A castle in Canberra

Canberra is full of surprises, including this castle in Commonwealth Park, down by Nerang Pool. 

It's a fabulous playground for kids, and I was there with the boy-child to celebrate his friend's birthday. Plenty to keep them amused here - tunnels, ladders and secret spaces to hide in.

X O O

Early morning shadows on the playground in Mt Rogers Reserve. There are a lot of these playgrounds - most of them almost identical - in Canberra's parks and preschools. The company responsible for them must have done very well out of Canberra ...

Big slide

This is the big slide at Kambah District Park. Off Springbett Street in Kambah, this is a fabulous family park that I hadn't visited before. Enough to keep kids busy and active for hours, with slides, swings, flying foxes, an adventure playground and more. And plenty of big shady trees when the sun is a bit strong. We'll definitely be heading back.

Play time

Plenty of children out enjoying the sunshine at this playground in Kippax. It's right next to the library and shops, and gives the kids a chance to burn off some energy before enduring grocery shopping with mum or dad. 

The Giant Mushroom

What's big, yellow, pink and blue, and lots of fun for little kids? The Giant Mushroom at Belconnen Markets, of course!

Australia has a lot of Big Things, and this is the Australian Capital Territory's only contribution. It's 6 metres high, 15.6 metres wide,  and covers 190 square metres of children's playground. It was built in 1998, as a Sunsmart initiative of the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets (supported by the ACT Cancer Society), and is well known to Canberra parents. Kids can climb into the stem of the mushroom and look through the triangular windows at their parents, who are often occupying seats around the edge while chatting and sipping coffee from one of several nearby cafes.

While it can get a little cold when the wind whistles through, it's pretty much a year-round playground, protected from both sun and rain. And it's free!

We popped in today after school to buy some veges, and my 7 year old insisted on a quick play in the mushroom (as always), so I took the opportunity to take this photo. I also took photos from a slightly higher vantage point on the far side, but there's been so much new development at the markets that it's hard to get a good view of the cap of the mushroom. Not so long ago it stood out above the rest of the complex, but not any longer, although the bright pink and yellow colours on top help a bit.