14 Dorset playgrounds are listed with ages, fencing, toilets, parking charges and dog rules, from Moors Valley to Lyme Regis. Checked October 2026.

The playgrounds most Dorset families end up at are the two big country parks in the east, Moors Valley at Ashley Heath and Avon Heath at St Leonards, the timber play park on the Great Field in Poundbury, and the pirate-ship park at Lodmoor in Weymouth. Below are those four and ten more, from Lyme Regis to Swanage. Every entry was checked on 27 October 2026 against the page of the council, Forestry England or National Trust site that runs it.

We have not tested these playgrounds for this guide and nothing here is our own verdict. Each entry sets out what the body that looks after the play area publishes: the equipment, the ages it is meant for, whether it is fenced, toilets, parking and charges, and dog rules where they are stated. Where a council page says nothing about toilets or dogs, we say so rather than guess. This guide covers the Dorset Council area; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are not included.

Country parks and big days out

1. Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Ashley Heath

Moors Valley is run by Dorset Council and Forestry England, and the park’s own site lists “two large adventure play areas”, a one-mile Play Trail of wooden play pieces through the forest, and an “accessible Bee Hive play structure”. Forestry England says you can “climb inside a giant ‘Hawk’”.

The play areas are included in a visit, so the only charge is for parking. The steam railway runs at weekends, and Go Ape’s ropes courses are charged separately.

Address Horton Road, Ashley Heath, BH24 2ET
Parking weekends, bank holidays and school holidays £5.70 for an hour, £11 for two, £17 for the day; cheaper off-peak and winter weekday rates
Toilets toilets, accessible toilet, baby changing
Cafe open 9am to 6pm
Access 13 accessible parking spaces; wheelchairs to borrow; accessible Bee Hive play structure
Website moors-valley.co.uk
Good for two adventure play areas, forest Play Trail, steam railway at weekends, dogs allowed

2. Avon Heath Country Park, St Leonards

Dorset Council’s page for the play area says: “From zip wire to sand pit, there’s plenty to occupy any child.” It lists a zip wire, climbing wall, sand pit, tree house, giant insect climbing sculptures and a trampoline, close to the café and visitor centre and “only a short walk from the car park”. The council has consulted on a masterplan to refurbish the play area, including a possible toddler section and inclusive equipment; we found no date for the work.

The council publishes its parking charges by season.

Address Brocks Pine, St Ives, Ringwood, BH24 2DH
Open park gates 8am to 7.30pm; visitor centre 10am to 4pm
Parking school holidays £3.80 for up to two hours, £6.70 for four, £9 all day; after October half term off-peak £2.80, £5.30 and £7.50
Cafe café and visitor centre close to the play area
Good for zip wire, climbing wall, sand pit, tree house, trampoline, giant insect climbing sculptures

3. Kingston Lacy, near Wimborne

The National Trust estate has two play areas inside the paid visit. The Trust says children can “scramble, clamber and slide” in the Woodland Trail play area, where the equipment might be a castle, a ship or a fort, and that the Kitchen Garden play area “takes inspiration from its surroundings for younger children”, with a buddy swing “suitable for even the smallest babies”. On 26 October the Trust said sections of the Woodland Trail were closed after storm damage, with a 1.5-mile woodland route still open; check the Kingston Lacy page before you go.

Dogs on leads are welcome on the woodland walks, not in the formal garden.

Address Wimborne Minster, BH21 4EA
Price under-5s free; child 5 to 17 £11.50; adult £23 without Gift Aid; members free
Parking free
Toilets baby changing; family toilets big enough for a buggy
Cafe Stables Café, children's menu and high chairs
Access buggy-friendly route round the Woodland Trail
Good for Woodland Trail play area, Kitchen Garden play for younger children, buddy swing for babies, dogs on leads on woodland walks

Dorchester and Poundbury

Dorchester Town Council runs fifteen play areas; its play areas page describes each one. These are the four with the most on offer.

4. Borough Gardens, Dorchester

The play area in Borough Gardens, the town-centre park, is “fully enclosed”, with “facilities for all age groups”, the council says: baby and standard swings, rockers, a mini spinner, two kinds of slide, a multi-play structure and a seesaw. A splash pool opens on warm days, there is outdoor gym equipment nearby, and seating both inside and outside the fence.

The council’s page does not mention toilets or dogs.

Address Borough Gardens, Dorchester, DT1
Cafe kiosk beside the play area, hot and cold food and snacks
Ages all age groups
Good for fully enclosed, splash pool on warm days, outdoor gym nearby, seating inside and outside the fence

5. The Great Field, Poundbury

The Great Field play park is built from large “bespoke wooden structures” based on Poundbury’s landmark buildings and offers “challenging play for all ages”, according to Dorchester Town Council. The timber play company Timberplay names the Buttercross tower as its centrepiece.

Walk in from Peverell Avenue East, or take the bus to the Mansell Square stops. If you want to go indoors afterwards, 100 Giggles Coffee and Soft Play is in Poundbury too.

Address The Great Field, Poundbury, DT1
Toilets in the pavilion beside the play park
Cafe charity-run pavilion refreshments, Tue to Sun 9am to 5pm
Ages all ages
Good for bespoke timber play structures, Buttercross tower, pavilion refreshments

6. King’s Road, Dorchester

Dorchester Town Council’s King’s Road play area sits next to the football pitch, is enclosed, and is meant for “a mixed age group”. The equipment listed is baby and standard swings, a roundabout, two kinds of slide, a seesaw, a trampoline and a tree pole climber, plus what the council calls “a colourful original steam roller” for climbing on.

There is football and basketball equipment nearby. The council lists no toilets or café here.

Address King's Road, Dorchester, DT1
Ages mixed age group
Good for enclosed, steam roller to climb on, trampoline, football and basketball nearby

7. Castle Park, Dorchester

Castle Park has two halves. The fenced area is for “children up to the age of eight”, with rockers, a seesaw, baby swings and a junior multi-play structure, Dorchester Town Council says.

Outside the fence on the large grassed area are a bigger multi-play structure, swings, football goals, a skate ramp and a BMX dirt track, which makes it one of the few Dorchester parks with something for older children. The council lists no toilets or café.

Address Castle Park, Dorchester, DT1
Ages fenced area for children up to eight; larger equipment outside the fence
Good for fenced under-8s area, football goals, skate ramp, BMX dirt track

Weymouth and Portland

8. Lodmoor Country Park, Weymouth

Weymouth Town Council’s Lodmoor page says the Galleon Play Area “includes a large timber pirate play ship which caters for children aged 5+”, with bird’s nest swings, a springy seesaw and a slide on a hump, and a timber gym for children beside it. The council added a rope-end swing, a springer and a rotating climbing frame in its recent £70,000 upgrade of seven Weymouth play parks.

The park also has a 2km green gym trail, the Rio Grande miniature railway, a nine-hole pitch and putt in summer. It is about 15 minutes’ walk from the Esplanade through Greenhill Gardens.

Address Dorset Council's Lodmoor car park, satnav DT4 7SX
Parking pay and display 8am to 6pm; from 1 November £1 for 30 minutes, £5.60 for four hours, £9.50 for up to ten
Toilets public and disabled toilets, open 24 hours a day all year round
Cafe small outdoor café
Ages pirate play ship for children aged 5+
Good for timber pirate ship, 2km green gym trail, Rio Grande miniature railway, pitch and putt in summer

9. Louviers Road, Weymouth

Weymouth Town Council’s play area on Louviers Road has a free skate park, which the council describes as “a quarter pipe, middle ramp, grind box, grind rail and half pipe”, and green gym equipment for adults, so it suits families with a younger child and a teenager. The council’s page lists no further equipment detail, toilets or dog rules.

The council manages 18 play areas across the town and asks people to report a serious defect to parks@weymouthtowncouncil.gov.uk or 01305 239839.

Address Louviers Road, Weymouth
Good for free skate park, green gym for adults, a younger child and a teenager together

10. Easton Gardens, Portland

Portland Town Council calls its Easton Gardens playground “a well equipped secure play area set in the heart of Easton Gardens”, close to the shops and cafés of Easton. The gardens have held a Green Flag award.

For older children, the council’s play areas page points to Grove, off Grove Road next to the Grove sports field, which has a large climbing frame, a zip wire and separate sections for younger and older children, and to Westcliff, the first play area the council refurbished, which it describes as a “brand new accessible play area”.

Address Easton Square, Portland, DT5
Toilets a toilet is listed in the town council's asset records
Ages 5 to 10, per Dorset Council's page on the gardens
Good for secure play area, Green Flag gardens, near Easton shops and cafés

The coast: Lyme Regis and Swanage

11. Anning Road Playing Field, Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis Town Council’s parks page calls Anning Road its main children’s play facility: a “Jurassic and pirate-themed park”, refurbished in 2015, which “includes equipment for children of all ages and physical abilities, with a pirate ship at its heart”. Dogs are not allowed on the playing field or in the park.

For toddlers the council points to Henry’s Way, a smaller park with equipment for toddlers and small children which it says is “completely enclosed”, also dog-free.

Address Anning Road, Lyme Regis, DT7
Toilets public toilets and changing rooms at the Candles on the Cobb Pavilion on the field
Ages all ages and physical abilities
Good for pirate ship, Jurassic and pirate theme, dog-free

12. King George’s Field, Swanage

The play area on King George’s Field was rebuilt by Sutcliffe Play and officially opened on 20 May 2022, Swanage Town Council says. It has “two new fortress and tower themed multi play units with climbing and slides”, a variety of swings, a 20-metre timber trail, a four-way seesaw, and shaded seating and paths, and the old willow shelter was kept.

The field is a few minutes from the sands; the original gates on Victoria Avenue still stand. The council’s page does not give dog rules for the play area.

Address Victoria Avenue, Swanage, BH19
Parking Main Beach car park, beside the field
Good for fortress and tower multi-play units, 20-metre timber trail, four-way seesaw, shaded seating, skate park next door

North Dorset

13. Langton Road, Blandford Forum

Langton Road is the largest of the four play areas Blandford Forum Town Council runs. The council says the site’s size allows equipment “suitable for children up to 12 years old”, including equipment for disabled children, and it was refurbished in March 2013.

For under-6s the council’s Park Road play area, also with equipment for disabled children, and Larksmead, which has a swing for disabled users, are the smaller alternatives. The council’s page lists no toilets or café at any of them.

Address Langton Road, Blandford Forum, DT11
Ages up to 12
Access equipment for disabled children
Good for the largest Blandford play area, refurbished March 2013

East Dorset

14. Redcotts Recreation Ground, Wimborne

Wimborne Minster Town Council’s Redcotts Recreation Ground has a children’s play area alongside a petanque pitch, a basketball area, a half-pipe skate ramp, a football kick-about area and a table tennis table, which makes it the town’s best bet for mixed ages. Council papers from 2024 and 2025 record work on the multi-play frame and quotes for restoring the “doughnut” play equipment.

The council also runs a play area at Leigh Park Playing Field. Its page does not list toilets or dog rules.

Address Redcotts Lane, Wimborne Minster, BH21
Good for mixed ages, half-pipe skate ramp, basketball, petanque, table tennis, football kick-about

How we chose

These are the play areas with the most published about them, chosen to spread across the county: the two big country parks and the National Trust’s Kingston Lacy in the east, and the main playground run by each of the larger town councils. They are not ranked. Each one was checked on 27 October 2026 against the page of the council, Forestry England or the National Trust; where those pages do not say whether there are toilets, a café or dog rules, the entry says so. Parking charges are the published charges and change with the seasons, and storms close country parks at short notice, so look at the park’s own page on the morning you go. Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@dorsetpost.co.uk.

For more ideas, see things to do in Dorset, October half term in Dorset, what’s on in Dorset this month and Dorset’s dog-friendly beaches. For longer outings, read walks in Dorset, and for somewhere to eat afterwards, our guides to Dorset cafes and brunch in Dorset. Local businesses are listed in the Dorset Post directory.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest play area in Dorset?

Moors Valley Country Park and Forest at Ashley Heath has the most play of anywhere on this list: Forestry England lists two large adventure play areas, a one-mile Play Trail through the forest and an accessible Bee Hive play structure. Play is free; you pay for parking, £5.70 for an hour or £17 for the day at weekends and in school holidays.

Which Dorset playgrounds are fully fenced?

Dorchester Town Council describes the Borough Gardens play area as fully enclosed, and its King’s Road play area as enclosed. Castle Park in Dorchester has a fenced area for children up to eight. Lyme Regis Town Council says its Henry’s Way toddler park is completely enclosed, and Portland Town Council calls Easton Gardens a secure play area.

Are there free playgrounds with toilets in Dorset?

Yes. Weymouth Town Council says the toilets at Lodmoor Country Park are open 24 hours a day all year, and the pavilion beside the Great Field play area in Poundbury has a toilet and is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm. Lyme Regis has public toilets at the pavilion on the Anning Road playing field. All three playgrounds are free; Lodmoor’s car park is pay and display.