Best Indoor Activities in Sydney on Rainy Days

From indoor entertainment to day trips beyond the city, these options offer something different depending on your mood and the weather. This one is only suitable for families used to long walks or parents happy to carry their kids, lol; it’s not for the fainthearted at the 8km in total. Your efforts, however, are well rewarded with not one but two lighthouses and a couple of playgrounds along the way. The museum has a fantastic kids’ area, Kidspace and accompanying activity programs. Kidspace offers a story time period between 2 pm and 3 pm each weekday.
After a safety briefing and training from experienced instructors, children can experience being lifted into the air by a powerful wind generator. For the seriously keen, there are ten-week courses for ages 6-16 years and birthday party packages available for flyers. The park offers a range of activities for kids, including kids entertainment sydney cbd bike riding tracks, learning and discovery days, such as the mini park rangers, tours and art galleries. For toddlers under 3, look for venues with dedicated soft play zones separated from older children. Many play cafes across the Inner West and North Shore also cater specifically to the under-3 crowd with age-appropriate toys and safe spaces. If there's one thing Sydney parents stress about more than school catchments, it's birthday parties.

If you are a family with older kids, you can swim in the north or head wherever you see the red and yellow flags. Flags are placed at the part of the beach that lifesavers have deemed the safest for the day. Whatever you do, resist the temptation to swim at the southern end of the beach.
Council-run vacation care is the most affordable option, often subsidised through the Child Care Subsidy. Finding play spaces that genuinely cater to toddlers and babies is one of the most common requests we get from Sydney parents. While most large play centres have a “toddler area,” the quality varies enormously. Some are genuinely thoughtful spaces with age-appropriate sensory elements, soft climbing structures, and proper separation from older kids. Others are an afterthought — a small cordoned-off corner with a few plastic toys that your 18-month-old will lose interest in within five minutes. Toddlers will enjoy the slide and hourly wave pool action on weekend afternoons.

Although, the best time to visit the art gallery with kids is during the NSW school break since they have a holiday program to keep the kids occupied. They have a kids’ trail available that involves listening to stories, clues and completing fun activities as you explore the museum. Your kids will love taking in the harbour views, spotting iconic Sydney attractions like The Rocks and the Opera House on the way and stopping to explore new places. We have included the best Sydney attractions plus some super fun day trips to go beyond the city and explore more of New South Wales. Embrace the wet and take your bedraggled brood on an aquatic adventure.
Families come in all shapes and sizes, which is why we’ve organized our recommendations by family type. Finding activities for toddlers in Sydney isn’t easy but we’ve uncovered some genuinely excellent options through our research. That’s its own challenge, so we’ve focused on activities that won’t have them rolling their eyes all day. And of course, we’ve made sure the grown-ups actually enjoy themselves too. A day at the beach is always a great way to enjoy the sunshine and spend time with family.
It is a bustling waterfront area surrounded by family-friendly activities and dining. It is an amazing place with a ferry leaving every few minutes to different parts of the Harbour, including Taronga Zoo, Manly Beach and Watsons Bay. The halls of the gallery are kid and pram-friendly, and you can take a break at the adjoining café and restaurant without venturing into the rain. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. Gymnastics is another hugely popular choice, with clubs like Sydney Gymnastics and Acrobatics Centre, Northern Beaches Gymnastics, and Hills Gymnastics offering recreational and competitive programs. Dance classes span everything from classical ballet to hip hop to contemporary, with studios across every region of Sydney.

This is one of our favourite half-day trips from Sydney when you don’t have a lot of spare time but still want to get out on the water and visit somewhere nearby. Jump on the ferry at Circular Quay, since it can only be reached by boat! It’s a great place for families to explore, with lots of interactive activities and interesting attractions. An Art Gallery is a perfect indoor activity in Sydney for those rainy days, especially if you have older kids who appreciate fine art.
Yes, there are several family-friendly beaches located within easy reach of the city centre. There are so many great things to do in Sydney with kids when you are spending time in the New South Wales capital. Sydney is a family-friendly city with a wide variety of attractions and activities for kids and adults of all ages.

Once you arrive, there is plenty to do in Manly and this should be a fun day for everyone. We have put together our Sydney with kids bucket list with the help of the members of our community who have shared what worked best for them on their visits, combined with our detailed local knowledge. Sydney is an easy city to get around, with heaps of different transport options for families. There are day trips by coach from Sydney as well or consider staying for a night or two so you can explore a little deeper. Here you can ride the world’s steepest passenger rail, the steepest cableway in the Southern Hemisphere and ride the cable car between the mountains.
The park has a playground that is perfect to burn your little ones’ energy. They also have free hands-on school holiday programs during the NSW school break. This is a good option for older kids who have an interest in the local history as it tells the story of The Rocks from their pre-European days to the present time. There are also playgrounds for the kids in each of them, including Centennial Homestead Playground, Paddington Gates Playground and nearby Moore Park Rotunda Playground to name just a few of the play spaces.

The walk is not too challenging but best suited to older kids, as it is quite long. You can do this tour alone by following this walking guide; however, it is well worth going on a guide-led walk if the times and prices suit you. The tour I recommend is led by volunteer guides, and the cost of the tour is donated to kids in need.
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.
Our favourite was the Gruffalo Trail which is an interactive trail for kids. There is also a playground, a skate park and street art to admire. We were lucky enough to see one of the local artists working on her piece during our last visit. This is a popular spot all year round, with walking trails, a great adventure playground for the kids and heaps of covered picnic tables.