Pohutukawa Park Playground

If you’ve got a toddler or a preschooler in tow, this little spot in Paraparaumu is worth knowing about. The playground is well set up for the younger crowd — nothing too big or intimidating for little legs. What makes it work is the open grass field right alongside, so once the kids are done on the slides they’ve got plenty of room to just run. It’s the kind of low-key local park that doesn’t try too hard but does exactly what you need it to do.