Hello parents, babysitters and tech-savvy toddlers. Are you looking for a super fun weekend activity or planning an adventurous activity for your next family holiday in Australia? You’ve come to the right place.
Australia is one of the best places in the world to be a kid, with a virtually endless stream of cool things to do – from parks and waterparks to free museums, theatre shows and zoos galore. We reached out to our network of talented writers, who are also parents, for their top recommendations of the best things to do with kids in each Australian capital city. No matter the age, budget and weather, there’s an activity to make the whole family happy.
🏝️ The best holiday destinations for families in Australia
🦘 Where to see kangaroos and koalas
🎡 All the best theme parks in Australia
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.
If you grew up in Perth anytime after 1982, you’d know that Adventure World is as good as it gets when it comes to fun-filled times. To this day, the Bibra Lake theme park continues to facilitate the making of core memories with its roller coasters and rides, water attractions and slides, Grand Prix karting race track and 25 other activities to get amongst. Not to mention the longest, tallest and steepest funnel water slide in the world. Whether it’s thrill-seeking or lagoon-basking that’s on your mind, Adventure World never fails to top the amusement list for the kids of Perth.
Got a big Bluey’s fan at home? A world-first attraction dedicated to the beloved blue heeler and her family has officially opened its doors in Brisbane and it's an absolute dream for kids. Located in the beloved animated character’s very own hometown, Bluey’s World Brisbane promises a one-of-a-kind immersive experience that will take the youngest and unashamedly oldest fans on an extraordinary journey through life-size recreations of iconic settings from the Emmy Award-winning show.
Beerenberg Farm in the oh-so-picturesque Adelaide Hills’ village of Hahndorf welcomes one and all to their sixth-generation family plot to pick your very own strawberries. There’s no better way to convince the kids to eat their daily dose of fruit either – it tastes better when it’s scrupulously hand-selected, right? At just $12.50 per kilogram of strawbs, plus $5 entry for those aged 13 and beyond, you can pick to your heart’s content during harvest season – typically between November and April each year. However, it’s best to check Beerenberg Farm’s website upon venturing up the hill to ensure that it’s business as usual.
Best known for being the home of the legendary Steve Irwin (aka: the Crocodile Hunter), Australia Zoo is an absolutely massive wildlife park bursting with seriously unique wildlife experiences. From world-famous saltwater croc feeding to up-close lemur experiences, Australia Zoo has everything to amaze kids all in one place. Just 60 minutes away from Brisbane, this zoo makes conservation its main focus. Plus, if you're lucky, your little ones may even get the chance to squiz Terri, Bob or Bindi Irwin IRL. How's that for star quality?
Canberra's 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.
Located in Melbourne's Chadstone Shopping Centre, the brick-filled Legoland Discovery Centre will delight little and big Lego fans. The space is packed with more than two million Lego bricks and features attractions, including Miniland Melbourne, where the city's best-known landmarks have been recreated out of thousands of Lego bricks. There are also play zones for the kids, Lego-themed rides called Kingdom Quest and the Lego 4D Cinema.
The slogan of this little slice of fun on the South Coast of NSW (located two hours by car from Sydney) is ‘where you control the action’. Action your kids will control whether they're racing down the pitch black tunnel of the Taipan or holding on for dear life during the Perfect Storm’s wild twists and turns. Jamberoo Action Park isn’t just for the adrenaline junkies though – less adventurous little ones can take a moment to lazily drift in a donut around the Rapid River or hop on the chairlift that offers some spectacular views of the vibrant green and mountainous area the park is secluded in.
Situated in the outer northern suburb of Brighton, this safe haven for adorable native wildlife is loads of fun for kids – with the added bonus of teaching them a thing or two. Join a guided tour to pat wombats, laugh at hyperactive Tasmanian devils and coo over echidnas; or make your own way through the park to find a shy spotted quoll, meet a 100-year-old cockatoo and hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies. Bonorong is a working sanctuary, meaning many of the animals have been brought in injured or orphaned, and the team regularly re-introduce these rehabilitated tenants into the wild. There’s even a wildlife hospital on-site with a viewing window, so curious kids can see vets hard at work saving tiny little lives.
Three words: inflatable fun park. The Darwin Waterfront Precinct is home to an epic aqua park with a four-metre-high, floating, inflatable obstacle course. Need we say more? If it requires spelling out, this park is a guaranteed good time. As well as the aquatic jumping castle, the waterfront has a luxurious grass area surrounding the public swimming lagoon, an on-land playground and a nearby wave pool. You could easily spend a day at the waterfront, alternating between swimming in the saltwater, sun basking on a deckchair and snacking on treats from the neighbouring restaurants (ideally the salt and pepper crocodile from Snapper Rocks or a fresh mango sorbet from Trampoline Gelato).
If you’re looking for an action-packed day out to suit kids of all ages, you can’t beat a theme park. The big hitters just south of Brisbane include Movie World, Wet ‘n’ Wild, Sea World and Dreamworld. There's something for everyone – Australia’s best and biggest thrill-seeker rides, theatre shows and special events, dedicated zones for younger kids and, of course, plenty of family-friendly food and entertainment. Check out the park websites for special deals – if you live locally, a year-long pass makes a lot of sense, but if you’re just visiting for a short time, there are plenty of other bundles and deals on offer.
With a mission to ‘inspire the entire state's collective curiosity’, Perth’s science and technological centre, Scitech, has succeeded in doing just that since 1988. The interactive emporium invites kids of all ages to put their thinking caps on and delve into the world of STEM with head-scratching contraptions, hands-on workshops, mesmerising planetarium shows and expert-led experiments in the gasp-worthy theatre – we certainly have a collection of our own Scitech childhood memories that aren’t going anywhere anytime soon! And not to worry if you’re accompanying kids aged six and under, the Discoverland instalment is designed to foster playful learning minus the crash-bang chaos. Rotating exhibits that are both visually and mentally stimulating are a Scitech staple too, and you’d be puzzled to come across a bored child at the mind-boggling funhouse.
It’s all about feeling warm and fuzzy at Cleland Wildlife Park, in more ways than one. Head up the hill to Mount Lofty Summit Road in Adelaide to encounter native fauna at close range, in their natural habitat. Mosey around the 35-hectare bushland locale and interact with over 130 species of Australian beasties, including emus, kangaroos, wallabies and wombats – with patting and feeding a Cleland Wildlife Park highlight. Moreover, the park is one of the only places in the world where cuddling a koala is the norm – and as of autumn 2025, a new, world-class Koala Loft will welcome animal lovers for both education and adorable experiences.
Keen for a chilled evening with the kids in Darwin? Treat the little ones to a magical movie night under the stars at the city's famous Deckchair Cinema. Set against the stunning backdrop of Darwin Harbour, this open-air gem screens a mix of family favourites and Aussie classics every night during the dry season. The kids will love racing around the lawn flanked with lush tropical plants, until you lure them in with popcorn and ice creams from the kiosk.
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.
Take your youngsters on a ride through the hills of Victoria's Dandenongs, from Belgrave through to Emerald Lake, aboard the historical steam train Puffing Billy. It may not be speedy (once a year you can actually race the train 13 kilometres by foot – and win), but ol' Billy will take you through the trees in style. Even better, the time-honoured tradition of "sitting on the sills" (that is, sitting on the window sills of the open carriages and dangling your legs out) has returned to the train.
In the Noongar language, ‘boola bardip’ means ‘many stories’, and that’s precisely what to expect at WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth Cultural Centre. The brand new-ish museum opened its doors back in late 2020 and has since done a mighty fine job of sharing natural history, cultural heritage and a touch of science too – all while keeping the youngins entertained and inspired. For those aged five and under, WA Museum Boola Bardip’s Early Years Program is the way to go with three different, educator-led sessions across the week of dinosaur discoveries, story-telling and captivating learning experiences. While the one-hour Family Tour: WA Dinosaurs takes you into a wild, prehistoric world where life-sized models spark fascination among all ages. The museum also plays host to temporary, multisensory installations throughout the year, which are more than suitable for engaging inquisitive minds.
While there’s a pretty renowned stretch of big theme parks on the Gold Coast, it is worth your while venturing north for the Sunshine Coast where you’ll find the smaller but mighty Aussie World. Let your littlies try their hand at the hoops or laughing clown heads for sideshow plushies and show bags galore, or really test their bladder in the haunted Mayhem Maze. When the kids are all buggered out from bouncing up and down Australia’s 'tallest and fastest 360-degree pendulum', grab them a bite to eat at the cartoon-like Banana Bender pub.
If you have animal obsessed kids at home, treat them to a day at one of the best zoos in the country. Taronga Zoo is home to more than 5,000 animals from 350 different species around the world. You can get up close with the curious creatures during daily keeper talks, feeding sessions and flight shows – mostly included for free with your Zoo entry.
A day at the museum is more often than not an excitement-inducing pastime, no matter your age. But considering we’re here to talk about the kids this round, North Terrace’s South Australian Museum is coming through with the goods. Along with a family-friendly, self-guided adventure trail through the halls, the museum has also added a new program to its repertoire for those aged five and under – The Crocodile Club – with nature, science and literacy at the forefront of its sessions. The Discovery Centre is an equally hot hit, where drawers upon drawers of bits and bobs await, and the working bee hive that’s been abuzz since 1933 demands your undivided attention.
Surf’s up at the Wave Lagoon, where you can splash around in the 4,000-square-metre supervised zone within the Darwin Waterfront Precinct. With ten different wave sets, there’s no shortage of thrills. Prefer to stay dry? Watch your little ones plop around in the shallow water play area, snag a deckchair under a broad umbrella or enjoy snacks from the kiosk on the tree-lined lawns. There’s also a man-made beach for sandcastle building and a basketball court for those keen to shoot some hoops.
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!
This one goes out to the daredevil children – Matagarup Zip Climb – a merrymaking venture for those partaking and a heart attack moment for onlooking guardians. This sky-high activity sees visitors zoom over Perth's Swan River from the top of Matagarup Bridge – that’s an elevation of 72 metres! The descent to the eastern side of the foreshore spans 400 metres and whizzes participants through the air at speeds that reach 75 kilometres per hour. Now, it’s mostly fun and games, the only kicker is that kids must be at least eight years old to have a go at Matagarup Zip Climb – along with a few height and weight requirements. But if everyone passes the vibe check, then it’ll be sure to provide a full dose of adrenaline for the day.
Brisbane doesn't have a beach per se, so they built this thing. It's a palm-fringed inner-city swimming beach along a lagoon with a picnic area, bang in the middle of South Bank Parklands. They’ve always got lifeguards on duty, so it’s a safe place for kids to burn off energy while you cool down. It's adjoined by a range of fountains calculated to have children squealing in hot weather. Shady trees and cabanas provide spaces to park your towel, and ice cream is readily available from nearby shops and carts.
No childhood is complete without a walk through that famous giant mouth at Luna Park, with theme parks in Melbourne and Sydney. From the moment you walk through you're exposed to a world full of carnival flair; older kids will love the rollercoasters, while the family-friendly ferris wheel and carousel are best for the little ones. Classic carnival treats are on offer, and you can get the cheapest tickets by booking in advance.
A more family-friendly experience than MONA, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery has a designated children’s area that your kids can (and will!) spend hours in. The space – called mapiya lumi / around here – is all about the country around us, allowing kids to discover more about this land that’s existed for millions of years. Interactive play areas are seamlessly integrated into this space, and the big slide is a much-loved spot at TMAG.
Take to the treetops of Adelaide (in Salisbury, Kuitpo Forest or CBD) at TreeClimb’s ultimate outdoor adventure parks. Perched among the greenery are interconnected obstacle courses of nets, swings, zip lines, suspended rock-climbing walls, sky-high bridges and plenty more elevated paths that aren’t for the faint of heart. Rest assured knowing that participants are fully harnessed as they dangle at the problem-solving altitude, and take solace in the fact that TreeClimb is a screen-free activity – now that’s kicking it old-school. It’s all fun and games, although there are height and age restrictions in place that determine which course is most suitable (and safe) for the youngins and teens – all definable upon booking.
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.
Dare to swim with a saltie? This bucket-list adventure is not to be missed. Located in the heart of Darwin’s CBD, Crocosaurus Cove is home to the world’s largest display of Australian reptiles. You can cuddle cold-blooded critters during one of the nine daily reptile shows or stare in awe as crocs chomp down huge chunks of meat during the feeding session. Teenagers aged 15-plus can even submerge in the Cage of Death, an iconic Darwin attraction and Australia’s only crocodile dive.
Sovereign Hill, located 90 minutes by car from Melbourne, is where history comes to life. The ten-hectare outdoor museum is sort of an antipodean version of Westworld, sans the homicidal robots and hedonistic atmosphere. Sovereign Hill genuinely makes learning about Victoria’s gold rush history fun, whether you’re panning for gold in the creek or dipping your own candle. It's almost a right of passage for Victorian kids to visit Sovereign Hill – make sure you get a jar of raspberry drops as a souvenir.
These mega funlands are the perfect place to hide out on a rainy day. Your little ones could spend hours playing in the arcade of retro games, aiming for a strike in the bowling alley and chasing their mates in the laser tag zone. Inside, some venues also offer bowling lanes, mini golf, escape rooms, an interactive 3D theatre ride, dodgem tracks and a bar for parents.
A nostalgic favourite for Darwinites, Aquascene has been delighting visitors with fish-feeding fun since 1981. Open only at high-tide in the tranquil waters of Doctor’s Gully, this rare experience lets visitors feed bread to a variety of Darwin’s fish species – including catfish, bream and milkfish – all keen for a carb-loaded feast. After the fishy fun, let the kids loose on the playground or grab a bite from the Gully Café, where fresh bagels and sandwiches await.
Bringing the country to the city, the Collingwood Children’s Farm in Melbourne gives urban kids a chance to give farming life a go. Each day, new activities are posted by the barn on arrival. Your kids could try their hand at milking the cows, feeding the chooks or playing with the goats and guinea pigs. At other times, they could learn from one of the farmers in an information session, including getting buzzy about bees at the farm’s apiary. The best part? Collingwood Children’s Farm is a not-for-profit organisation, which means that your entry fees will go back into caring for the animals, conserving the farmland and supporting inclusive community programs.
The Australian National Maritime Museum knows exactly how to cater to enquiring minds. Their school holiday workshops are pretty wild, with past hits including a shipwrecked torchlight tour, underwater drones, musical storytellings of the sea and fossil model making. There are free educational trails all around the museum and the Kids on Deck section is free with a heap of interactive activities. There are also fascinating exhibits to check out throughout the year, including the popular Ocean Photographer of the Year.
The Jungle is hard to miss as you're barrelling down Wynnum Road because a real airplane appears to have crashed into its facade. Different attractions have separate pricing; you can drop in for an hour and just do one or two, or buy a package and stay half the day. The centrepiece here, and the place where your little monkeys will likely spend the most time, is the Jungle Time Playground: at least four stories of ropes, tubes, stairways and twisting slides. The Jungle Jump is a massive inflated pillow designed to catch you when you take a leap of faith from one of three levels. Jungle Canopy has you safely hooked up while you take on a number of obstacles about 15 feet above the floor. There's also a complete indoor rock climbing experience with harnesses and auto-belay system so that kids can safely scale quite high walls, and a mini golf course.
Are you kids currently obsessed with all things castles, knights, wizards, princesses and dragons? Make a trip to Kryal Castle, a medieval fantasy wonderland just outside of Ballarat (about 90 minutes' drive from Melbourne CBD). Watch a live jousting tournament, escape from the twisting Dragon's Labyrinth, sign up for Knight School or an axe-throwing session, or learn the art of archery. Kryal Castle also offers overnight stays and kids birthday parties.
Located just outside Brisbane city, Lone Pine has way more than just koalas, but it also has a lot of koalas – more than 130 apparently – ready and waiting to be photographed with you. For something a little more spine-tingling, opt for a photo with a raptor or a snake. On the other end of the Australian wildlife spectrum, you can also hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies, or be sure to check out a sheep dog show, a platypus keeper talk or a big lorikeet-feeding session. You can get to Lone Pine by car or bus, and compared to other theme parks and zoos, it really doesn’t take too long to reach from the city.
If you grew up in Adelaide anytime after 2006, you’d know that The Beachouse is the ultimate outing – essentially winning the weekend jackpot. Sitting loud and proud on Glenelg’s foreshore, the indoor complex dishes out family-friendly activities of the dry and wet variety – ensuring that everyone leaves as a happy chappy. Bring a pair of togs and take to three different waterslides; hold on tight at the dodgem carts and bumper boats; daydream as you whirl around the carousel; give a fair whack on the mini golf course; journey within the seven-story play castle; or simply try your luck at the plethora of arcade games. It’s a smorgasbord of glee and there’ll be no settling for less after a day at The Beachouse.
Kids aged six and up can begin their surfing journey in a safe and controlled environment under the close supervision of coaches and lifeguards at Urbnsurf. The "Bays" offer safe, gentle, rolling green and whitewater waves perfect for those who are learning to play in the waves. You can also book your kids in for a Boog in the Bays session, which are a great way for them to build confidence on a bodyboard while developing the basic, fundamental skills.
For stargazers and budding astronomers, you can’t go past a trip to the planetarium. Housed in Mt Coot-tha’s Botanic Gardens, the planetarium hosts a variety of affordable kid-friendly shows for ages three and up. Most of the immersive shows take place in the Cosmic Skydome – a 12.5-metre-diameter pod that projects the planets, stars and constellations visible in Brisbane on that particular night. You can also visit Skylore: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Astronomy, which features star knowledge and wisdom passed down from First Nations Elders.
A day at the museum is a surefire way to spark excitement, no matter your age. But when it comes to keeping the kids entertained, Darwin’s free Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) is an absolute winner. Kick off your adventure with the Transformations exhibition, a permanent showcase perfect for young nature enthusiasts. Meet the dromornis, the world’s largest flightless bird that roamed Central Australia during the late Miocene epoch; get up close to other curious megafauna; and be awestruck by the neon-lit box-jellyfish display. No trip to the MAGNT is complete without saying hi to Sweetheart – the 5.1 metre saltwater crocodile who’s been in residence since 1979.
Game on, Sydney. Australia’s very first interactive gaming rooms in Darling Harbour offer full-scale, immersive versions of Squid Game, Angry Birds, Ghostbusters and a whole lot more. Little ones aged five and up can come for the adventure, too, with light-hearted games featuring beloved characters from Paw Patrol and Shaun the Sheep. You can find Immersive Gamebox next door to Sea Life, with sessions running daily from 10.30am until 8pm from Sunday to Thursday, and 9pm on Friday and Saturday nights.
Young Melburnians have fond memories of Scienceworks. It's not surprising – the interactive science and technology museum is geared towards getting children excited about science through first-hand experiences. There are guided tours, changing exhibitions, demonstrations and special activities daily. The Planetarium, with its huge domed ceiling replicating the night sky, is always a huge hit, too.
Little animal lovers will love spending the day at Territory Wildlife Park – a 400-hectare park that's home to a mix of wild and captive creatures that are only found in the Top End of the Northern Territory. Whether it's saltwater crocs, sugar gliders, huge snakes, emus, wallabies or exotic-looking birds, this wildlife park has them all in a wild, natural setting. You can walk through a monsoon rainforest, see billabongs and buffalo trails, and walk at your own leisure on well-maintained outdoor paths (there's also an option to get a tiny train).
Take your kids on a journey into the magical underwater world of Sea Life Sydney Aquarium – the world's largest indoor system of Australian marine life, with 60 tanks and three oceanaria filled with 13,000 animals from 700 different species. Highlights include Shark Valley, the Day and Night on the Reef exhibit inspired by the Great Barrier Reef, the Penguin Expedition and Dugong Island.
What better way to get a full-of-beans kid to work off energy than climbing an actual mountain? While a full summit hike of kunanyi / Mount Wellington may be slightly above your child’s skill set, there are loads of easier trails to follow in this very special area of Hobart. Entice your offspring with the promise of seeing an actual waterfall and head off to find Myrtle Gully Falls and Secret Falls – the latter sounds especially intriguing to kids. These are easy, gently inclining trails in the foothills of kunanyi, an enchanted oasis just 15 minutes drive from the city. Follow the two-kilometre return track into lush rainforest and you’ll encounter plenty of little detour trails to extend your adventure. Keep a keen eye out for Secret Falls, which is about ten minutes into the hike and isn’t signposted (hence its mysterious moniker).
Would you believe kids as young as three can do indoor skydiving at iFLY locations across Australia? It’s all about the "look mum, look dad" here, as the indoor skydiving takes place behind glass in the middle of the venue – so even being a spectator is fun. They also have a camera taking pictures throughout your ‘dive’ so you can purchase your most impressive pose – complete with g-force cheeks.
3,700 hectares of bushland paradise awaits at Whiteman Park – just 22 kilometres north of Perth within the famed Swan Valley. This isn’t any ordinary park either, inside the grounds you’ll find Western Australia’s only operational heritage electric tram that takes riders on a 40-minute adventure through farmland and picnic environs – there’s also a steam train, too!
ArtVo describes itself as an immersive art gallery where you and your family are actively encouraged to ham it up in front of the camera lens. Every room at ArtVo features life-sized, hand-painted murals that use perspective to come alive. Want to pretend you’re tiding a giant swan? Or dashing across icebergs in the arctic? How do you fancy meeting King Kong on the side of a cliff? ArtVo’s murals put you front and centre in a bunch of wacky situations and are a whole bunch of fun for all ages.
Keep the kids entertained for a solid two or three hours at IMAX. These super-sized movie theatre screen a fun mix of classics and new releases, so there's bound to be something to suit your mood. If you're looking to get the title of coolest parent ever, a seat in one of IMAX's private pods or recliner chairs might just bring you one step closer.
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