Top kid-friendly activities in and around Sydney this month
Little ones need big fun, and thankfully Sydney is up to the task. Whether your child loves the sunshine, is more of an indoor type, is scientific or artistic, there’s plenty for everyone from tiny babies to sophisticated teenagers to do. Here are our top picks for how to best entertain the family.
FREE FEEDS
bura
Australian Museum, daily, free, australian museum
The Australian Museum is always a guaranteed boredom buster with its exotic animals and sparkling minerals, but the first place many race to is the children’s permanent learning space. bura. Opening in 2022, this school brings together Western science and First Nations knowledge in an imagination-stimulating space filled with puzzles, tactile spaces and imaginative play.
Dig!
Museum of Sydney, daily, free, mhnsw.au
Multi-sensory experience of the museum Dig! It opened in December last year and is the perfect opportunity for the whole family to play amateur archaeologist. Established retro 80s-style video arcade games are highlights, where players can mash buttons to reveal both trash and treasure. Those up for the challenge may try to piece together a piece of work, but be warned, this is harder than it looks.
Children’s Library
State Library of NSW, daily, free, sl.nsw.gov.au
There is an area within the bookshelves of the State Library devoted solely to children’s literature; Complete with volumes floating above your head and cozy corners where you can curl up. It’s worth visiting on the third Sunday of each month for the library’s ongoing Family Market event, which will be scheduled in conjunction with the next Grandparents’ Day on March 15. For those whose children are not yet reading, there is also a family room where children under five can enjoy toys and costumes.
MUSICAL PLEASURE
Lenny Pearce’s Little Techno Rave
Sydney Zoo, 22 February – 15 March, $49.99/AU$19.99, sydneyzoo.com
For little ones who like their BPMs high, Lenny Pearce transforms nursery rhymes like: Wheels of the Bus And Hop Little Rabbits By mid-March, she had become a dance floor rave at her weekend residency at Sydney Zoo. Free for kids three and under, admission to the zoo is all-inclusive, so visitors can see the creatures and also boogie down below.
Little Roast Rock
Factory Theatre, March 7, $39.70/$34.60, smallfryrock.com.au
This wonderful concert series was born out of a desire to create concerts that adults could take their children to. The upcoming Sydney show features a great Aussie bill with singer-songwriter Lisa Mitchell and musical duo Busby Marou. Daytime shows feature colorful balloons and monitored sound levels, so both parents and children can happily enjoy. Children aged two and under have free admission.
ACO Family Days
ACO On The Pier, The Neilson, March 14-15, June 14 and October 10-11, $29, aco.com.au
The Australian Chamber Orchestra organizes regular family days to introduce mini conductors to classical music. Their next plan is in March, Mozart and FriendsIt is a 30-minute concert and the little ones can try the instruments after the recital. While the concert is suitable for audiences of all ages, children between the ages of 2 and 8 are most recommended, children under 24 months old sitting on the lap of a paying adult can also attend free of charge.
OUTDOOR ACTION
Darling Harbor Playground
Darling Harbour, daily, free, darlingharbour.com
This has to be one of the best playgrounds in Sydney; Parents can enjoy a sneaky coffee while the kids wander around for hours. It’s especially nice on a sunny day, because there’s an impressive water play area with watercrafts and fountains where you can splash water. A new area has also been added in 2024 to cater to tweens and teens, featuring super-sized slides and more challenging climbing structures.
saplings in sydney
Sydney Royal Botanic Garden, various Thursdays, $21 per child per session, botanicgardens.org.au
Children ages 2.5-5, along with their caregivers, can get their hands dirty exploring the majesty of nature in a program specifically designed for early learners. With fun activities, stories and games, pre-schoolers can discover the beauty of the Royal Botanical Garden while learning about the surrounding plants and wildlife. Sessions can be booked randomly or as part of a term pass.
Spotlight Prowl for Families
Centennial Parklands, March 6, April 8 and 17, May 1 and June 5, $24.50, centennialparklands.com.au
See what happens after dark in the park as participants are taken on a family-friendly dusk hike led by experienced rangers. Keep your eyes open to spot some of the area’s nocturnal inhabitants, including brush-tailed opossums, microbats, tawny frogmouths and gray-headed flying foxes. Western Sydney residents should note that Spotlight Prowls are also held at Parramatta Park.
INDOOR ENTERTAINMENT
Balloon Story
Fever Pavilion, Sydney Showground, daily until 18 March, $39.90-$49.90/$29.90-$38.90, balloonstory.com/sydney
Launched last month, this spectacular experience uses more than 400,000 eco-friendly latex balloons to create enormous sculptures of everything from underwater scenes to alien landscapes and the Eiffel Tower. There’s even an inflatable forest and a huge ball pit surrounded by cute creatures. All ages are welcome; Children aged two and under have free admission.
DigiPark Sydney
Westfield Sydney, daily, $39.20/$31.20, digipark.com.au
This 19-room immersive attraction, which opened last school holidays, is a visual extravaganza with holographic tunnels, a mirror maze, an illuminated planet room, interactive graffiti walls where drawings come to life and an upside-down oven. Younger kids will love it, while older ones will appreciate the many selfie opportunities.
Cinematheque Junior
Art Gallery of New South Wales, 18 March-27 May, $18/$10-$16, artgallery.nsw.gov.au
AGNSW has expanded the Sydney Cinematheque film program into a children’s series; This is a great option for any parent looking to raise a Truffaut toddler. Relaxed bi-weekly sessions are held in a slightly darkened theater with scheduled films including: Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moomin and Midsummer Madness, My baby And ratatouille. Children under the age of two can attend for free.
Tiny Buckles
Magic Yellow Bus
Various locations, Monday through Thursday, free innerwest.nsw.gov.au
There’s a reason why the inner west’s amazing Magic Yellow Bus program is a mums’ favourite. It provides socialization opportunities for children between the ages of 0-6 by visiting various parks throughout the week. For the littlest attendees, there’s an area equipped with baby toys to keep them tummy-free, and there’s also playdough, dress-up and stories for toddlers.
Music Playing Time for Kids
Sydney Opera House, March 13, April 17, May 15 and June 12, $25, sydneyoperahouse.com
Little ones can be introduced to music in a sweet way at Sydney’s most spectacular venue. Babies and toddlers will hear a variety of musical styles, including classical, folk and blues, in a comfortable environment where they are encouraged to move and make noise. Sydney Youth Orchestras perform on some dates, including singer Angie Who. Participation in the event is appropriate for ages 0-2, and babies under the age of 1 are accepted free of charge.
Phive Kids Programs
Phive, Parramatta, various dates, various prices, cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/phive
Parramatta cultural centre, Phive, hosts an excellent range of weekly activities for young people. There are Phive Messy Babies for ages zero to two, which offer colorful sensory play to develop motor skills; Yoga Cubs, where ages from six months to five years can be stretched carefully; and Phive Preschool Pioneers, where three- to five-year-olds receive hands-on educational lessons in cooking, nature and science.
BIG KIDS
Rebel Wind
Sydney Opera House, 23 February-1 March, $79-99/$63.20-79.20, sydneyoperahouse.com
Internationally renowned magician and mentalist Asi Wind, named 2022 magician of the year by Hollywood’s Magic Castle, makes his Australian debut More Than Magic. Even though Wind has nothing more than a deck of cards, he uses crowd interaction and dazzling tricks to perform truly mind-blowing feats. Suitable for ages over 12.
Last Train to Madeline
Australian Youth Theatre, 11-21 March, $30-35, atyp.com.au
Australian Youth Theater is staging their first production in their new performance space, The Popsy. Callum Mackay’s new Australian play, set in Wangaratta, follows Maddy and Luke, aged 10, 17 and 23, as they ponder their childhood dreams and the development of their friendship. Suitable for ages over 14.
prom
Teatro at the Italian Forum, March 24-April 19, $75-$85, teatroitalianforum.com.au
Musical theater fans can get a taste of Broadway as Helpmann Award-winning stage star Caroline O’Connor leads the cast in this exciting musical. It follows a group of washed-up actors trying to regain their reputation by getting good press and decide to help a lesbian high school student who is banned from bringing her girlfriend to the prom. Suitable for ages 10 and above.
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