Consider the inner west where you can combine murals with independent shops, or Cronulla where you can discover over 20 murals between the train station and the beach. Jamberoo is about 90 minutes south of Sydney and there are water play areas, water slides, fun rides and plenty more. There are good facilities with a fenced playground, gas BBQs and beautiful harbour views. You can follow a walk from the ferry wharf that will take you to a significant rock art site. The small general store near the waterfront often has free pamphlet guides you can follow.
Their facilities are consistently well-maintained, with wall-to-wall interconnected trampolines, foam pits, slam dunk zones, and a dedicated “Mini BOUNCE” area for children under 6. Flip Out operates larger-format venues in Penrith, Prestons, and Castle Hill, offering interactive entertainment sydney ninja warrior courses alongside their trampoline floors. Sky Zone brings dodgeball courts, freestyle zones, and a SkyLadder climbing challenge to their Alexandria and Macquarie Park locations.
One of the most iconic things to do in Sydney is climbing up one of the world’s most iconic bridges – the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb. In addition to being a mode of transportation, it is also a fun experience that won’t break the bank. Along with steep overhangs, a neverending lead wall, the chimney, a vertical treadmill and a giant log ladder, there’s a tamer wall for the kids (and the climb-wary). If bouldering’s more your thing, there’s over 90 problems to solve in the exclusive bouldering area. Macquarie Ice Rink has recently completed a multi-million-dollar transformation making ice-skating even more fun.
You can photograph yourself upside down on the ceiling with Spider-Man, activate the Bat signal and help Superman lift a helicopter above his head. There’s more than enough to occupy an hour or two here, and you can even memorialise the visit with a wax cast of your own hand. Tickets are cheaper if you book them online and you can bundle them with tickets to the Sydney Tower Eye, Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, and the Big Bus for further discounts. Paula Morgan, a born-and-bred Sydney resident, has been sharing this city and its secret spots for over 15 years. We have done some pretty extensive research on the best hotels and apartments for families in Sydney to make selecting the right property easier for you.
It is perfect for children of all ages since it is both exciting and educational. You can take a guided tour or just wander around the gardens at your leisure. The kids will love exploring the many paths and discovering all kinds of flora and fauna. Unlike your typical museum, interaction with the exhibits is encouraged at Madame T’s. Superheroes are a big part of the fun, with displays of both Marvel and DC’s costumed crusaders.
The Inner West has carved out a niche for creative, design-conscious play spaces. Nubo Alexandria is the poster child of this movement, with its Scandinavian-inspired aesthetic, natural materials, and focus on open-ended sensory play. It's not cheap at around $22 per child, but the experience is genuinely different from a traditional play centre.
There are also combination tickets for sale that can save you money if you plan to visit the attractions included. Almost every guidebook suggests a ferry ride on the harbour, and the Manly ferry is the longest and most popular on offer. The public ferry leaves every half on from Circular Quay and will set you back a little over $8. Sure, you can just drive over the bridge on your way to Wollongong for a day at the beach, but it’s well worth parking your car and doing the Sea Cliff Bridge walk.
You also get some great views of the Sydney skyline from Watsons Bay on a clear day. Or if camping and glamping aren’t your scene, there are also holiday apartments too. Whale watching is a perfect Sydney family activity to witness these magnificent creatures up close on a comfortable vessel. The Sydney whale watching season is typically between May and November each year, although the winter months of June and July are usually the best time for whale sightings. You may see a variety of artifacts from many centuries ago and also learn about the local and traditional custodians of the area.
This is a big day out of the city, but it will give you a chance to explore suburban Sydney. Take the train to Cronulla and then the little Tom Thumb Ferry across Port Hacking to the tiny settlement at Bundeena on the edge of the Royal National Park. The catch with visiting these ships is that kids must be over 90cm tall. The average three-year-old probably fits this, but of course, all kids are different. Kids 8 years and over are welcome to climb, and the climb is well-paced, so most people won’t find it too challenging.
For more family history experiences, check out the offerings of the Sydney Living Museums. The Justice and Police Museum is housed in the old Water Police building at Circular Quay. There are a range of interactive challenges, including cops and robbers, where kids become detectives tracking a criminal or see if they can escape from the cells. Taronga has put together a bunch of missions on their free app to help kids get involved in their zoo visit. They choose one of six missions and learn more about wildlife on your visit. Along with being a pretty unique way to see the harbour, a tallship cruise is fun for the entire family.
The pressure to find the perfect venue, manage RSVPs, organise food, and keep 15 sugar-fuelled kids entertained for two hours is real. The good news is that Sydney has an enormous range of kids birthday party venues, and most of them take the hard work off your plate. The coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee is suitable for kids aged 5 and over.
Visitors can opt to play five, ten or all 15 games, with the full course taking about two and half hours to complete. Each of the individual courses of five games contains a puzzle, a ball pit and a trick shot game, so if you’ve only got time to visit a few of the rooms you won’t be short-changed on the fun. Once you’ve tested your mettle against the challenge rooms, you’re bound to be in need of some refreshment. The Hijinx bar offers a range of fun signature drinks, both for thirsty kidlets and parents in need of an adult drink or two (don’t miss the Bubblegum Martini complete with bubblegum scented smoke bubbles). Prices range from $15 to $30 per session depending on the activity and location. Play cafes typically charge $12 to $18 per child for unlimited play, with many including a coffee for the accompanying adult.
It’s one of the most iconic things to do with kids in Sydney as it gives them an amazing view of the city and a whole new way of experiencing it. The observatory deck has interactive displays, a telescope and informative guides that explain what you’re seeing. The Observatory also has an immersive family tour to take kids on a journey into space with all sorts of astronomical knowledge. The museum offers an insight into Australia’s maritime history and its impact on the nation’s culture and economy.
For our complete guide to indoor play centres in Sydney, including suburb-by-suburb breakdowns and current pricing, check out our dedicated page. Most trampoline parks cater to kids aged 3 and up, with some offering dedicated toddler bounce sessions on weekday mornings. Prices range from $18 to $30 per session, and grip socks are usually required (available for purchase at around $3 to $5).
Best Indoor Activities in Sydney on Rainy Days
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