Looking for new ideas of things to do during the week with your toddler, things to do this weekend or ways to keep the kids entertained during the school holidays? Start working your way through our ultimate bucket list of things to do with kids in Sydney!
Things to do with kids: Sydney City
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour is fabulous!
Want to head over the bridge for a day in the city? Sydney is full of fun attractions ideal for children of all ages.
- Embrace history with a trip to a museum – try the Powerhouse Museum, Maritime Museum or Australian Museum.
- Buy a Merlin Annual Pass and get unlimited yearly access to some of Sydney’s best attractions, like SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Madame Tussauds and Sydney Tower Eye.
- Hang out at Darling Harbour – explore the Chinese Garden of Friendship, play at the Water Park, dine at the new Darling Square or watch a show at Lendlease Darling Quarter Theatre.
- Wander around the spectacular Royal Botanic Gardens. Dine at one of the cafes or pack a picnic!
- Spend some time around Circular Quay. Go see a kid’s show at the Sydney Opera House and have lunch at the Opera Bar. Or maybe hop on a ferry and cruise to Watsons Bay, Cockatoo Island or Manly.
- A BridgeClimb is a truly memorable thing to do and is a great birthday gift for your child. The best thing is, you can go with them! Keep an eye on the BridgeClimb website, as special promotions are often running for families throughout the year.
Things to do with kids: North Shore
A trip to Taronga Zoo is always a great day out!
If you’re looking for some great things to do around Sydney’s North Shore, then this list is for you. From a full day out at the zoo to a swim at the gorgeous aquatic centre, there’s something for all ages and seasons of the year!
- Enjoy thrilling rides at Luna Park (Milsons Point).
- Wander around the spectacular Taronga Zoo and get friendly with the animals (Mosman).
- Explore Wendy’s Secret Garden (Lavender Bay, 5 mins walk from Milsons Point).
- Check out one of the many parks & playgrounds we have in the area and tick off a few!
- Spend the day outdoors in a beautiful national park, like Wildflower Gardens in St Ives, Bobbin Head or Lane Cove National Park – go bushwalking, paddle boating, playground and a snack at the cafe!
- Visit the inner harbour Balmoral Beach – visit the playground, ride your bike along the beachfront and enjoy fish and chips.
- Go swimming at an Aquatic Centre.
- Head to one of these great ninja courses.
- Encourage a little family-friendly competition at one of these mini golf venues.
- Climb high at one of these 10 local indoor rock climbing centres.
- Stick to the indoors and let the kids burn off some of their energy at these indoor playcentres.
- Get out and about in the warmer weather and go on the hunt for the best waterslides in Sydney.
Things to do with kids: Northern Beaches
The ocean pool for toddlers at Dee Why Beach
You’re spoilt for choice if you’re looking for kids’ activities on the Northern Beaches. There’s so much to do on the Northern Beaches for kids and best of all, most of it’s free – so you can keep costs down.
- Go to the beach! All the beaches on the Northern Beaches are fantastic, but we especially love:
- Manly: has everything you need for a fun day out!
- The Northbridge Baths: this popular spot has a nice sandy beach within the bushland of Middle Harbour.
- Balmoral Beach: this is an amazing child-friendly beach with a playground, many cafes and a long promenade for riding.
- Clontarf Reserve: there is a lovely netted, calm swimming area for kids, huge playgrounds, plenty of grass, a cafe, toilets and more.
- Dee Why: there’s something for kids of all ages at Dee Why Beach, with two ocean pools (one for toddlers, the other a 50m lap pool), a patrolled beach, two playgrounds and many cafes!
- Picnic at Manly Dam, Little Manly or Clareville Beach. Pack your swimmers!
- Grab your snorkels and check out the amazing marine life we have right here on our doorstep with these best snorkelling spots around the Northern Beaches.
- Spend the day at Winnererremy Bay Park in Mona Vale – lunch at Flying Fox Cafe, ride bikes, enjoy the fantastic playground and splash in the bay (pack swimmers & scooters!).
- Ride your bikes around Narrabeen Lake. This is one of the best toddler activities on the Northern Beaches and gets rid of plenty of energy!
Things to do with kids further afield
Meet meerkats at the new Sydney Zoo
There are lots of fabulous attractions and things to do with kids, that are just a short drive from Sydney’s north shore. Some of our favourite things to do…
- Visit the new Sydney Zoo in Western Sydney.
- Pack up the kids and head off on a camping adventure with these 10 family-friendly spots around Sydney.
- Discover some of the natural wonders we have around Sydney, including Caves Beach, The Blue Pool, Kiama Blowhole and more.
- Visit a wildlife park to see some native Australian animals.
- Visit a farm. Find out the closest farm animals to the North Shore here.
- Have some splash-tactic fun at a Water Playground.
- Take a drive to the countryside and go fruit picking! Apples, oranges, mandarins, strawberries, whatever you like!
- Go horse riding! Whether that’s a pony ride or something more adventurous, it will be a day that you’ll always remember.
Food adventures around the North Shore
Do your kids love eating? The weekends and holidays hit, and suddenly your kitchen is turned into a revolving door of snacks, meals and more snacks. Why not take the kids out and enjoy a bite to eat at some of the fabulous experiences we have around?
- The best buffets around Sydney come in all cuisines, from Korean to seafood. Try one of these mouthwatering smorgasbords as listed in this collection of the best buffets around town!
- Eating out with the whole family can get expensive. We’ve scoured the North Shore to find all the local North Shore restaurants where kids eat free. Enjoy!
- Fluffy pork puns, delicious dumplings, trolleys stacked full of tempting morsels. Yum cha is one of the best food experiences for families, offering up so much choice and food ready-to-go (no waiting with hungry kids!).
- Want to know the local restaurants where you can take the family for a great meal while the kids can let off steam in a nearby play area? We’re a big fan of restaurants, cafes and pubs with playgrounds on the North Shore that have been designed with families in mind!
- Do you have a craving for some delicious teppanyaki cooked right before your eyes? Check out these top teppanyaki restaurants on the North Shore.
- There are some amazing milkshake creations right here on the North Shore, so next time you are looking to spoil the kids (or yourself), put these cafes on your list in your hunt for the best kids’ milkshakes on the North Shore.
- There’s nothing better than a quick and easy sushi train lunch or dinner with the kids.
