Berlin's Best Playgrounds: Ayers Rock Playground, Mariendorf

Not your typical playground, this is definitely one for the more adventurous kids.. and for parents who can handle watching their children challenging their skills. 

Inspired by the monolithic Ayers Rock in Australia, this is no ordinary playground. Don't expect baby swings here, this is definitely a playground for older children. 

When entering the small park area where the playground is situated, you will find a cute wooden bridge and some other smaller wooden structures that the children can climb on, then you are met with a large rock formation with some small crevices, peaks and walls to climb for those who are more nimble. 

I love these kinds of places for children. I feel like they expand with your child's capabilities. My oldest was 5 when we went here and he is an avid climber. He loved to jump among the rocks, climb down in to the gaps and to swing on the net that hangs on one side. There was also a rock form opposite that we climbed and jumped from. My youngest, then 1 1/2 years old of course couldn't do much there but he had small areas that he could climb up and enjoyed watching his brother monkeying around. 

For the children with stronger hands and upper body strength, the rock face does give opportunities for it to be ascended from below and whilst we were there, we actually witnessed a woman come and use the rocks for her training. 

There is plenty of sand below the rocks for little siblings to play in and there is a very small play area with wooden surfaces to climb across a stones throw away (pardon the pun) from the large rock. I wouldn't recommend going here on a rainy day or when it's icey or snowy for obvious reason but if you have children like mine who love to climb, this is a fabulous playground for them.

It can be found on Richterstr., 12105 Berlin (Mariendorf) 

All photographs my own / ©Sarah Winborn Photography