The proponents of the Gumnut Park, which opened off Aprasia Avenue in the town last week, promised exciting new ideas and ways to offer fun and challenges for children.

Googong project director Malcolm Leslie said the imaginative play was important to the design of the park equipment.

"There is a worldwide debate at the moment about whether city parks are losing their educational value," he said.

"Authorities have been so focused on making them safe that many are boring."

Gumnut Park was described as a fantasy space, with gumnut-shaped climbing pods and outdoor ping pong tables to appeal to children of various ages and abilities.

Mr Leslie said the designers also considered the extended length of time families now spent at parks.

"Thirty years ago, people came to the park for 10 minutes to give the kids a go on the slide," he said.

"Now people come to the park for a few hours. Teens and older children want a place to hang out so the designers look to provide bigger, stronger play equipment that is more physically challenging."

Early childhood educator Jenny Petkevicius, who won the the ballot to purchase the first block of land in Googong, said the parks brought the neighbourhood together and helped her family make friends.

Her four children, aged from four to 18, were able to get something out of either the open spaces or the play equipment.

"There is something for all of us and every few months a new [park] opens so we never have time to get bored," she said.

"Backyards are getting smaller and it is so important that children have a great outdoor space to explore because they learn so much."

Last month Canberra hosted the "Shaping Spaces for Gen Z" forum, which addressed issues of childhood health and how best to adapt public and private amenities to cater for the next generation's needs.

Urban Synergies Group director Gregor Mews told the forum that a lack of gross motor skills from exploring and engaging risky experiences was of serious concern for children's health.