Since we’ve had Phoebe, our family excursions have had to be easy and simple. It takes a bit of effort to take the family out for a fun outing together when you have a baby, toddler and 4 year old. You have to be organized, flexible and wary of nap times that are best not to be avoided if you want to have a peaceful Saturday evening.
Each time Jacob and I take our girls out on a family outing, we’re reminded of how much fun we have and the memories we’ve created by doing the simplest things in our city. You may have read Renee from Mummy Wife Me’s post The Do Stuff Club which has put two new places on our bucket list to visit and is well worth a read. It also encourages to get out more with the kids.
I wanted to share 3 places that are great for young families with babies and toddlers because I know how daunting it is to go out with young kids. We have found having a short distance between venues makes a mini day trip easy for the little ones to handle. And having extra hands like grandparents around makes the excursion easier on mum and dad when they are outnumbered with the kid ratio. Here are 3 easy and fun family outings to do in Brisbane with a baby in tow.
1. Breakfast at the Bakery – Taking three kids out for breakfast, lunch or dinner can be expensive. You have three little mouths to feed (plus your own) and most of the food ends up on the floor. You then have to entertain your kids while you wait for your food. To experience eating on a budget and with a quick serve turnaround, find a bakery that serves like a café. For us Miettes at Graceville is the place to go. They make the best vanilla slice in Brisbane and you have to get in early to buy one because usually they are the first to sell out.
The bakery has a large selection of danishes, strudels, pastries, cakes, biscuits, sandwiches and breads catering for both the savoury and sweet tooth. There is seating in the courtyard and high chairs for families. They also have a mean toy collection which makes it the perfect family friendly place to meet with other parents who also have young kids. Usually we take away our order, but on Saturday we sat in and the girls were happy to play with the toys while I tag teamed with Jacob to take photos for this post, and he lined up to get a loaf of bread that we forgot to purchase with our order. (The line was out the door at this stage!)
Where: Miettes Boulangerie Patisserie 8/158 Graceville Avenue, Graceville
Tip: Buy your bread with your order to avoid having to join the queue.
2. Park Play at Ken Fletcher Park
After our stop at Miettes, if you follow the same road to Tennyson you will come to Ken Fletcher Park. I discovered this park when I attended a Kids on the Go ministry which was run by my previous church. They would organise weekly outings at different parks in Brisbane. When we visited for the first time, we had to show Jacob on the following weekend because it was that good.
Esther and Magdalene love this park. There is so much to do. Phoebe enjoyed it too. Firstly there are swings that cater for groups, toddlers and babies. There is a sandpit, water pumping zone for water play, climbing ropes course, see-saws and slide. The variety means the kids won’t get bored. The park is very popular for birthday parties and there were two being held on the day we went. Poor Maggie was disappointed she couldn’t attend the celebrations.
Parking is easy with off the street parking and parking up the road at the adjacent Pat Rafter Tennis Arena. The last time we came to this park, we brought our Miette’s coffee and pastries to the park as we watched our girls play. But with two girls on the loose and a baby that wants to be on the loose, it was best to eat our breakfast back at the bakery. It proved to be a good decision.
Where: Ken Fletcher Park Sofstone Street Tennyson
Tip: Park at the Pat Rafter Tennis Arena Parking and walk up the hill to the park. The park has easy pram access. Also bring your own buckets and spades for the sandpit.
3. Early Dinner at Mt Coot-tha
The girls were excited when we told them we were going to take them on an impromptu trip up to Mt Coot-tha to meet up with their grandparents and great grandparents. Mt Coot-tha is Brisbane’s best lookout. There is Kuta Café, Summit Restaurant and various walks you can do if you are energetic. We decided to have an early dinner, catching up with the grandparents and great grandparents while watching the view over Brisbane. I’ve learned that if we are going to take our girls out for dinner, it’s best to buy a few plates that can be shared like chips, pizza and garlic bread. It’s easy finger food for the kids and it’s comfort food for the adults.
Esther and Magdalene love seeing the city. The view on a clear day is spectacular and there are plenty of information boards that share the history of Mt Coot-tha and Brisbane. It’s also fun to point out different landmarks while enjoying the view. No bookings are needed at the café, and if you are on a budget you can pack a picnic as there is a grass area where you can eat together. Esther has requested we pack a picnic next time because ‘sitting on the grass watching the sun would be fun.’
Where: Mt Coot-tha Look out – 1012 Sir Samuel Griffith Drive Mt Coot-tha
Entry: Free
Tip: Pack a picnic and watch the sunset. Take a jacket because it can get quite cool even in Summer.
We drove to all three of our destinations. They can be reached by bus, but when you’re travelling with a baby, I find the car is easier to use when you have to pack so much stuff! Phoebe is 11 months old now and was just over 5 months old in the Mt Coot-tha pictures. While it can be hard work getting the family organized to go out, it can be fun too and the best part is being away from the phone as the change in scenery forces you to focus on your family.
When was the last time you took the family on an outing together? Got any favourite places in Brisbane that we should check out?
I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.
This post is part of the Kidspot Voices of 2015 Put Yourself On The Map Challenge, which encourages online creatives to share three family friendly activities from their corner of the world. 20 finalists will be given the opportunity to publish a post on the Kidspot website and go in the running for a $3000 Flight Centre voucher. Tomorrow is the last day to get your entries in. Good Luck. x
