Best Indoor Playgrounds In Shopping Malls In Sydney

Let's be real. Shopping with kids in tow can be a chore sometimes. Dragging them through the aisles of Coles or Woolworths is exhausting, not to mention the constant interruptions of "Mum, we really really NEED this!". But when a shopping centre blesses parents with a playground, it makes the whole ordeal more manageable.

We’ve found the best shopping centre playgrounds around Sydney, that’ll make shopping with kids A LOT easier.

Eastern Suburbs

Westfield Eastgardens Shopping Mall
Right at the entrance on the top level is a play area that’s situated next to a cafe and Woolworths. It’s the perfect place to sit down and relax after shopping, and it’s easy to supervise the kids. It’s not enclosed though so you need to watch out for escape artists. There are also several small rides dotted around the shopping centre that kids can enjoy for $2 a ride. On Level 2, there's a Kids Playworld designed for children aged 2-6 years, open every day of the year.
Where: 152 Bunnerong Rd, Eastgardens

Westfield Bondi Junction
Outside Woolworths on Level 3, Kids Playworld has a cool pirate ship theme that’ll thrill any adventure lovers. It can get a little crowded and manic, and the area is not gated so you’ll need to keep a close eye on your little one. It’s free, but children must be supervised at all times.
Where: 500 Oxford St, Bondi Junction

City

Broadway Shopping Centre
Designed for 6 years and under, Broadway Shopping Centre Playground has a specially created surface that kills bacteria and reduces fungi. This hidden treasure is on Level 3 across from Priceline. It’s one of our favourite play areas for kids and, best of all, it’s gated for peace of mind.
Where: 1 Bay St, Broadway

North Shore

Macquarie Centre
Macquarie Centre has two fantastic kids' areas. The Little Explorers Playground, located on Level 4 near the ABC Shop, is a free play area for young children. Chipmunks Playland is also located on Level 4, and this is a separate indoor play centre for kids up to the age of 11. Entry starts at $11.90. They offer a ‘drop-off’ service for kids 5 and over, if you’re looking to shop on your own. There's also a brand new one for toddlers called Kids Play, which you'll find right outside Target.
Where: Corner Herring and Waterloo Rds, North Ryde

Chatswood Chase
On Level 4 (top level) in the homewares precinct, you’ll find a children’s ‘playpod’ rather than a soft play area, where littlies can be entertained with six iPads and a large interactive touchscreen for games and puzzles.
Where: 345 Victoria Ave, Chatswood

Inner West

Ikea Tempe
Ikea is full of interesting things to see but kids may get bored after a while. Luckily, there’s Småland, Ikea’s free supervised play area – available for kids aged 3-10 for supervised one-hour sessions.
Where: Stores in Tempe, Marsden Park and Rhodes

Burwood Westfield 
Located on Level 2 near Woolworths is a free Kids Playworld area for all ages. The Mall also has special kids' events and competitions.
Where: 100 Burwood Rd, Burwood

Alexandria Homemaker Centre 
There’s a small but entertaining playground near a cafe here. After some home decor shopping, enjoy a coffee while your little ones play! We’ve heard it’s usually pretty quiet, too.
Where: 49-59 O’Riordan St, Alexandria

Greater West

 

Primewest Auburn Megamall
Kids can play at the pirate-themed kids’ space, located on level 1, outside My Baby Warehouse and Smart Choice Furniture.
Where: 265 Parramatta Rd, Auburn

Parramatta Westfield
Outside Coles on Level 5, there's a large play area for kids, and a much smaller one on Level 4.
Where: 159-175 Church St, Parramatta    

Rouse Hill Town Centre
There’s an interactive play area for children in The Backyard, fitted with musical play areas, an environmental education trail and plenty of room for exploring, climbing and running, as well as a family respite area in The Secret Garden (with water play!). It’s also free.
Where: Windsor Rd and White Hart Dr, Rouse Hill

Macarthur Shopping Centre 
The brand new farm themed play zone, Paddock Play, reflects the agricultural heritage of the Macarthur region and is super cute! 
Where: Gilchrist Drive, Campbelltown

Lidcombe Centre 
There is an outdoor play area for children on the balcony area, conveniently near the Chow Bella Cafe.
Where: 92 Parramatta Rd, Lidcombe

Stocklands Merrylands 
Here you'll find an indoor play area for children aged 3-12 years located on Level 1, near Target.
Where: McFarlane St and Pitt St, Merrylands

Northern Beaches

Dee Why Grand
At Dee Why Grand there’s a great free play area for kids under 5 eyars on the lower ground floor near the food court, open from 9am-5pm every day.
Where: 15-18 Pacific Pde, Dee Why

Westfield Waringah Mall
On the ground level next to the Jacaranda tree, you’ll find a soft play area for children opposite Just Jeans.
Where: Condamine St and Old Pittwater Rd, Brookvale

Northwest Sydney

Top Ryde City
There are two free children’s play areas located on Level 1. The 0-2 Play Zone is for the tiny tots who are just starting to explore while the larger playground (pictured above) is for the 3-12-year-olds.
Where: Devlin St and Blaxland Rd, Ryde

Stockland Baulkham Hills
Perfect for children aged 3-12 years, there's a play area called MyFunland conveniently located on Level 1, opposite Little Rock Cafe.
Where: 375-383 Windsor Rd, Baulkham Hills

Stanhope Village
There are two play areas here, an indoor one for toddlers near the Leaf Cafe and an outdoor one for older children near Michel’s Patisserie.
Where: 2 Sentry Dr, Stanhope Gardens

Sutherland Shire

Miranda Westfield
The pirate-shaped playground is no longer there, but there is a play area on the lower level near MyHouse. There is also a Playtime full of arcade games and a Sky Zone to bounce around in.
Where: 600 Kingsway, Miranda        

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