondi playground suits which kid - and where you'll actually find shade and toilets.

Best on the beach

Bondi Park playground (fenced)

Best for a big day

Waverley Park, Bondi Junction

Best views

Biddigal Reserve, North Bondi

Cost

All free

Right on the beach: Bondi Park playground

This is the one most visitors mean when they say "the Bondi playground". It sits in Bondi Park between Campbell Parade and the sand, a stone's throw from the Pavilion, and it's fully fenced with double gates at each entrance - which, if you've ever chased a bolting toddler toward a busy road, you'll appreciate enormously. There's a good spread of equipment across soft-fall, sand and grass: swings, slides, climbing frames, spring toys and a little musical corner.

The combination unit closest to Campbell Parade was upgraded by Waverley Council with more inclusive play in mind, so it works for a broader range of kids and abilities. My tip: the shade here is patchy, so come early or late in summer, and remember the closest toilets (including an accessible one) are a short walk away by the Pavilion rather than in the playground itself.

Worth the short trip: Waverley Park

When my family wants a proper morning out rather than a quick swing-and-slide, we head up the hill to Waverley Park on Paul Street in Bondi Junction. It's fully fenced and genuinely one of the best playgrounds in the Eastern Suburbs - the centrepiece rocket ship and launch tower are the stuff of local legend, and there's water play, spinners, climbing, a dedicated toddler zone and a lot of open grass for a picnic.

The best views, and the ones for older kids

Up at the northern end, tucked into leafy Biddigal Reserve, the North Bondi playground is small but special. It's perched high with some of the best beach and sunset views in Bondi, and it's dotted with bespoke play sculptures - a sea dragon, turtle, fish and octopus among them. It's a lovely one to pair with a barbecue on the grassy knoll.

Right next door is the Bondi Beach Skate Park at the northern end of the beach, with its bowl and open street area - brilliant for skaters, scooters and BMX, and honestly just a great free show to watch even if your kids aren't riding. It's not a fenced toddler space, so keep the little ones close.

Further south along the coastal walk toward Tamarama, Marks Park has a modest sand-based playground with big shady trees, seating and a toilet block nearby. It's not a destination playground, but as a mid-walk breather with headland whale-watching views in winter, it's hard to beat.

• Toddlers & pre-schoolers: Bondi Park playground (fenced) or the toddler zone at Waverley Park.
• Big kids wanting variety: Waverley Park, or North Bondi at Biddigal Reserve.
• Tweens & teens: Bondi Beach Skate Park at the north end.
• A picnic with a view: Biddigal Reserve or Marks Park.

That's the lot - five very different spots, all free, all a short hop from the sand. Pack sunscreen, a hat and a picnic, mind the shade, and you've got a full day of play sorted.