The Backyard is a free, fully fenced outdoor playground tucked into the Coles quad at Rouse Hill Town Centre, in the heart of the Hills District. Recently refurbished and overlooked by two cafes, it's built for under-8s to run, climb and roam while you keep watch over a coffee.

Why We Love It

• Open-air but mostly fenced so you can relax a little with a coffee. Note that the side that borders Oliver Brown is easy for kids to climb over but generally there are people sitting there.

• A slide built into a grassy mound alongside climbing nets, rings and an inclusive rocker — enough variety to keep 2s through 8s busy.

• Musical play and an environmental trail wind through it, so it's as much about exploring and making noise as it is about climbing.

• Two cafes right on the edge — Oliver Brown and Blends & Bros — give you a table with a clear line of sight to the playground.

• Soft-fall underfoot throughout so the inevitable tumbles end in giggles, not grazes.