It takes a village to raise a child – and here’s hoping your new village will offer these key places so your child can play, learn, shop and more with ease. 

Schools

Yes, you guessed it! From kindergartens to Year 12, your child should be educated in the best school you can find. And with the majority of state schools requesting kids live in local catchment regions, the more education possibilities in the vicinity, the merrier. Alternatively, Catholic and independent schools may take into account those living further away or may not place any restrictions at all on enrolments. Either way, having plenty of good schools close by can reduce, or make unnecessary, long parental commutes while also being a great indication of family-friendly areas. 

Shops

When you’re tired after a long day at work, you don’t want to trek through a big shopping centre or across the city to buy a bottle of milk. As such, it’s crucial for a kid-friendly area to include a small to mid-sized shopping centre, with a supermarket on offer plus a convenient variety of details such as post offices, chemists and bakeries. And don’t forget you’ll also want plenty of convenient parking. 

Medical amenities

As parents, we all know our kids can injury themselves or fall ill at any time, anywhere. So, along with the above shops, ensure your new home sits close to a hospital, medical clinic and dental practice.

Public transport

Nearby public transport is certain to be appreciated when your kids are a little older. Fantastic for increasing independence, trains, trams and buses offer an easy way for kids to reach high school or go to sports and entertainment events. As a parent, handy public transport also means you won’t always need to be the family chauffeur.  

Parks and playgrounds

Last but definitely not least for the ideal kid-friendly suburb is abundant outside expanses, where your young people can burn off their extra energy. To save you driving miles to find such spaces, hunt out suburbs which offer both parklands and playgrounds within easy walking distance. Areas with lots of wide, open spaces also mean plenty of families live in the region so as with schools, you can’t have too many parks at your back door.