Recently transformed from its weary state to a grassy haven in the centre of The Basin, the Basin…read moreTriangle is the perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon. Opposite the small group of shops on Mountain Highway, this little park area is a favourite amongst locals and visitors wanting a place to take the kids or the dog for a good old run around. With the play equipment getting a recent overhaul, what was a pretty tired wooden structure is now a state of the art (and quite futuristic) play area surrounded by chairs and tables for parents to drink their coffee and chat whilst the kids let out their energy. With the Basin Fish & Chip shop located across the road, this often proves convenient on a nice afternoon, as the lush grass provides the perfect place to unwrap your order and eat your chips. If you're after something healthier, grab a wrap or pie from the bakery or one of the coffee shops and unwind under the trees. Also the location of the yearly Basin Music Festival, the triangle is as old the suburb itself and recent boom sin property prices in the area is sure to usher in a new age of style and demographic to The Basin.

King Parade Playground has recently been re-vamped and all the equipment is brand new. It is a…read moremodest playground but it has plenty of grassy areas surrounding it and is great for kicking a ball around or any game requiring serious room. It borders both King Parade and Norma Crescent South in Knoxfield, as it is located on empty blocks of land on a suburban street. It also acts as a useful cut through between these streets- well, for me anyway. Small green plants and large rocks line the footpath on either end of the park - kids seem to enjoy jumping from rock to rock. I have never seen the park particularly busy which is always a nice thing - it means you don't ever really have to wait for someone else to finish with a piece of equipment. It has two swings - one baby and one adult size. There are also two wooden park benches to sit on that face the playground. These are perfectly placed for any adults supervising their kids. When it rains the park gets really muddy and slushy. You will get mud splashes on your clothes if you walk across it when it is like this, so if you're using it as a cut through only I would definitely avoid using it on wet days. Otherwise it is a pretty good playground and park. I happily recommend it.

The Tim Neville Arboretum in Ferntree Gully is a perfect spot for an afternoon out with a young…read morefamily. There is a large playground that has been recently renovated and is brand new. It has a child safe gates and a fence around it to encourage supervision. It is a pretty popular playground and gets quite busy on sunny days. The park has two really pretty lakes complete with ducks. There are boardwalks and bridges to walk over and a nice track that meanders all around the park. To appreciate the peace and the beautiful scenery make sure to take a seat at one of the park benches scattered all around - they are perfectly placed for the best views. Although if you are coming for peace and quiet you'd be best off coming during a weekday as on weekends and school holidays there will be kids everywhere. The Knox Bicycle Track runs alongside the park making it a great picnic lunch spot if you're going on a big ride. Kids often ride their bikes around the tracks in the park and there are plenty of grass areas big enough to kick a ball around and be more active. Supervision of kids is essential around the lake as there are no barriers or anything to prevent people from falling in. Dogs are common visitors to the park and must be kept on a leash at all times. The park is really unique in that it caters to every member of the family, young and old and it really is a beautiful spot. Very popular for wedding receptions and events there is a pergola at one end that often plays host to quite a crowd. There are adequate parking spaces available as well as side street parking.

With the outer east slowly building up and attracting more and more new residents to the area, one…read moredifference we have to the west is the amount of greenery we hold dear. At the foot of the Dandenongs, between Fern Tree Gully and Boronia, sits the Tim Neville Arbouretum, a huge expanse of lakes, fountains and open space that has been a favourite for picnics, weddings and lazy Sunday afternoons for as long as I can remember. As a kid we used to come here on our bikes and tear around the paved track that winds its way through, across the footbridge and past the amphitheatre, that is home to yearly Christmas Carols by Candlelight. Perfect on a warm day, there are also BBQ's to use, and plenty of rooms for a large group.

The Cobain Square Playground is set in the middle of a grass island in a suburban court. It has a…read moredecent sized grass area complete with a tanbark surrounded metal playground. There are two wooden seats to sit on and a nice sprawling tree not far off that is good to look at. The playground itself has a big red slide, monkey bars, stairs, a little house at the bottom and a curly pole to slide down. There are also two swings. The grassy area unfortunately has a slope to it and as such is a bit impractical for ball games, particularly soccer, as one person will always be kicking uphill and the other downhill. Cars seemed to be coming and going pretty regularly to this little court but they were all residents. The playground was clean. There was no rubbish and aside from the cars it was otherwise quite quiet. There is another playground similar to this, but a bit older and more artistic just a couple of streets away in Kaisman Square. The Kaisman Square Playground is more suited to younger children whereas this Cobain Square Playground has bigger equipment and more space for kids to run around so it's better for older kids.

The Blossom Grove Playground in Knoxfield is a real gem. This is because it is a little known…read moreplace that is shared by the residents of Lakewood Estate. As a result, it is rarely busy. The playground itself has two swings, a slide, a tunnel, a platform, a mini house and two springy things for young kids. This is all on a tanbark area with logs making a frame around it. There is also a large grassy area with a wooden bench. This is a great spot for parents to chill out and supervise their kids burning off all their excess energy during school holidays. The grass area is also popular for letting dogs off their lead and letting them run around- technically not allowed by council but people do it anyway. There is a long row of tall pine trees that follow a path leading to Burwood Highway. Kids often play hide and seek and forty-forty along here - I have to admit, the area is perfect for it. So don't get surprised if you look up and see a face staring back at you!

The Birchfield Reserve is a great little hidden gem in Wantirna South. While only small, it has so…read moremany features that make it the perfect place for countless children's games. There is a little playground with two swings that is, as usual, surrounded by tanbark. The area around this is pretty flat and has a good spread of grass. There is a long line of pine trees along one side of the park and they are perfect for the game "What's the time Mr. Wolf" or even "Forty-Forty". Hide and Seek would also be good, but it'd be pretty obvious that you would be hiding behind a tree because there is really nowhere else to hide! The park doesn't seem to be very well attended to as there were three trees lying on the ground that had fallen over at some point. There are three paths that lead to the various exit points - two out of three are cement but one is loose stones and crunched up cement. The birds here were really noisy but there was no other sound so it was actually really peaceful. The streets that border the Reserve are all courts or dead end streets and there is barely any traffic at all. I really enjoyed spending time in this Reserve.

Mahoneys Reserve in Forest Hill is HUGE. When I say huge I don't just mean HUGE, I mean MEGA HUGE…read more Read on and you will totally agree with me! Reasons to validate not only how HUGE this place is, but also how damn good it is: 1.This place has two general grassy areas surrounded by trees. These are wicked picnic spots with fluffy, comfy grass to lounge on. There are plenty of shaded areas as well as sunny spots. 2. It is right next to the Bob Saker Oval, which has a fence and is great for allowing your furry friend to run around without fearing that he/she might run away. Make sure to clean up after them though as this is used for sport regularly. 3. There is a massive multi-purpose field with goals and line markings used by various clubs. This is fenced off however so you will have to join a club to utilise this. 4. There is a large, un-fenced soccer field complete with goals at one end. This is a little shabbier than the oval with the fence, but at least it's free right? 5. There is a decent sized kids playground behind the oval. It is great for kids, or for getting a good view of the footy games played on weekends. 6. There is a heap of parking spots. 7. There are batting cages around the back of the clubhouse. (Did I mention there was a clubhouse?) 8. The Clubhouse is available for hire. Seriously guys, Mahoneys Reserve is the place to be if you are into sport. It totally rocks and is awesome to relax at on a sunny day.

We've been to a few play centers now and this one is by far our favorite…read more Great staff, very friendly and welcoming, huge toddler area with secure fencing and plenty of toys, jumping castle, and lots of slides.

From the owner: Slides Playcentre and Cafe is Knoxfield's exciting family play centre, home to Australia's Highest…read moreIndoor 3 Lane Slide that towers 8 metres high! There is fun for the entire family on offer at our venue, which is perfect for birthdays, fundraising nights, sporting club celebrations, school groups, reunions, or just a fun family day out.

This is a wonderful and quaint park that has so much to offer. In the main area, there is the…read more'jells park tea house', a lovely little café where you can sit and enjoy the surroundings. There is a large wooden playground for kids, plenty of trails and routes to accommodate for the frequent runners and bikers, ovals and barbecues (these run high in demand on sunny weekends). Jells park isn't crowded or overpopulated, but there are enough people around to give it a sense of a community. The park is more of a wetlands/bush land style park compared to a botanical type. I love coming here as it has a vibe of happiness to it, there are always children running around, couples biking and dog walkers. Jells Park is very large and you probably could get lost in it (but if you just follow any path it'll take you back out). If you're in the local area, pop down for a bbq and enjoy.

Jells Park is an extremely popular place to go of a weekend. It offers plenty of natural bushland,…read moreover nine kilometres of tracks and paths, a couple of playgrounds, and heaps of space for you to have picnics or kick the footy with the kids. There's fishing on the side of the lake that is outside of the conservation area, but I hope you like carp! There's the occasional redfin, but they seem like the exception and not the rule, particularly if your experience is anything like mine. The barbecue facilities are pretty good, if sometimes quite busy. In some spots, you'll find free electric barbecues, in others, you'll find wood-burning barbecues. Wood is usually provided, which is a plus. Just remember to take out everything you take in. No rubbish should ever be left there.

Trekking across town to attend my nephew's 1st birthday, it was our first time at Lollipop's and we…read moreloved it! Not being familiar, we found it a bit hard to find but once we found out it was on Level 3 next to all the cinemas and games, we were set! The play centre is well laid out with a separate area for toddlers so they don't get knocked over by the older kids and there is an awesome foam ball room with canons and vacuums that suck up the balls to different sections ready to launch. There's even an awesome pirate ship ride inside the venue! On first impression the centre is clean and well maintained and the staff were very attentive especially amongst all the birthday excitement. The staff were loud and clear when giving instructions and made sure all the kids had drinks topped up and birthday cake. Both the kids and adults were fed with sandwiches, fruits and hot food and you if you're after something a little more special you can also order some desserts from the window display. I think we've found another new place to catch up with our mummy friends! :)