Welcome to the Family Friendly Map Project. I created this app to help carers find activities for their families in the
Hunter region. The instructions below will help you navigate and use the website. If you need to access these instructions again, click the
how to button in the top navigation pane. I hope you find somewhere new to play 💓!
Getting started
Upon opening the app, you'll see a map with icons representing different family friendly activities in the Hunter region. You can zoom in and
out, move around, and click icons for more information about each activity.
Layers
In the top navigation pane, you will find a button to show or hide different layers. Use the
check boxes to show or hide different layers to help make it easier to find what you're looking for.
Filter
In the top navigation pane, you will find a button to filter playgrounds. You can filter which
playgrounds are visible on the map by five features: nearby cafes (less than 1km from the playground), fenced playgrounds, toilets, accessible
play equipment, and age suitability. You can read about how I determined these features in the info
tab.
Pop-ups
Click on any icon to get more information about that location. When you click an icon, a pop-up will appear with more information, including
what type of activity it is. For all activities except playgrounds, the pop-ups contain details about a URL for the activity website, cost,
whether there's classes available, etc.
Additionally, you can click on the title in the pop-up to open the location in Google Maps in my browser or mobile app for easy navigation.
Symbols
Categories are symbolised by colour primarily, then symbols for sub-categories. For example, the cultural activity category is
red with different symbols for art galleries, museums, attractions, etc. Additionally, you can view the
category within the pop-up.
Playgrounds come with extra symbols in the pop-up to indicate the presence of the features outlined below.
When the symbols are in colour, that indicates that the feature is present at that playground. If the symbol is grey, that means the feature is
not present at that playground. Cafes within 1km Fenced playground Toilets Accessible play equipment
If all stars are coloured, that means the playground is suitable for all ages.
info
about
Hi, and thanks for visiting! I'm Tori Murrant. At home, I'm a mum; and at work, I'm a researcher and spatial analyst
(I work with the location of things). I'm the sole developer of this project.
Living in the city with no yard, I frequently visit the many playgrounds that the Hunter region has to offer.
While we have a handful of usual favourites, I wanted to explore new parks - but they need to meet certain criteria.
I wanted to be able to search for parks based on the different facilities they have, but I couldn't find anything that
met my needs. So I made it!
I hope this website helps you find a fun new place to explore. A place with toilets and coffee nearby. 🙏
faq
How did you determine the age suitability for playgrounds?
There were a few variables that I considered when determining which ages a playground was suitable for.
• Babies: The playground has ground level play equipment for a child with limited physical mobility to engage with sensory
experiences or play equipment. Playgrounds with bark were considered not suitable for babies due to the likelihood of
a baby putting bark in their mouth.
• Toddlers: The playground has low-level play equipment for a new walker to engage with, and stairs or ramps to access
higher levels of play equipment. Essentially, I could imagine two toddlers playing independently and their parents feeling
safe.
• Big Kids: The playground has limited or difficult play equipment; leaving plenty of room for imaginative play, running around,
or testing their physical abilities. There is limited accessibility for younger children.
• All Ages: The playground has a variety of equipment that is accessible to all ages; such as stairs, ladders, swings, or
sensory experiences.
How did you determine if a park was accessible?
Accessibility wasn't just about physical access- but play equipment and opportunity for kids and families with different
physical and mental abilities. Where a playground is classed accessible, I felt that the play equipment was adequate for
kids with sensory needs, or it was *actually* accessible by kids with different physical requirements.
How did you determine if a cafe/restaurant/bistro was kid-friendly?
There were three factors I assessed to determine whether a venue was kid-friendly:
• Does the venue have adequate space for a pram, crawling baby, or toddler to walk around?
• Does the venue have play equipment?
• What are the vibes of the venues patronage and staff towards children?
The venue had to fulfill two of these requirements for me to consider it kid-friendly. If you think there's a venue missing, please
contact me and I'll investigate it!
Can you add pet-friendly playgrounds?
Unfortunately, no. Under the Companion Animals Act, pets are prohibited within 10 metres of children's play equipment - even if they
are leashed. While there will be parks that are pet-friendly that have playgrounds, I would not define any playground as pet-friendly.
Do you have plans for the future of this project?
Yes! I want to add more features, such as walking trails, and expand the project to include features that make a suburb desirable
for families.
contact
If you have a suggestion for a place to be added or updated, feedback about the project, or just want to say hi,
you can contact me via LinkedIn or email me at torimurrant@protonmail.com.
Upon opening the app, you'll see a map with icons representing different family friendly activities in the Hunter region. You can zoom in and
out, move around, and click icons for more information about each activity.
Layers
In the top navigation pane, you will find a button to show or hide different layers. Use the
check boxes to show or hide different layers to help make it easier to find what you're looking for.
Filter
In the top navigation pane, you will find a button to filter playgrounds. You can filter which
playgrounds are visible on the map by five features: nearby cafes (less than 1km from the playground), fenced playgrounds, toilets, accessible
play equipment, and age suitability. You can read about how I determined these features in the info
tab.
Pop-ups
Click on any icon to get more information about that location. When you click an icon, a pop-up will appear with more information, including
what type of activity it is. For all activities except playgrounds, the pop-ups contain details about a URL for the activity website, cost,
whether there's classes available, etc.
Additionally, you can click on the title in the pop-up to open the location in Google Maps in my browser or mobile app for easy navigation.
Symbols
Categories are symbolised by colour primarily, then symbols for sub-categories. For example, the cultural activity category is
red with different symbols for art galleries, museums, attractions, etc. Additionally, you can view the
category within the pop-up.
Playgrounds come with extra symbols in the pop-up to indicate the presence of the features outlined below.
When the symbols are in colour, that indicates that the feature is present at that playground. If the symbol is grey, that means the feature is
not present at that playground. Cafes within 1km Fenced playground Toilets Accessible play equipment
If all stars are coloured, that means the playground is suitable for all ages.
FAMILY FRIENDLY MAP PROJECT
Cafes within 1km
Fenced playground
Toilets
Accessible play equipment