The best things to do in Brisbane with kids

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 projection dome, and a highlight of any visit is the projection of the planets, stars and constellations that will be 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. The Planetarium is also home to an observatory, the Sundial Courtyard, a theatre and the Galaxy Gift Shop.

Head to this buzzing cultural precinct for one of the best inner-city days out in Brisbane. Start with a trip to one of Brisbane’s premier museum or gallery spaces – there’s dinosaurs and hands-on science exhibits at the Queensland Museum, world-class art and creative kids spaces at QAGOMA, and daily sessions for kids at the State Library of Queensland. After a busy morning you can scoot or walk to the South Bank Parklands, where you’ll find the famous Streets Beach, playgrounds, the Rainforest Walk, Epicurious tasting garden and special events like live music and free kids activities. Take a picnic or choose from some of Brisbane’s best kid-friendly eating options. For a perfect end to a great day out, see the city from the water with a ride on a CityCat. 

Brisbane’s bayside suburbs are often overlooked in favour of the Sunshine or Gold Coast, but there is plenty to be enjoyed closer to home. Suburbs like Shorncliffe, Wynnum and Nudgee are especially great for families with young kids – you’ll find playgrounds and water parks, fantastic climbing trees, tidal pools and family-friendly beaches. Enjoy fish and chips by the water or make use of the barbecue facilities, and then enjoy an ice cream as you walk along the pier. Kids will enjoy special activities like the low-tide walk from Wellington Point to King Island, the Wynnum Mangrove Boardwalk, and the bush food and cultural tours run by Nyanda Cultural Tours at the Nudgee Waterholes. 

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 is something for everyone – Australia’s best and biggest thrill-seeker rides, shows and special events, special 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.  

Daisy Hill is one of Brisbane’s hidden gems, and if you’re looking for an active and educational family activity, you’ll find plenty to do here. Hiking, mountain biking and horse riding are some of the best ways to see the park, and there are trails to suit all levels. Entry to the Daisy Hill Koala Centre is free, and apart from seeing the resident koalas, kids can also learn about koala conservation in a hands-on exhibit. In the day-use section of the park there’s an interactive play space for kids, including Wild Nature Play for sensory nature experiences and Indigenous Games, where the whole family can learn together through play. The park is wheelchair accessible and dog-friendly, and has barbecue and picnic facilities.

Bribie Island is easily accessible by bridge, and is a great option for a day trip or even a chilled-out weekend getaway. Older kids can enjoy activities like kayaking and paddle boarding, while younger kids can make the most of the closest patrolled surf beach to Brisbane. One of the best things about a visit to Bribie is the range of beaches – check out Woorim Beach on the ‘surf side’ of the island if you want to catch some waves, or head to the ‘passage side’ along Pumicestone Passage for pristine waters and gentle bayside swimming. Just make sure you take the time to enjoy the slow pace of island life, and if you’re lucky you might even spot some dolphins frolicking in the Moreton Bay Marine Park.

Cruising along this riverside bikeway is a great way to explore Brisbane with kids. The bikeway is accessible to riders of all levels and ages, and the dedicated bike path means you don’t have to contend with cars. Start at Captain Burke Park, located under the Story Bridge, and you can either ride along the river towards the South Bank Parklands and West End; or ride over the bridge itself and loop around to the City Botanic Gardens. There are plenty of things to stop for along the way – from picturesque views of the river and the Kangaroo Point cliffs, to playgrounds, picnic areas and cafés. For more information on this bikeway as well as other popular bike paths around Brisbane, check out the Brisbane Council website.

Brisbane’s subtropical climate means that the city is home to a whole host of water parks – perfect for cooling down during the hottest months of the year. Some of the best free parks include Rocks Riverside Park at Seventeen Mile Rocks, Orion Lagoon in Springfield, and Flagstone Water Play Park in Undullah. Rocks Riverside Park also boasts playgrounds, a community garden, public art, a riverside pomade and 8,000 square metres of open grassed space, so there is plenty of room to spread out with a picnic or to let the kids burn off some energy. Brisbane is also home to several inexpensive waterslides, including Albany Creek Leisure Centre, Chermside Aquatic Centre and Hibiscus Leisure Centre in Upper Mount Gravatt. Make sure you check if the slides are open to avoid disappointment, as most only run during the summer season. 

Only a one-hour drive from Brisbane’s CBD, a trip up to Mount Tamborine offers myriad possibilities. For nature lovers there’s Cedar Creek Falls, where you can hike down to the rockpools for a refreshing dip in the cool mountain water. The lookout near the car park offers stunning views and is accessible by wheelchair and stroller. For adventurous children and adults, head to Thunderbird Park, where you’ll find the Treetop Challenge. Children from ages 3 and up can experience the thrill of Australia’s largest zipline and high ropes course, and there are several different levels for different age groups and abilities. At Thunderbird Park you’ll also find the thunderegg crystal mine, bird feeding, pony rides and several other attractions along with camping and lodge accommodation.  

Kids love playgrounds, and Brisbane is home to lots of well-loved and imaginative play spaces. Depending on what the kids in your life are into, you can check out ninja warrior gyms, skateparks or BMX tracks. Explore New Farm Park with its wooden treehouse built around the towering fig trees, or head to Frew Park in Milton for futuristic urban climbing. The centrally located Roma Street Parklands has two small playgrounds set amongst the lush gardens, and also hosts ticketed family-friendly events like Moonlight Cinema and the Enchanted Garden. If you’re keen to travel a little further afield you can visit Queens Park in Ipswich, home to Japanese Gardens, a mini zoo, café and several children's playgrounds.

Check out our definitive list of Brisbane's best playgrounds.

Who knew learning about nature could be like a ghost train ride? The top drawcard of the Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre is a dark room where you can sit and experience a night sky, a thunderstorm and finally a glorious sunrise. Lights flash revealing possums, lizards, and owls around you. Sound effects complete the experience. It's part of a modern pavilion filled with interactive displays exploring the entire local ecosystem. Press buttons to hear the calls of local frogs. Lie flat on a couch looking down at a screen and feel what it's like to be a hawk in flight. Find the hidden cicadas, open the panels, and learn all you need to know about the natural environment. There are storybooks and toys too. This is a premium free experience for kids and it adjoins a Nature Play playground where all the equipment has been made from materials found in nature such as tree trunks, rocks, water and sand. You could easily spend a couple of hours here without even venturing into the bush, but if you do, there a several easy bushwalks to undertake.

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. 

Specialising in kooky art exhibitions that kids love, the Museum of Brisbane is housed in Brisbane City Hall – the elegant, imposing neoclassical building overlooking King George Square. Take the lift up to level three to find the museum (you can't access it via stairs), which is dedicated to showcasing the art, stories, culture, history and talent of the Sunshine State's storied capital. In contrast to the 90-year-old heritage building it resides in, Museum of Brisbane is a contemporary space featuring five galleries – explore on your own, or book in for one of its tours. You can even take a free tour up to the very top of the clock tower, which was at one time the tallest building in Brisbane. 

Adjacent to Mount Gravatt Showgrounds is this cheerful and unpretentious putt putt. There’s an undercover course for poor weather tournaments and an outdoor course among pleasant trees and bushes. Spin one of the occcasional challenge wheels to change up your game and groove along to a constant soundtrack of '70s and '80s feelgood anthems under the disco lighting. Budding Harry Kewells will be in their element on the nine-hole “foot golf” course where you simply have to get a soccer ball into various marked holes across a field in as few kicks as possible. Friendly staff here make a huge difference, helpfully explaining everything and perfectly happy to let you play each course multiple times at no extra charge. They even have a licence to serve alcoholic beverages to the grown-ups if they want them. Unlike more high profile putt putts, a prior booking isn't necessary here. Prices are very reasonable with big discounts if you opt to play more than one of the three courses.