Have you got a pre-schooler and need a little activity, the perfect park or a place to go? hen come and check out a couple of idea and inspiraton right here on Mamma Knows West!
We have been gathering local fun for families for 10 years now. There is sure to be something for everyone!

FREE rhymetimes and storytimes at your local library

Firstly, one of the best places to meet little people and their parents is The FREE rhymetime and stroytime sessions - check out when the sessions run. We have linked all the council websites here - click here for more

Some Library inspiration right here!

The library can be a great spot to escape the heat or the rain. There is usually great kids areas for you to take a moment and explore - click here for some west library inspiration

Featured

last chance| air playground exhibition @ scienceworks

Air Playground is a must-see at Scienceworks this summer! It closes on January 27, and Mamma says it’s been one of our favourite exhibitions. As the name suggests, Air Playground is an indoor playground packed with fun activities, all centred around the fascinating world of air.

scienceworks, spotswood

Scienceworks is a great icon of the West and everyone in your family from toddlers to Grandad will find something you will love!

altona miniature railway, altona north

Have you heard of Puffing Jilly? No? Well, be sure to come and meet her and all of her convoy each month at the Altona Miniature Railway!

wyndham little buddies toy libraries, werribee/pointcook/manor lakes

Little Buddies Toy Libraries are SO GREAT! Such an awesome outing where the kids can have a little play with toys before selecting what they want to take home! Just like a library, borrow the toys for 2-4 weeks then replace them with new toys! Economically and environmentally savvy, and Mamma loves it here!

jumpin' joeys playcentre, gisborne

Your kiddies will have a blast here - they’ll be able to play in the massive ball pit area, mega slides, rock climbing walls, LEGO table, basketball hoops, trampolines, carousels and so much more! There’s also a really super cute play area for your infants to enjoy.

air playground exhibition @ scienceworks

The Air Playground is back at Scienceworks for the Summer. This is a great interactive exhibition and worth checking out with the family.

mick's jump n' play, melton

If you’ve got kids bouncing off the walls, jumping off the back on the couch and scaling the bookshelves then you need to gather them up and head down to Mick’s Jump n’ Play in Melton!

newport railway museum, newport

Open on Saturdays 12-5pm. This Museum has a rich history of Australian trains on display, plus a fantastic vintage model railway. Locomotives come here to retire and there are some real beauties to admire. There is plenty of space for kiddos to run around too!

planetarium scienceworks, spotswood

The Planetarium at Scienceworks is the perfect place to entertain the kids on a rainy day, a hot day or any day really!

ballarat wildlife park, ballarat east

If you have an animal lover and lets face it most kids are - this is an excellent place to get up close with some of Australia's most loved animals, and Maneki and Satu the Sumatran tigers.

vjunior @ village cinemas, sunshine

✨ REVISIT ✨ Vjunior is still incredible! The whole adventure however, starts before the opening credits. The foyer of Vjunior is fully equipped with blocks, colouring in stations and car tracks. Snacks are able to be ordered in the cinema with special choices like ice cream sundaes available.

the messy patch, mt duneed

Mammas - get your kiddies to The Messy Patch in Mt Duneed, it truly is GENIUS!

brimbank aquatic and wellness centre, keilor downs

Within the Aquatic Centre you’ll find an indoor 50 metre pool, learn to swim area, kids splash park and slides, a warm water pool, spa, and a massive water slide (only for those over 120 cm in height) - everything your little one could dream of!

roraima nursery and gardens, lara

Discover Roraima Nursery in Lara, home to exotic plants, stunning sculptures, and even dinosaurs! Our top-pick attraction is a must-visit for plant enthusiasts and nature lovers. Don't miss out – plan your visit today and experience the crowd-pleasing beauty of Roraima Nursery.

portarlington bayside mini rail, portarlington

Mamma really does love a mini rail. They are a perfect adventure for the little ones, with pretty scenery and a gentle ride.
This mini rail is right on the water, so it is different from all the other ones Mamma has been to.

werribee open range zoo, werribee south

What a fantastic family destination and all in the wonderful West! Even before the kiddos came along a visit here was a must and now we pop in as often as we can. The open safari bus tour is always a highlight, spotting new animals every time and the self guided walking tours are a great way to enjoy your surroundings at your own pace. And now we can see the new baby rhino too!

the bellarine railway, queenscliff

Mamma LOVES a train ride and when the views are this amazing even better! The Bellarine Railway is such a stunning way to explore the area and this is by far the best way plus on special occasions, you can ride on the Thomas train too.

national wool museum, geelong

Mamma says this is a fascinating place to visit! If you have ever wondered about the process of farming, shearing and processing wool, then this is the museum for you.

narana aboriginal cultural centre, geelong

The prefect stop on the Surf Coast Hwy, have coffee at the cafe, play on the playground and feed the wallabies and emus!

fairy park, anakie

The amazing Fairy Park was built in 1959 when the displays were predominantly made by hand and despite being updated it still holds its magical kitschy qualities. Fairy Park is the ultimate in family fun.

mopa - museum of play and art, geelong

MOPA (Museum of Play and Art) in Geelong is a family must-visit. Inspired by Tom and Billie’s travels, it features the 'Zoom Room' with cars and ramps, a 'Performance Room' for dressing up, a Picasso-like art wall, a soft play area, a rainbow tunnel, a 'free play' room, and an outdoor area for painting a real car. Fun for all ages! MOPA is a must in Geelong!

ground up - building big ideas, together, scienceworks

Scienceworks does such a great job at catering for all ages - The Ground Up exhibition is perfect for the under 5’s.

bulla hill mini railway, bulla

Third Sunday of the month Now Mamma has a secret – if you have a train fanatic in your fam Bulla Hill Miniature Railway is a fantastic way to hang out on a Sunday or how about a birthday party?

aircraft viewing area, bulla

This place has been a favourite amongst aircraft enthusiasts for over 30 years now and It's still a favourite for families after all these years and the ice cream van is still here. Sunset is a great time to visit.

traffic school, essendon

Each Saturday during school terms. How cool is traffic school? Pretty darn cool! This is a great way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday morning. The traffic school has a neat little set up happening with pedestrian crossings, busy intersections with operating traffic lights, round-a-bouts, train crossings and even a petrol station.

serendip sanctuary, lara

This is a fantastic place for the little ones to get close to the animals and learn about their environment..

ranger kids, werribee open range zoo

This is possibly the West's best kept indoor play secret. If it's too chilly for outdoor play then trust Mamma - this is an excellent option. There are comfy chairs for you to plonk on and plenty of parents to chat to as your kiddo has some seriously cool pretend play fun.

animal land children's farm, diggers rest

Animal Land has so much to see and do - kiddies get a Pony ride plus visit the animal nursery and then you can feed the ducks on the pond, feed the donkeys and cows and chickens too! A visit to Animal Land Farm is a great family fun day.

Classes and Weekly Sessions for Preschoolers!

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the fun in art classes, altona

The Fun in Art classes are drop in sessions - like a preschool art playgroup where you join in the fun, without any pressure to be an accomplished artist.

kids classes @ the womens circus, west footscray

Mamma kiddos have always love circus type classes - it’s fun, mixed with fitness and skill building.

teeny tiny tornadoes @ twisters gymnastics, ascot vale

If there’s one thing that Mamma appreciates, it’s having options - and this is why drop-in classes are so fantastic! Especially for toddler parents, because who ever KNOWS how the day will pan out!?

playnastics at ekga, airport west

Mamma always leaves this place with a big smile on her face! There’s no need to look any further for play-based learning, physical development skills, great value and FUN! Essendon Keilor Gymnastics Academy is one of the biggest gymnasiums in Melbourne, running weekly activities and classes suitable for babies, pre-schoolers and school-aged children as well as holiday programs, birthday parties and more!

kinda gym sessions @ team adrenalin

Ready for some fun? The Kinda Gym sessions here at Team Adrenalin are a great way to have some indoor fun with the little ones.

the music playground, newport

Want to find out if you’re living with the next Beethoven? Here’s how to find out. Drop in and check out The Music Playground. It is a buzz of musical energy tucked away in the Challis Street shopping centre in Newport, with classes for newborns all the way up through high school. They also have instrument lessons with something for everyone no matter where they are on their musical journey.

little art big art, altona north

Little Art Big Art are great for their term based lessons and have fantastic holiday programs also!

toddler jam! @ FCAC, footscray

These are high energy, fast paced, knock your socks off music classes for you and your youngsters. Razz runs the class with gusto so come prepared to dance, drum, sing and most importantly, have loads of fun!

little lorikeets steiner playgroup, yarraville

Term based classes on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Playgroups are a great way to meet other parents and encourage friendships among our little people. This is a lovely playgroup where you can expect a well structured Steiner based session with a focus on song, play and routine rhythm.

Parks and Playgrounds Perfect for Pre-schoolers!

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crocodile park, point cook

Water play is GO! Crocodile Park in Point Cook is built in and around man-made lakes, decking and boardwalks. It feels like a classy resort beach side fun park and certainly a space you and the kids will want to spend plenty of time.

braybrook park, braybrook

Expect to spend a bit of time here as there is heaps to do and as an added bonus the park is directly under the flight path to the airport so we spotted heaps of real life planes coming in to land!

party place 'flower pot' playground, point cook

This is a quiet little playground with some very unique giant flowerpots to hide in, climb on and slide down, Mamma loves the musical penguins too! This is a good little spot for smaller children.

bridge road traffic school park, melton south

Attention parents! Take your kiddies to the Bridge Road Traffic School - we give it the MAMMA guarantee they will LOVE it!

frank gibson reserve, laverton

Recently upgraded - Frank Gibson Park in Laverton boasts a cute ‘bug’ theme - with an accessible ladybug whirl, rope climbing frame, caterpillar slide, toddler rockers and a new swing set.

mcnish 'dinosaur park' reserve, yarraville

Mimi the dinosaur in Yarraville now has…. SHADE SAILS! And it gets even better.. there’s also now toilets and a new undercover bbq area too!

beaton reserve, yarraville

Beaton reserve Park in Yarraville is great! Bring your bikes, trikes, scooters, skates, skateboards, basketball, frisby and table tennis paddles and ball to this gem of a park. With plenty of space to move your kids (and you!) are bound to leave this place happily exhausted.

jj holland park, kensington

A bright climbing tower with speedy, twisty slides spiralling out stands as the main feature, but that’s only where the fun begins! Monkey bars, spinning nets, rope climbing pyramid, flying foxes, sandpit, in-floor trampolines, slides and swings are also great fun - all spread out nicely with plenty of natural features like rocks and trees webbed between play areas.

nature play playground @ wyndham park, werribee

This play space is quieter and surrounded by lovely trees. As the name implies, this is a playground inspired by nature, with lots of sensory experiences to be had.

hansen reserve junior bike skills and playground, west footscray

The new Junior Bike Skills Track at Hansen Reserve will have your little ones levelling up bike and scooter skills in no time! Let them ride over bumps and humps, sweep around corners and then build up speed to follow the track past the footy oval and down into the playground, for an action packed day out!

armstrong reserve (octopus park!), newport

An upgrade so good it is almost a new park!

cornerstone's safari park, werribee

We LOVE this park!

riverside 'pirate ship' park, aberfeldie

Mamma says - both little ones and bigger kiddos will love exploring the 'life sized' wooden pirate ship at Riverside Park. The attention to detail on the Black Sapphire Ship is very cool.

traffic park, point cook

It is a very popular spot for locals who know of this hidden gem and Mamma's kids absolutely love it - we often get requests to go to ‘traffic park!’ This park is more suited to pre-schoolers or up to six years old and only really for small bikes, scooters, trikes, balance bikes or similar.

village kids, werribee zoo

Located at the Werribee Zoo - this is an excellent outdoor play area with slide, tunnels, wooden planks and stepping stones, turrets, trees, a large nest swing and more.

harpley estate adventure playground, werribee

Werribee has sure brought out the 'big guns' with this adventure playground. This wonderful space is just what you need to be inspired to get in some outdoor playtime, even on those chillier Melbourne days.

brimbank park, keilor east

The feature 'playscape' area is excellent - with swings, a giant pea pod, cow park bench, an alphabet maze, a HUGE platypus and so so much more! Look closely and you will find all kinds of treasures scattered throughout the space.

edwards 'frog park' reserve, south kingsville

Good for little ones and bigger ones!

fels reserve, yarraville

Stroll around the corner from Yarraville Village and enjoy this bright and inviting little spot. It's always buzzing with people, with plenty of climbing, swinging and sliding options to keep your kiddos entertained.

Playcentres for Preschoolers!

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jumpin' joeys playcentre, gisborne

jumpside, footscray

Welcome to the Jumpside! The wests latest indoor fun adventure! This is a trampoline and ninja centre that will keep a range of ages on their toes and entertained.

rabbit hole playcentre @ braybrook

**NOTE: Due to vandalism and fire damage Rabbit HOle Play Centre is currently closed. Check their socials and website for updates. - April 2024 WOW! The playcentre is huge! Mamma has never seen so many different kinds of slides, unique climbing equipment and fun all in the one spot. Rabbit Hole is Playcentre indoor fun heaven.

relax and play - cafe and playcentre, altona north

Big, bright and a bundle of fun! This is a new and very cool playcentre concept.

leo's kingdom party and playcentre, altona north

Ready to play amongst the jungle giants? Leo’s Kingdom party and playcentre has just had an awesome REVAMP!

tumbles playhouse playcentre, williamstown

Playcentre heaven! Got some kiddos with a little too much energy in the afternoon? Or your little babe needs a something else to clamber up instead of your furniture?

chipmunks playland, playcentre and cafe @ the district docklands

Add some FUN to your shopping list and spend a few hours sliding, jumping, climbing and playing at this fab playcentre!

crocs playcentre, hoppers crossing

Holy MAMMA kids - this is going to be your next favourite playcentre to get mum and dad to take you!

lollipop's playland, playcentre and cafe, sunshine

Let's PLAY! This is a busy playcentre - that is because it’s good!

crocs playcentre, derrimut

Wow, someone put some thought and effort into this brand new playcentre. It's spacious, clean, full of the tried and true play centre equipment plus some added extra fun!

Cafes with INDOOR PLAY in the west - click here