Coloured Vinegar with Bicarb - Kids Experiment

When the kids are bored of doing drawing and painting, try this nifty experiment with them. It uses ingredients most people have at home - vinegar and bicarb soda, and is very simple to set up. It kept my daughter entertained for at least an hour!

You will need the following supplies:

• Tray / Large container (I used an old baking tray)
• Bicarb Soda - enough to cover the base of the tray/container
• Vinegar
• Food Colouring
• Eye Droppers or spoons
• Containers to hold the coloured vinegar - I used a muffin tin, ice cube tray would also work well, otherwise any small container.

The method is really easy:

1.  Spread the bicarb on the bottom of the tray

2.  Mix the food colouring with the vinegar

3. Let the kids experiment by adding the vinegar to the bicarb

4. Watch as the vinegar makes the bicarb bubble in mini eruptions.

By the end the tray was a nice brown mess, and my daughter was mixing it all up with her hands!

We did this experiment outside when it was Summer, but it doesn't really make much mess, so would be suitable as an indoors activity as well.

Adachi Park, Ascot

What: Adachi Park
Where: Great Eastern Highway, Ascot MAP
When: All year
Who: All ages
Cost: Free
Facilities: BBQs, Picnic benches, toilets, Playground with softfall, exercise equipment, boat ramp, car park.

My increasing obsession with riverside parks (see Bardon Park, Burswood Park and Point Fraser) continued today with a visit to Adachi Park, located off Great Eastern Highway on the foreshore in Ascot.

View of the river with Black Swans included

Access to this park can be a little tricky as it can only be accessed if you are travelling east on the highway. You will need to take the first left hand turn after the Abernethy road set of lights to get to the carpark. I always find driving to new places a bit daunting, so hopefully this information helps someone else mentally prepare for a visit to Adachi Park.

The carpark is located between two parks. Adachi park is to the south and Bristile Park is to the North. While we didn't get a chance to have a proper look at Bristile park during this visit, I did notice it had a lot of exercise equipment through out it. There is also a boat ramp accessible via the car park.

Boat ramp access to the Swan River

Adachi Park has been named after the City of Belmont's sister city - Adachi in Japan. The Japanese theme runs throughout the park via the landscaping and architecture, bringing a certain uniqueness to the park.

The playground is boat themed and covered in soft fall, which I am preferring over sand these days since my youngest is mobile and loves to put EVERYTHING in her mouth. There are enough surrounding trees to partially shade the playground, but be careful if in bare feet, as certain areas are still in full sun. The playground is pretty small, but my daughter enjoyed herself nonetheless , and was thoroughly entertained for the 2 hours we were there for. The downside of this park is how close it is situated to the highway without a barrier between the two, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have a child that is a runner.

There are a few picnic tables and barbecues near by, as well as plenty of open grassed space, with great views over the Swan River. There are also public toilets close by.

If you follow the path South of the playground, you will discover the Japanese garden with archways, bridges and stepping stones. There is also a large gazebo in this area with lots of information about the City of Belmont and Adachi City.

I think this park would be a really nice place to come in winter or spring when the Japanese garden is a little greener and less dried out looking. 

Adachi Park is a perfect place for a picnic on the weekend, a leisurely walk along the river or a relaxing outlook over the river in unique surroundings. 

Partridge Way Reserve, Thornlie

What: Partridge Way Reserve
Where: 79 Partridge Way, Thornlie MAP
When: All year
Who: All ages
Cost: Free
Facilities: Play equipment with soft-fall and sand, lighting, park benches, shade, picnic tables, basketball hoop, cricket pitch, exercise equipment.

One of the reasons I started this blog was to be able to provide information on some of the lesser known local parks. Based on how quiet these parks are, they seem to be very under utilised but can offer some really great facilities.

I try to take my daughters out to nearby parks at least once or twice a week. It is a cheap way to get out of the house, and to a three year old, a park is a park. She doesn't mind how extensive or new the equipment is, she just wants to run around and have a play. There is no need to take her to a fancy indoor play centre, which can cost between $5 and $10 a visit, when there is a perfectly good (and free) park within walking distance.

Today we went out to Partridge Way Reserve in Thornlie.  I was completely blown away by the facilities provided at this park, and it looks like it has only recently been upgraded, so everything is new and tidy. 

Overall look of the playground. Lots of shade and mainly rope-net based equipment.

Lots of shade covering the half soft-fall / half sand playground

The bird nest swing was the favourite for the day

The sand pit side of the playground with more rope net climbing frames.

The hammock style swing was also a favourite

The park also features a basketball and netball hoop with paved area, a cricket pitch and an extensive internal footpath system. Across the oval, on the other side from the playground is a sheltered area with picnic tables. 

Cricket pitch with basketball court in the background

Picnic tables and more benches.

Obstacle course.

One of the unique features of this park is the obstacle course provided for exercise. While this feature isn't really kid-friendly, it's nice to see something a little different being offered.

I can't believe that we had the whole park to ourselves! We will definitely be making this one of our regulars.

Bardon Park, Maylands

What: Bardon Park
Where: Bardon Place, Maylands MAP
Facilities: 2x playgrounds, park benches, barbecues, toilets, cycle path.

Today we ventured out to Bardon Park in Maylands, located along the Swan River.

My first impressions as I drove up, was that I had made a big mistake in choosing to come here. I had never been out this way before, and had randomly chosen the park using Google maps, so I had no idea what to expect. As we drove into the carpark, all I could see was a very small and dated playground. "Oh Well", I thought, "at least we are out experiencing new places".

Boy was my first impression so wrong! Bardon Park is in an amazing location and is another prime example of how lucky we are to live in a beautiful city like Perth.

The carpark is really large, so I suspect it probably gets busy on the weekends, but being there on a weekday, there were only 3 other cars. The carpark is at the top of a small hill, along with a playground that is suitable for younger kids. This playground looks old, but most of it is  low to the ground, making it perfect for toddlers that are learning to climb.

Small playground at the top of the hill

Wander a little way down the hill from the carpark, and you are greeted by beautiful views of the Swan river as well as another larger playground. This playground is newer and suitable for older kids, as it has a rock climbing wall and a spiderweb climbing frame.

There are shallow man-made lakes in the park which act as a natural nutrient filter for the drains running into the river. These lakes have various bridges and boardwalks over them, which are fun to explore. One of the bridges was covered in Ibises during our visit, which my daughter was excited to see.

Besides the play equipment, there are heaps of other facilities provided in the park, including: Barbecues, fancy automatic toilets, lighting, park benches, picnic tables, and a cycle path. It is a perfect spot for a family picnic or barbecue.

The one disappointing part about the park was the amount of rubbish on the banks of the river and in the lake. Please remember, if you do visit, to put all of your rubbish in the bins provided.

We will certainly do a return visit, and perhaps bring the bikes with us and find out where the cycle paths take us!

Burswood Park, Burswood

What: Burswood Park
Where: Off Great Eastern Hwy, Camfield Drive, Burswood MAP
When: All year
Facilities: Picnic Tables, BBQs, Toilets, Fenced in softfall playground, across from Crown Complex
Cost: Free

Having lived in Perth for most of my life, I tend to take for granted how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful city with so many facilities provided for free. Burswood Park is a great example of this. This park is what Perth summer days and evenings should be all about.

Burswood Park has plenty of grassed area with lots of shady trees, a fantastic view of the city, and is right next to the beautiful Swan River.

The view from our picnic spot.

The playground is fully fenced, so those with young ones can be at ease that they can't run off towards the water. The ground of the playground is all soft fall, however it is black and can get a bit hot in the spots that aren't covered by the shade of the trees. The equipment seemed to be suitable for most ages of kids, though might be a bit small for the older kids.

There are at least 2 free BBQs near by, as well as toilets. Plenty of shaded spots all the way around the playground, as well as lots of spots that are only a short walk away. There is also a bench in the centre of the playground right under a beautiful large tree.

A large new carpark has recently opened, so there is plenty of places to park and it is all currently free.

There is so much you could do in this area:

• Fishing in the river
• Cycle or walk on the large paths that meander along the river
• Have a picnic or BBQ
• Watch the jet skiers (Whose designated area is just in front of the park).

BBQs in the distance and plenty of shaded spots

Why not experience some of the best Perth has on offer this weekend?

Cycle Paths

Let's Go Fly a Kite

There is something a little bit magical and relaxing about flying a kite, and I think it's an activity that can be enjoyed at all ages. I certainly enjoy flying a kite now well into adulthood, and I now understand why my dad used to hog holding the kite string when I was a kid!

There were a few windy days in Perth last week, so my daughters and I, had a spontaneous activity of making a kite, and flying it in the backyard. We got very technical with our kite making - a plastic bag tied to some kitchen string.

Plastic bag + string = kite!

We had a great time running around the backyard like loonies, trying to catch the wind and get our "kite" up in the air. A very simple activity to set up without prior planning, that gets you and your kids outdoors enjoying the sunshine.

Library Visit

It's been a long time since I have been to the library to borrow books, in fact not since 2006. How do I know this? Because today when I went, I was kindly informed I had a $7.60 late fee outstanding, and I queried how long ago it was from. 2006!

Anyway, my 2.5 year old is very into puzzles at the moment, and the puzzles we have at home are too basic for her. I thought this was a good opportunity to re-acquaint myself with the local library.

I was pleasantly surprised at how large it was and how many things they had on offer for kids. Jigsaw puzzles, CDs, DVDs, Audio Books, Non Fiction, Fiction, Easy Readers and picture books. My daughter chose a few books, some DVDs and a jigsaw puzzle. 

It was a nice easy start to our Saturday morning, which we are going to make a more regular occurrence. 

Find your local library and opening times below:

City of Armadale
Town of Bassendean
City of Bayswater
City of Belmont
City of Cambridge
City of Canning
Town of Claremont
City of Cockburn
City of Fremantle
City of Gosnells
City of Joondalup
Shire of Kalamunda
City of Kwinana
City of Mandurah
City of Melville
Shire of Mundaring
Shire of Murray
City of Nedlands
Shire of Peppermint Grove
City of Perth
City of Rockingham
Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale
City of South Perth
City of Stirling
City of Subiaco
City of Swan
Town of Victoria Park
City of Vincent
City of Wanneroo

Port Coogee Marina

What: Port Coogee Marina
Where: Medina Parade, North Coogee MAP
Cost: Free

To me, Perth has some of the best beaches on offer in the world, and today we took a visit to one of the newer "beaches" at the developing Port Coogee Marina. The last time I had been around this area was when my husband was involved with the environmental remediation of the then Port Catherine site. It has changed A LOT! 

We started our morning off with a breakfast of pancakes at Dome Cafe. Dome Cafe is one of the only businesses set up so far at the marina, but I'm sure there will be more to come in the future. It has the perfect location right at the corner of the beach, with a lovely view of the marina. I have always had good experiences at Dome, and today was no different. There were plenty of tables and chairs, inside and out, and they were all well spaced out, so I didn't feel like a bull in a china shop with my 2 girls and all our beach gear. I easily found a high chair for my youngest, and we didn't have to wait long for our pancakes to arrive. The pancakes were delicious, and so was my cappuccino. They had a pretty varied kids menu with prices ranging from about $5 - $7.

After brekkie, we set up camp down at the beach. The beach is fairly enclosed by the marina, so there is no waves and no seaweed! It is a nice, shallow, safe beach, making it perfect for toddlers, babies and those who aren't confident swimmers or who don't like battling waves. My toddler really enjoyed herself, and at no time did I feel unsafe with her in the water.

Tables and shade

The grassed area is quite limited, and even more so finding some in the shade, so make sure you bring your own sun shelter if you plan on spending a long time here. I did see a few barbecues, as well as the usual shower facilities. There is a water play area, but it was under maintenance during our visit.

Parking is available in front of the beach, as well as along the roadside nearby.

All in all it was a great morning out!

Beckenham Open Space

What: Beckenham Open Space
Where: Horley Rd off Kenwick Link, Beckenham MAP
When: All year round, but Yule Brook only flows in Winter/Spring
Who: All Ages
Facilities: Park benches and picnic tables
Cost: Free

While doing some research on Bannister Creek for my previous blog, I came across the SERCUL (South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare) website. I was pretty excited to find a list of environmental places to visit around my area. So I decided to choose the first one on the list, Beckenham Open Space, and take my two girls out for a walk and a wander around.

Beckenham Open Space is located off Kenwick Link on Horley Rd in Beckenham. It is relatively easy to find, but keep a look out for the windmill. There is plenty of parking, as well as the SERCUL office being located here.

There are a few walk trails to chose from. The longest one (1.5km) takes you around the outskirts of the property and down by the Canning River. We stayed close by and just wandered around the boardwalks which go over Yule Brook.

Over the boardwalk

Walk track

 The Open Space is old agricultural land which is being restored, so some of the property is pretty unimpressive with dried up pasture. The boardwalks are really nice, but unfortunately we chose the wrong time of year to visit, as Yule Brook doesn't flow in Summer. 

Boardwalk over Yule Brook

We had our morning tea under a lovely shady tree, and the map indicates there are 3 picnic tables as well as 2 park benches scattered around the property.

Our view at morning tea

I was a bit disappointed with our visit, and both my daughters were playing up on the day we visited. Miss 2 was tired of walking and wanted to be carried, while the baby was just hot and cranky. Hopefully we will make it back another time, but in Winter when the brook is flowing. Until then.....