Any native English Speaker around ?

English is very often spoken in Amal Women's Center in Guéliz.

The British Business Groups holds monthly member meetings the second Wednesday of each month at 11:00 at les Entrepotes, Gueliz (opp Droguerie Hanaf) next one is May 14th 2014.

There was a lively discussion on the facebook group Expats in Marrakech about where to take kids out for a play.

Best rated playground seems to be the Afriquia playground on Route de Casa (After marjane, towards Casa, before the big round about, on your right. And yes, it's part of a petrol station complex, but it's well isolated from the roadside, provides a big playground, good food at decent price that provides some of '5 a day'. The taghanout bread, fresh from a traditional clay oven, is the best I've had in 4 years in Marrakech. The live music can sometimes be overbearing, but overall it's a decent place for children, expats and locals, to play while parents can sit in the shade.  (don't forget hat, sun tan cream & lots of water to drink). It's just about accessible by taxi, but coming back might be an issue if you haven't made prior arrangements.

More accessible by taxi is the rather large public playground opposite the Royal Palace along the city walls ring road. In fact, it is surrounded by 'express' roads and it be awkward or unpleasant with young ones to get out of the taxi. And I don't believe there's much parking space close to it. In a taxi, consider dropping off at Bab Agnaoui and walking from there. In a car, consider day car parks in the vicinity and walk from there. The park is reputedly quite clean and pleasant in itself, just quite difficult to access. I've never been there myself.

My personal favourite is what I call the 'Petrol station garden & aviary'. There's a big lawn with olive trees wide enough to provide shade for a table and 4-6 people, to one side a big, rudimentary playground with see through wire so parents can keep a watchful eye, to other side a big, active field of olive trees, opposite a row of cages with a variety of birds, which are not the venue best feature. However the food is good, the setting very pleasant, the air clean and fresh. A good day out, easy on the purse, expect very little English but you can count on Marrakchi hospitality for help with your order and insights into Morroccan middle class life.

Much more expatity, and treble the price, and 40-60 minutes drive, the last 10 minutes are quite bumpy, is the Jardin, on the western side of Lake Takerkoust. A very good day out, very nice food, beautiful venue of shaded tables set on the edge of orchards and ollive groves. Ask for the guided tour. Hot water naturally springs from the ground, is filled overnight so guest may swim in fresh water free of chemicals. At the end of the day, the pool is drained to irrigate the field. There's a complete working farm, with eggs for the children to spot. (no touching).

On the same road, left after the bridge along the dam, but closer than the Jardin and priced mid range, is another family friendly venue with access to the edges of the lake (I would'nt call them beaches). Lather in sun tan, dowse with water, apply strict hat rules.

Further afield in distance, time and money, consider choosing from a host of half or full board options in quiet, child friendly Sidi Kaouki, 20k south of (and 45 minutes away from) Essaouira. Decent, child friendly food covering most of 5 a day (think carrot and cucumber sticks in tupperware), fantastic rockpool to muck around in, loads of clean sand to dig up.