Ocean Keys Shopping Centre Playground

If you’ve explored your fair share of shopping centre playgrounds, you’ll know they can often feel a little repetitive.

Ocean Keys Shopping Centre in Clarkson has taken a completely different approach — creating a space that is intentional, inclusive and genuinely engaging for children and their caregivers.

This isn’t just somewhere to pass the time. It’s a place where children can move, explore, regulate and connect — and where parents and caregivers can actually enjoy the experience too.

Inspired by WA’s Coastline

The design is one of the first things that stands out.

Inspired by the Western Australian coastline and native flora, the playground features calming colours, ocean elements and interactive features that reflect sea life — creating a space that feels both modern and thoughtfully designed.

It’s visually engaging without being overwhelming — something many families will appreciate.

Designed for All Children

This playground has clearly been created with child development and inclusion at its core.

It is:

• Accessible and inclusive, with wheelchair access via the door entrance
• Best suited for ages 2–7 years
• Designed to support sensory-rich, open-ended play

Children are encouraged to:

• Build strength and coordination through climbing and movement
• Regulate and reset through sensory play
• Grow confidence and social skills through shared play
• Explore creativity and imagination

As both a mum and a teacher, this is the kind of space that immediately stands out as being purposefully designed — not just visually appealing.

Playground Features

While compact, the playground is packed with engaging elements that keep little ones moving and exploring.

Features include:

• A small rock-climbing wall and rope climbing entry (two access points for different abilities)
• A rope tunnel bridge and tunnel slide
• Balance stepping pole pods to hop, wobble and test coordination
• Magic Talking Tubes that activate colourful lights
• A touch-activated sensory light wall with coloured buttons
• Interactive sea creatures (including starfish and octopus elements) that respond to touch with sound
• A spinning maze and gear wall
• Ground-level sensory panels, perfect for toddlers and children using wheelchairs
• Coloured window panels for visual and colour exploration

It’s the kind of space where children naturally move from one element to the next — without losing interest.

Built for Real-Life Parenting

One of the biggest strengths of this playground is how well it supports families.

It’s located:

• Right by the food court
• Close to family toilets (ideal for toilet training toddlers)
• Near coffee options (always a win)

There’s also:

• Cushioned bench seating and bar stools for parents and caregivers
• A layout that makes it easy to keep eyes on your child
• A semi-contained design, helped by its position near windows

Because it’s not a fully open 360° playground, supervision feels much easier — especially with adventurous little people.

Our Experience

We visited first thing in the morning — a great time to go if you’re hoping to avoid crowds.

It was also a particularly hot Perth day and having air conditioning directly above the playground made a huge difference. It’s a fantastic option when outdoor play just isn’t realistic.

It wasn’t busy at all during our visit and the space never felt overcrowded.

Kai absolutely loved it — especially:

• The climbing opportunities
• The Magic Talking Tubes that triggered colourful lights

We stayed for over 90 minutes and he genuinely didn’t want to leave.

As a parent, I also noticed how naturally the space encouraged interaction with other children — something that doesn’t always happen in smaller play areas.

Sustainability Matters

Another standout feature is the strong sustainability focus.

The playground has been constructed using:

• Around 60,000 recycled milk bottles
• 100% recycled and recyclable plastic panels
• Eco-friendly soft flooring and durable materials

It’s great to see a space that supports both children’s development and environmental responsibility.

Make a Morning of It

Paint Wanneroo REaD Reading Corner

Located near TK Maxx, this community reading space encourages families to sit, read and connect.

Books are donated by the community and families are encouraged to contribute — helping give books a second life while supporting early literacy.

📖 Clarkson Library (just across the road)

Pair your visit with one of their free early years’ programs:

• It’s All About Rhymes (Birth–2 years)
• It’s All About Stories (2–5 years)
• It’s All About Play (0–5 years)

These sessions support language development, imagination and social interaction — and they’re completely free.

 

Need to Know

Location: Ocean Keys Shopping Centre, Clarkson (near the food court)
Parking: Free
Shopping Centre: 120+ stores including food, fashion, homewares and more
Best for: Ages 2–7