Looking for a shopping centre around Sydney’s North Shore that has a free play area for the kids? Luckily, most of the bigger shopping centres are built with families in mind, and have a play zone to allow kids to let off some steam, mid-shop!
Yes, shopping with young children can be challenging, but if you choose a shopping centre with a play area, you have a better chance of getting them to cooperate after they’ve has a play for 15 minutes! Here’s your ultimate list of North Shore shopping centres with free kids’ play areas.
- HomeHQ, Artarmon
- Westfield Chatswood
- Chatswood Chase
- Westfield Hornsby
- Macquarie Centre
- Top Ryde Shopping Centre
- Rhodes Waterside
- HomeCo. Belrose
- Westfield Warringah Mall
- Warriewood Square
Lower North Shore shopping centres with free kids’ play areas
1. HomeHQ, Artarmon
If you’re buying up big for the home and need a bit of time out, the ‘Artamon Hill’ soft play area is located on the lower ground floor (near Fantastic Furniture). This includes a tunnel, slide and various climbing mounds, and is recommended for children aged 2-6 years. This free indoor playground in Sydney will provide plenty of fun!
There is a designated Nappy Change/Feeding Room on the ground floor near Shack, and general amenities are located on the Lower Ground Floor behind Adairs.
- Address: Lower Ground, HomeHQ, Corner of Frederick Street & Reserve Road, Artarmon
- Parking: 3 hours free parking. Over 380 undercover car spaces located over 3 levels.
- Website: homehq.com.au
2. Westfield Chatswood
Westfield Chatswood Kids Play
Westfield Chatswood Kids Play
The Urban Escape Playground is an indoor play centre that features lots of cute animals. structures to climb, cubby house and an impressive slide! The Chatswood Westfield play area is located on level 3, near Din Tai Fung, and is designed for ages 1-8 years. Not that this space is closed between 1pm – 1:30pm for cleaning.
- Address: Westfield Chatswood, Level 3, 1 Anderson Street, Chatswood
- Parking: Three hours free parking. Westfield Chatswood uses a parking system that uses number plate recognition technology to replace paper tickets.
- Website: westfield.com.au/chatswood
3. Chatswood Chase
On the top floor at Chatswood Chase, there’s a small play area for children. There’s a cute wooden train to sit on and a little cubby with six iPads loaded with games. This Chatswood Chase playground looks very classy and fits in with the environment, but it probably won’t amuse kids for more than ten minutes. However, it’s conveniently located near a cafe and all the children’s shops.
- Address: Chatswood Chase, 345 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood
- Parking: 3 hours free parking
- Website: chatswoodchasesydney.com.au
Upper North Shore shopping centres with free kids’ play areas
4. Westfield Hornsby
Triple-Level Play Centre (Level 2, near Aldi)
Huge slide at Westfield Hornsby
Lots of fun to be had!
Hornsby Westfield has a triple-level Play World outside Aldi…. which features the longest slides in the Westfield portfolio. It’s suitable for children up to 6 years of age and features ramps to climb, obstacles to navigate, and a double slide! It’s also fully fenced around the perimeter with one safety gate for peace of mind.
- Address: Westfield Hornsby, Level 2, 236 Pacific Highway, Hornsby
- Location: Outside Aldi. Located down the travelator from dedicated parking with prams on level 2M Orange carpark and up one travelator from the Parent’s Room.
- Parking: 3 hours free parking
- Website: www.westfield.com.au/hornsby
5. Macquarie Centre
If your little one loves to crawl, toddle or explore, this new play area is for you! Located on Level 1 outside Kmart, it’s full of brightly coloured play equipment, and carefully designed to take into consideration all the issues parents face with play areas.
First up, there’s a large dedicated ‘pram parking’ zone outside the entrance, meaning prams are contained and not left haphazardly for people to trip up on.
There’s also just one entrance and exit to the Play Zone, minimising the risk of a child slipping out unnoticed. Parents can choose to sit on the seating bench inside the play area (don’t forget to pop your shoes into the integrated shoe cubbies underneath the bench!) or at the tables outside if you prefer to get your caffeine fix.
- Address: Macquarie Centre, Cnr Herring and Waterloo Roads, North Ryde
- Location: Level 1, near K-mart
- Parking: 3 hours free parking. Up to 5,000 parking spaces available at Macquarie Centre, including Parents with Prams spaces.
- Website: macquariecentre.com.au
6. Top Ryde Shopping Centre
Top Ryde City’s free play zone is located on Level 1. It incorporates three specific zones combining passive, active, and interactive play, so there is something for all children aged 0 -12.
The interactive zone contains three interactive screens, a book zone with bean bags to lounge in, and a table for colouring in. The climbing zone is a play gym with a rock climbing wall, multiple slides, a rope ladder, and a tunnel. Soft play is a tactile soft carpet with climbing mounds and cut-outs, as well as build-it blocks.
- Address: Top Ryde Shopping Centre, Level 1, Corner Devlin Street and Blaxland Road, Ryde
- Parking: 3 hours free parking
- Website: toprydecity.com.au
7. Rhodes Waterside
Rhodes Waterside playground
Rhodes Waterside has an incredible free play zone that redefines the concept of having a play area for kids in a shopping centre. They’ve made it a feature of the shopping centre.
The design encompasses 6m tall climbing towers viewable from the upper level. The Monkey Bar is filled with slides, touch-to-learn activities, climbing towers, and a special soft play area for the little ones. It’s suitable for children aged 2 to 10.
This shopping centre is a great ‘destination’ shopping centre for the huge IKEA and is just a 20-minute drive from Pymble.
- Address: Rhodes Waterside, 1 Rider Boulevard, Rhodes
- Parking: 3 hours free parking.
- Website: rhodeswaterside.com.au
Northern Beaches shopping centres with free kids’ play areas
8. HomeCo. Belrose
Shopping for furniture, homewares, or electronics? Belrose SuperCentre has lots to offer! If you’re shopping with kids, there are two excellent options for mid-shop play.
Outdoor Playground
The outdoor playground is on the top floor, just by the Food Courts. It features a climbing structure and slides and is fully shaded. So grab a coffee or some lunch, and the kids can play!
Indoor Playzone
Indoor Playzone at Belrose SuperCentre
- Address: HomeCo, 4-6 Niangala Close, Belrose
- Website: home-co.com.au
9. Westfield Warringah Mall
Westfield Warringah Mall offers several kids’ play spaces, which children can use when visiting the Mall.
Visit their Bubs Zone located on the Ground Floor outside Mecca Maxima, or play on the giant Snakes & Ladders game outside Anaconda.
Alternatively, bring the kids and a picnic to the open spaces and let them submerge their senses with the sounds of the ocean and light-up pebbles. Kids can climb, hide, and spin in the handcrafted equipment located on the Ground level near Three Beans Cafe.
Westfield Warringah Mall also offers a soft play area located on near Big W on Level 1.
- Address: Westfield Warringah Mall, Corner Condamine Street & Old Pittwater Road, Brookvale
- Website: westfield.com.au/warringahmall
10. Warriewood Square
Warriewood Square Play area
Warriewood Square has lovely interactive play for toddlers that features native animals from the Northern Beaches area and surfboards. It’s located outside Kmart. There’s also an ALDI, Coles, Woolworths, and lots of specialty stores—fashion, toys, gifts, hair and beauty, electronics, and more!
- Address: Warriewood Square, Jacksons Road, Warriewood
- Parking: There are 2-3 hours of free parking. Warriewood Square offers over 1,400 parking spaces. Enjoy four levels of multi-deck parking, with 700+ spaces under cover.
- Website: warriewoodsquare.com.au
