The 12 best things to do with kids in Canberra

If the kids need to burn off some energy, the National Arboretum Canberra has 250 hectares for them to run wild. There are more than 44,000 rare and endangered trees planted across 94 forests, with bike paths and walking trails snaking throughout. But good luck pulling the kids away from the award-winning, nature-themed Pod Playground at the Village Centre, where giant acorn cubbies, nest swings and banksia pods promise hours of fun.

Take the little ones on a trip back in time – 700 million years, to be exact – with a visit to the National Dinosaur Museum in Gold Creek Village. Over the past 30 years, this interactive museum has built Australia’s largest permanent display of dinosaurs and prehistoric fossils. Kids can try to squeeze their heads into the mouths of 23 life-size dinosaur skeletons, including Stan, Canberra’s larger-than-life T. rex, who is 20 metres long (half the length of the museum!) and towers above the entrance at a lofty six metres tall.

Tourists are often surprised to discover that Canberra boasts the longest alpine slide in the Southern Hemisphere, delivering high-speed thrills for both the young and young at heart. In summer, the mountain recreation area is all about that silver toboggan, where an automated pulley tows you up a steep hill before you zoom down a series of curving slopes. Kids under eight must ride with an adult, but their ticket is just $10. 

This popular children’s science centre with interactive exhibitions and live shows is renowned for putting the fun into science, technology and innovation. Learn about everything from the Earth and space sciences to robotic technologies and the fundamentals of physics. In ‘The Shed’, you can tinker away with everyday objects to tackle a problem or simply create something memorable. Don’t leave without plunging down the two-storey-tall freefall slide. 

Even the little ones will feel like giants when roaming Cockington Green Gardens, a whimsical miniature village in Nicholls. Set within beautifully manicured gardens, this fantastical attraction features meticulously crafted tiny buildings from all around the world. While you’re there, hop aboard the miniature steam train, peek inside the 34-room doll's house ‘Waverley’, and finish up with homemade scones in the Garden Café. It’s small in size, but full of wonder!

Discover an immersive and inclusive play space designed for children of all abilities from birth to six years, plus their families, within the National Museum of Australia over on the Acton Peninsula. Here, children can explore animal-centric stories from Australian history, including Trim the Cat, Chris the Sheep and more, through hands-on and immersive activities, virtual storytelling, animation and imaginative play. 

You can think of Yarralumla Play Station as your one-stop shop for kid-friendly fun. The star attraction is the bright red, miniature Weston Park railway, which chugs along every half hour from 10am daily for just $7 a ride. The adventure park is also home to one of Australia’s largest miniature golf courses, featuring 36 holes spread across two different courses. Little animal lovers can visit the Farm Station, home to free-roaming ponies, sheep, pigs, alpacas and turkey. And when the bellies start rumbling, the café serves up dinosaur nuggets and ice cream spiders.

Inspired by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, PlayUp at the Museum of Australian Democracy celebrates the right of kids to freely express themselves. Both grown-ups and children can enjoy storytime and craft activities, a fuzzy felt wall, a kindness café and listening pods. The exhibition also incorporates role play and games to foster little imaginations, inclusion, community and self-confidence.

You’ll find the Mint – the place where every Australian coin is made (fun fact: it also makes circulating coins for other countries, as well as collector coins, medals and medallions) – in suburban Deakin. Take the young ones for a peek at the factory floor and learn about the manufacturing process for coins through interactive multimedia displays. The most curious kids can book into a free 30-minute tour or check out the permanent display of rare and unique coins, including ‘misstrikes’ (imperfect coins), rare pennies and the first coins to land on our shores. 

This two-in-one wildlife wonderland brings kids up close to native and exotic animals from around the world. From meeting meerkats and feeding giraffes to touring tiger enclosures and patting cheetahs, there are so many hands-on experiences that will keep the kids happy and busy. During ACT school holidays, kids can even go on a Zoocation, where they’ll get up close to the zoo’s most beloved creatures, play games, make toys for the animals and learn lots of fun facts along the way.

Imaginations can and do run riot in this mysterious, mist-shrouded garden that weaves between the edge of Lake Burley Griffin and the National Gallery of Australia building. The mist is actually a ‘fog sculpture’ by pioneering Japanese artist Fujiko Nakaya. Her Foggy wake in a desert: An ecosphere creates its magic each day between 12.30pm and 2pm. It’s one of the more evocative artworks in the Sculpture Garden, with families encouraged to visit on Sensory Sunday (held on the first Sunday afternoon of each month), when activities are offered to suit neurodivergent individuals.

Harry Potter fans can immerse themselves in the world of their favourite witches and wizards at Quizzic Alley. Your little ones can spend hours at this humble shopfront, browsing Australia’s largest range of licensed Harry Potter merchandise. However, the real magic lies in the free, immersive experiences – snap a photo in the flying car from the movie, get sorted into your Hogwarts house, and sample their signature #QBrew (the shop’s take on Butterbeer).