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West Park, Macclesfield
A 15 acre park in Macclesfield featuring playgrounds for older children and a dedicated toddler area, cafe, bowling green, ornamental gardens and skate ramp.
Why We Like It
🌳 Plenty of parking – the park has its own small car park or park next door in Sainsbury’s for 2 hours (both free)
🌳 Toilets (but Sainsbury’s are nicer, have baby changing facilities and are a 2 minute walk)
🌳 Nice cafe overlooking the park which holds events throughout the summer eg, live music, film screenings
🌳 Dedicated toddler area
🌳 Museum in the grounds which hosts children’s events eg crafts workshops during holidays
Sandbach Park
A lovely 9 acre park close to the town. Features 2 bowling greens, 2 play areas (one for younger, one for older kids), outdoor gym equipment, tennis courts, wetland habitat area, woodland walks.
Why We Like It
🌳 Car parking at the car park opposite – free but busy – avoid market day if possible (Thursday). We’ve always got a space but have had to drive round and linger at times.
🌳 Toilets and baby changing facilities. The ladies toilets are very small so can be difficult to manoeuvre with little ones in tow. The baby changing facilities are in the disabled toilets and the key is available from the library next door or park office. We went to get it from the library and ended up using their facilities (not sure this is encouraged but either way you can go to the loo and change the little ones!)
🌳 Lots of lovely green space to have a sit down or a picnic (plus a number of picnic benches dotted around). The park is often quiet during the week so the Mini Mumblers can run around to their hearts’ content whilst you have a sit down
🌳 Dedicated toddler area
🌳 Woodland walks – we haven’t tried any yet as they have always been too muddy for the buggy. There’s a nice (dry!) loop around the park though which is just long enough for my one year old to navigate by himself.
🌳 Pretty wetland area which always delights the Mini Mumblers
🌳 No Cafe but there are plenty of shops within easy walking distance if you need supplies
The Moor, Knutsford
A 5.5 acre park in Knutsford town centre. Features play areas for both toddlers and older kids, picturesque ponds where little ones can feed the ducks, picnic area and pretty wild areas/wildflowers.
Why We Like It
🌳 Free parking spaces on the road outside the park – pay and display car park a minute away if no spaces available.
🌳 Lots of picnic benches dotted around and places to sit and look over the ponds.
🌳 Dedicated toddler area
🌳 No Cafe but you are in the town centre so plenty of shops, cafes etc, a minute away plus an ice cream van outside the park in warmer weather
🌳 Toilets and baby change a couple of minutes away in King St Car Park
South Park, Macclesfield
A large 44 acre park in Macclesfield. Features include different play areas (including accessible play equipment) , tennis courts, basketball/netball court, duck pond and bowling green.
Why We Like It
🌳 Large free car park
🌳 A number of different playgrounds including one especially for smaller children and accessible play equipment
Carrs Park, Wilmslow
A 71 acre park in Wilmslow. Has children’s play area, football area, skate park, basketball hoop, picnic area and lovely riverside/woodland walks you can do with the little ones. The river Bollin runs through the park making it extra pretty.
Why We Like It
🌳 Parking onsite (but car park can get pretty busy)
🌳 Outdoor kiosk sealing good coffee, cake, sandwiches etc. Limited outdoor seating but picnic areas throughout park
🌳 Toilets and baby change in the park – need to pay so take some change!
🌳 The walks around the park and along the river are lovely and mean you can extend your day out
Buxton Pavilion Gardens
A little further afield but worth a mention as they’re so lovely.
23-acres of pretty landscaped gardens with 2 large play areas, a miniature railway, lake, ducks, ice cream parlour, cafe (with soft play area!) and indoor market hall.
Why We Like It
🌳 Large Pay and Display 2 storey Car Park – £1.40 for an hour, £2 for 1-2 hours and £3.40 for 2-4 hours.when we last visited
🌳 Toilets and baby change facilities
🌳 Cafe also features a pram park, microwave to heat baby food, lots of high chairs and baby cutlery and bowls
🌳 Food and drink sold
🌳 There’s a dedicated toddler play area as well as an adventure playground for older kids with ice cream kiosk nearby
🌳 Great miniature railway which circles the lake – £1.20 person and free for under 3’s last time we went
🌳 Plenty of ducks and geese for the little ones to feed
🌳 Lots of grounds to walk round with pretty flower displays
🌳 Close to the town centre if you fancy a stroll to the shops – takes about ten minutes but be warned – its largely up hill (I would have really struggled on my own with the double buggy)
🌳 Often holds activities for the kids during holidays and some weekends
🌳 You can easily make a full day of fun out of a visit here especially when the sun’s shining
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Congleton Park
A 24.7 acres park in Congleton with decent play area, lots of space to run around, pavilion selling food and drink and large paddling pool.
Why We Like It
🌳 Car park but small – use nearby roads/town car parks if full.
🌳 Lovely family friendly cafe/restaurant ‘Stock at the Pavilion’ – check opening times before you leave
🌳 Nice, toddler friendly play area
🌳 Pretty grounds to wander round
🌳 Large paddling pool round the corner (FREE) – fabulous to paddle in to cool down on hot days – open seasonally
