Farnham Reserve is a neighbourhood playground and reserve on Farnham Avenue in Highbury, Palmerston North, looked after by Palmerston North City Council and rated 4.2 from ten Google reviews. A good suburban playground does two jobs at once: it gives children equipment that stretches them — climbing, swinging, balancing — and it gives caregivers somewhere to sit with a clear line of sight. The best ones pair the play gear with open grass, so a quick stop can turn into a picnic or a kick-around. When choosing, match the equipment to your child's age rather than the overall look, and check for shade over the busiest parts, which matters through a Palmerston North summer. Locals tend to time visits for weekday mornings, before the after-school rush fills things up. Set on a residential street in Highbury, Farnham Reserve is the sort of playground local families can wander to without making a day of it.