Community and Recreational Centres
Perfect for a rainy day (or any day, really), there are plenty of libraries in the Eastern Suburbs you can visit with your kids for free.
Check out the Daily Activities page for what events are on, or keep reading to discover the libraries themselves - as well as ideas for things to do even when there aren’t any organised activities during your visit.
Don’t forget about the Des Renford Aquatic Centre with its heated pools - perfect for a family day out all year round!
Randwick Council
Lionel Bowen Community Library (Maroubra)
Free Parking | Toys | Daily Activities | Toy Library | Cafe
Address 669/673 Anzac Parade, Maroubra NSW 2035
Lionel Bowen Library is a busy hub located centrally in Maroubra. The library has plenty of free activities on during the week for babies, todlers and preschoolers. There is a cafe in the foyer of the library and free parking accessible from Gale Road. There are toys in the kids section of the library featuring a caterpillar tunnel and busy boards. Perfect library to visit if you also need to stock up on some groceries as Pacific Square is a short walk away.
Lional Bowen Library features a small parking lot accessible via Gale road. If this is full there is street parking or the Pacific Square shopping centre has a free large car park which is only a short walk away.
Updated July 2024
Malabar Community Library (Matraville)
Free Parking | Toys | Daily Activities | Cafe | Toy Library
Address 1203 Anzac Parade, Matraville NSW 2036
Malabar Community Library is a small, quiet library that features a unique outdoor sitting area where you can read your library books in the sun. The library has a free activity for ages 0 to 5 on Saturday morning - perfect for a family morning out as Malabar beach is only a 10 to 15 minute walk away. There is also a cafe in close proximity to the library.
There is plenty of free parking on the street surrounding the library as well as a public car park in the middle of Anzac Parade opposite the library.
Margaret Martin Library (Randwick)
Free Parking | Toys | Daily Activities | Cafe | Toy Library
Address 73 Belmore Rd, Randwick NSW 2031
Margaret Martin Library is located in the hub of Randwick. - the Royal Randwick shopping centre. It is a busy library that features a lot of free activities on during the week for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. The library features a few small toys in the children section - this is great for if your little ones need a break from reading books. Make it a morning out with your little ones by visiting the new playground off Alison road and visiting the best (IMO!!) pastries in Randwick - 22 Grams.
Free parking (for two hours) is underneath the Royal Randwick shopping centre. The library is located on level 1 and is accessible through the lifts. The parents room is not located in the library but on level 1 on the other side of the building - right behind the GP. You will also find a small play space located across from best and less featuring blue building blocks. A great activity if your toddler needs a a change of scenery from the library.
Updated July 2024
Des Renford Aquatic Centre (Maroubra)
Recommended
Free Parking | Entry fee | Creche | Splash Park | Cafe | Grassed areas | BBQ Facilities
Address Jersey Rd & Robey Street, Maroubra NSW 2035
Des Ren Ford is an amazing facility that features indoor and outdoor swimming pools, splash park and BBQ facilities with outdoor areas to sit and enjoy when a break in swimming is needed. It is a great, cost efficient day out for the family with a canteen for a caffeine hit - don’t miss out on the most amazing hot chips. There are great playgrounds in walking distance and massive ovals to run and kick the footy on. The most loved swimming pool is the enclosed outdoor dome pool (heated) where you’ll find majority of the children under 5 swimming (if they aren’t running around the splash park). Des Ren Ford also have an amazing swimming lessons schedule and a highly rated creche.
Located outside the facility is a free 24 hour parking lot and street parking in the surroundings area. Parking can get busy on the weekends but there is a high turn around so you may have to do a few laps of the parking lot before scoring one.
Updated July 2024
Waverley Council
Waverley Library (Bondi Junction)
Free Parking | Toys | Daily Activities | Cafe | Toy Library | Drawing station
Address 32-48 Denison St, Bondi Junction NSW 2022
Waverley library is the only library in Waverley council and is a busy hub that is filled with activities connecting the community. The library has free parking underneath for two hours which is a bonus as it is located in busy Bondi Junction. It is in walking distance to East Gates and lots of coffee shops to choose from.
The library has the biggest children's section that has foam mats to jump on, bean bags, cubby houses and a drawing station (the colouring in pages are kept to the right of the front desk). There are free activities on throughout the week for babies, toddlers and preschoolers and after school activities for kids over 5.
For a fun morning outing you can take your kids to one of the activities held at the library and then take them to the playground across the road for a run around outside after.
There is free parking underneath the library for two hours. The library is accessible via the lift in the car park. If the parking lot is full there is some free two hourly street parking however as it is located in busy Bondi Junction be aware of timing so you don’t get a parking fine.
Updated 4 September 2024Woollahra Council
Woollahra Library (Double Bay)
Recommended
Free Parking | Interactive Screens | Daily Activities | Cafe | Indoor Slide | Balcony
Address 1/451 New South Head Rd, Double Bay NSW 2028
Double library is one of our favourite libraries at MumSphere. Its features a tunnel slide in the library (open at certain times), interactive smart screens, cubby holes and beanbags throughout the kids section and an interactive floor that lights up. It has multiple sitting areas in the kid section and multiple free activities on throughout the day. The library is also surrounded by amazing cafes and eating options (Bake Bar is a favourite of ours). To make it a morning out you can visit Steyne park or splash in the water at Double Bay beach after the library visit. It is the most beautiful library and you will be in awe when you first arrive and see all the beautiful indoor plants. When borrowing books from Woollahra library keep in mind the borrowing time is only three weeks before a fine is issued (we know from experience!!). They do give you ample of warnings via email of overdue books but they do not auto renew for up to 3 time likes Randwick and Waverley council. To auto renew download the libraries app and you can do that yourself if you need more time before returning.
There is a free one hour parking across Kiaora ave at Woolworths or if you spend $40 at Woolworths you get 2 hours free parking.
Updated 20 November 2024
Pictures courtesy of Woollahra Council
Paddington Library (Paddington)
Free Street Parking | Interactive Screens | Daily Activities | Board Games |
Address 247 Oxford St, Paddington NSW 2021
Paddington Library is located in the busy hub of Oxford street - surrounded by trendy cafes, op-shops, boutiques and restaurants. The children’s section in the library features an interactive screen (can confirm both of our toddlers loved), loads of seating to read books, a table to play some board games and room for kids to move around and check out all the library has to offer. For such an inner city suburb Library it has a wide range of resources and the kids section is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.
Free street parking is available in the back streets but it is usually only for 2 hours maximum. Please be weary of the time because there are many active parking officers in Paddington. A tip from us is to make it a morning out by parking at Centennial park near the Paddington gate section. The library is a 1km walk from there so a pram is need for the toddlers but you’ll be able to get a coffee on the way and stop at one of the many reserves along Oxford road (there is a funny gold water fountain with a baby which our toddlers loved playing around). There is also a great park located at the Paddington Gate entrance of Centennial Park where you can visit after the library if your toddler now needs to run off some energy.
Updated July 2024
Watsons Bay Library
Fenced | Partial Shade | Water Fountain | Toilets
Address 8 Marine Parade, Watsons Bay NSW 2030
Watsons Bay Library is a beautiful, smaller library located in the leafy, green suburbs of Watsons Bay. It is one of the smaller branches of the Woollahra council libraries - but it is not lacking in features. They have a great selection of children’s books and children’s activities on at different times throughout the week (check out our Daily Activities page). With the fenced area around the cafe and library, you can let your toddler enjoy the little grassy space out front with confidence. The Tea House cafe next door to the library also has some toys to entertain your toddler while you enjoy a coffee. Please keep in mind to always check the opening hours before visiting - this library does not have typical opening hours and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday it opens in the afternoon.
Free street parking is available however it can be limited. There is also public toilets (change tables included) located around the back of the Tea House cafe.
Updated July 2024
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