Last weekend we were invited to help celebrate a birthday. The venue was the Ipswich River Park, which is about a 20 minute drive north of us. We hadn’t been before, but had heard good things, so we were looking forward to checking it out.
We weren’t disappointed, and although we only investigated a small part of it this time, the kids had a great time and we will be back!
We stuck close to the children’s playground where there is a great rope-net climbing frame as well as two climbing/slide structures and swings. There is also a sandpit, full of sand toys for everyone’s use, where the wee girl spent a good chunk of her time…
She really enjoyed playing in the sand; digging holes, moving the sand around, filling buckets and toy trucks. A sandpit is definitely something we need to look at getting for the garden this summer!
There are great paths for cycling, including a nice loop around the playing fields next to the playground. This allowed the boys to really get going on their bikes. There is a handy ‘hill’ in the middle from which you can see the loop, allowing the kids the ‘freedom’ to safely head off around the loop on their own. I only managed to catch the 5yo once as he sped past!
While this was happening, the wee girl claimed another party goers tricycle, sitting on it for ages, but not quite managing to get it moving :)
The rope-net climbing frame was the biggest hit with the boys. The 5yo made it about half way up…
The 7yo and a friend spent quite a bit of time right at the top :)
As the name would suggest, the park sits on the banks of the Ipswich River. We didn’t make it to the river this time, but it looks like there are some lovely walks through the rest of the park and we will definitely be back to investigate them over the summer.
While it may have been a little chilly on this particular visit, it was a great space for the kids. Good facilities, fun play structures and a safe place to cycle. Perfect!
I’m linking up with the wonderful Country Kids at Coombe Mill again this week. Click on the badge to see what everyone else has been up to and be inspired to get outside!
Looks like a lovely park, to explore and have fun. monkey would join the wee girl, don’t think I’d get him out of that sand pit! #CountryKids
I didn’t think we’d get the wee girl to leave it!
Bet the children didn’t feel the cold! Love the idea of the cycle loop. Great idea. Always nice to find a new venue for some outdoor park. #CountryKids
No, they never do, do they?! I’m glad we had a reason to go, as we’ve now discovered a great park!
That looks like a great park. I really fancy the idea of a big sandpit like this for Coombe Mill. Ours is only small but this looks big enough for lots to play together. I do find watching them at the top of those spider frames scary, but they are much more sure footed as children than us adults and its good to let them test their own capabilities. I have a feeling you will be back here again over the coming weeks. Thank you for sharing on Country Kids,
The sandpit was great, and what I really love about all the parks around here is that there are always communal toys available for the kids to play with too. I really want to get a sandpit for the garden this summer :)
Looks like an ideal park for you to sit and relax while the kids climb, bike and basically have a great time outdoors!
It was perfect, we will definitely be going back :)
Your daughter’s so in love with the sand! The sky does look gloomy but the kids face is so bright and shiny even! Nothing can ruin their day in the playground =) #countrykids
Absolutely, they don’t care about the weather :)
My almost 5yo is just beginning to master those rope climbing frames too! Two months ago he would not have gone past the bottom rope, it’s great to see them growing in independence and confidence. Lovely day out and great photos. #CountryKids
It is great to see, the 5yo was quite wary at first, but once he worked out how to move around it he did great :)
Looks like they certainly had fun! What a great park, though I’d probably be a bundle of nerves with that very high climbing frame. On the one hand though, looks like your boys were so good at it! :) #CountryKids.
I try not to think about it too much… They were having fun!
That looks like fun. I love it when we find new places to enjoy and you’ve found a good new park there by the looks of it :)
It’s great to find a new, fun place!
Making full out of the weather, I love that. :)
Boys sounds very adventurous… Love girl’s tricycle and sandpit fun.
P.S It been long. Glad things are going great with you. Stopping from Coombemills
The kids all loved it, it’s good to find a park that has something for everyone x
That looks like a great park! We love finding new great places to visit :-)x #Countrykids
It’s great when you find a brilliant new park isn’t it?!
That looks like a great park x
It’s a great space, we’ll be back!
That does look like a fantastic play area. Well done to them getting to the top!
#CountryKids
It’s a great park. I was quite impressed with the climbing skills :)
Wow, what a fantastic looking park. Your kids like they had a brilliant time. It puts our local parks in the shade. We do have lovely mountains and beaches though, so I am not complaining. #CountryKids
It’s a great park, if it was next to a beach it would be perfect :)
Wee girl is just adorable, she looks so happy in the sandpit – and on the tricycle too. Sounds like the rope climbing frame went down very well indeed! Lovely post, what a great new find :)
Thans Charly, they all had a great time x
Awesome park. Great the two boys chatting at the top! We love sand and our bike too so ticks lots of boxes for us!
It’s a great park, something for each of them x
That looks like an amazing park! Love that it has a sandpit too!
It’s a great park, one we’ll definitely be going back to :)
What a great looking play area, We would love to spend the day there but sadly too far from us, glad you had a lovely time #letkidsbekids
Just a little :) Great park though!
Popping back from let kids be kids
Thanks for linking #LetKidsBeKids
Thanks :)
It looks great there. My two would love that sandpit :)
It was a good sandpit! Great park. we’ll be back :)
Fabulous day out, by the smiles on th kids’ faces! We are needing inspiration for great playground equipment, as have gotten involved in a local park regeneration scheme…
X
Well, this garden had no ‘traditional’ play equipment, but all the kids loved it!
Thanks for sharing these photos! I found you through the photo in a Google search :) I really want to go there with my kids, we live 20 minutes away too, but from up north!