From pirate-themed climbing walls to wheelchair-accessible carousels and bright basketball courts, there’s something for everyone at Auckland’s North Shore parks. Whether your kids are trying out for their school soccer team or they’re toddlers finding their feet, there are swings, roundabouts and other fun equipment for them to enjoy outdoors with their friends and whānau. Here are four great playgrounds to check out on Auckland’s North Shore.
1. Terrific tamariki tricks at Taurus Crescent
The climbing wall, cubby house and playboards are a standout feature at Taurus Crescent Reserve.
Beach Haven now boasts a bright and beautiful playground at Taurus Crescent Reserve. Kaipātiki Local Board worked closely with families who are new to the area and those who have called Beach Haven home for many years to ensure the playground got the tick of approval from tamariki. The tube slide is a crowd favourite, which makes good use of the sloping section.
The park is broken up into play zones. For bigger kids, there’s a ball area with a small basketball half court and te reo four-square court, while smaller kids have their own space with a climbable cubby house and interactive play boards. Families of kids with accessibility needs will love the carousel, and the basket swing is great for preschoolers. The harmony bell and talking tubes spark conversation and creativity. Shade sails and a drinking fountain ensure that even in the height of summer, kids can stay cool.
2. Yo ho ho and a playground of fun in Milford
What’s better than going to the beach? Going to the beach and playing on the playground! Tamariki can be captains of their own imagination playing on the shipwreck-themed playground at Milford Reserve. Junior pirates can hit the deck on the ship ramp, pretend they are climbing the main sail on the climbing ropes, or play at walking the plank on the log scramble or timber stilts climber.
The pirate-themed playground at Milford Reserve with the changing room and toilet block in the distance.
All the playground classics are also there including swings and a dual slide that’s great for races. The reserve also features a half basketball court, volleyball court, barbecue and picnic area. The seaside changing rooms and toilet block were upgraded by Devonport-Takapuna Local Board in 2022 with a boatshed design.
While you’re at Milford Reserve, don’t miss another attraction – the aptly named sculpture Beacon by artist Lang Ea. The artwork, which is illuminated purple in the evening, symbolises historical achievements of the suffrage movement in New Zealand and lights the way for women of today.
3. All-age fun at Ponderosa
The Oteha community got a kickstart thanks to the installment of a new playground featuring a soccer goal wall at Ponderosa Reserve. The soccer goal makes use of the area’s green space and is one of the ways the park allows children of all ages and abilities to enjoy the playground. There are also activities that are great for preschoolers, such as a basket swing and bucket swing. There’s also an accessible in-ground carousel.
The soccer goal wall and climbing frame at Ponderosa Reserve playground is set on a grassy field, allowing kids space to run around while achieving their goals.
The playground’s design comes after considerable feedback and engagement between Upper Harbour Local Board and the community, who asked for features suitable for kids of all ages and abilities. Other fun parts of the new playground include a wooden truck to drive kids’ imaginations, a slide, monkey bars, a wobbly bridge and a tunnel, while the bark and wet-pour rubber surfacing allow kids to play safely.
4. Nature babies at Narrow Neck
Narrow Neck’s Allenby Reserve playground features climbing ropes, tunnels and balance and agility games.
Good park and playground design works with the natural environment, and when Allensby Reserve in Narrow Neck was due for an upgrade, the community and Devonport-Takapuna Local Board factored in the local landscape. The previous playground on the site was prone to getting boggy in wet weather, so the upgraded playground was moved further away from the road with a concrete path providing wet-weather access. The relocation also means the playground is closer to trees, allowing for cool shaded play in the summer months.
The all-ages playground features a showstopping tube slide and climbing features including a tunnel and monkey bars, as well as balance and agility games. Many playground pieces are built from wood to work in harmony with the natural environment. Smaller kids and those with accessibility challenges are catered to with a basket swing and an accessible in-ground carousel.
