Time to get ‘em Outside
Con Franklin, dad to Jack (4)
Some days, I quite literally have to wrench the iPad back from my 4-year-old and explain that, while chasing Paw Patrol pups around an 8-inch screen might do wonders for the reflexes, he is missing out on some serious vitamin D. With summer finally here after a miserable winter of indoor soft play havoc, we have the opportunity for that most glorious of things – outdoor exercise. Preferably the kind that knackers them so much they’ll head to bed early, content and ready for a good night’s sleep. So what’s on offer locally that won’t cost the earth?
We’re hugely spoiled for park choices in and around the branch area – I can count five which are less than 20 minutes’ walk from my own front door. A particular hidden gem is Penge’s small
but delightful Alexandra Recreation Ground, which boasts a pirate ship, all manner of climbing frames and rope-based items, all sitting above a knee-saving woodchip flooring - a million miles from the cold, hard tarmac us 80s kids grew up with. You can also combine a visit with a stop in for coffee at the lovely Alexandra Nurseries next door, which does a mean carrot cake in peaceful, zen-like garden surroundings. Elsewhere, the justly-famous Kelsey Park ticks most boxes: ducks, geese and squirrels to feed (take a bag of monkey nuts and the squirrels will interact delightfully with toddlers); a wonderful lake which you sadly can’t take a boat onto; and the prize asset – an enormous kids’ play area with some cleverly-thought out activities for all age groups. But don’t overlook the less immediately kid-friendly parks: Beckenham Place Park is huge and great for kicking balls around; and my local go-to outdoor space Cator Park is tailor-made for scooter practice.