As much as the team at Urban List love a good brewery tour, bottomless brunch, and cocktail-filled dinner, believe it or not, there are equally enjoyable things happening across Brisbane/Meanjin that the kids will get a kick out of too.
The next time you’re looking for an activity that the whole family can get behind, skip the same old playground, pack away the play dough, and turn off the TV, because we’ve got you covered with 24 of the best things to do with kids in Brisbane.
Jump to:
- Best Museums And Galleries For Kids In Brisbane
- Best Outdoor Activities For Kids In Brisbane
- Best Animal Experiences For Kids In Brisbane
- Best Indoor Play Centres For Kids In Brisbane
- Best Indoor Activities For Kids In Brisbane
- Best Creative Activities For Kids In Brisbane
Winter School Holiday Program
Keeping the kids busy these school holidays is easy (and largely free) with Brisbane City Council’s winter school holiday program—packed with more than 370 activities across the suburbs. Kids can burn off their energy with active classes like basketball, fishing and teen yoga, while the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium will run daily shows at the Cosmic Skydome with free entry to explore everything from constellations to planets. 33 Brisbane libraries will be hosting author chats and writing sessions or head to the Museum of Brisbane for hands-on workshops where kids of all ages can channel their creative energy. Check out the full program here.
Bluey's World
281A MacArthur Avenue, Hamilton
Everyone's favourite children's show is here (for real life) in an immersive 4000sqm experience featuring vibrant, larger-than-life sets. Step into Bluey's World, where everyday is a chance to play (adults, that means you too). Featuring interactive play areas, photo opportunities, and gift shop, let your kids get up close and personal with the Heelers.
Best Museums And Galleries For Kids In Brisbane
QAGOMA
Stanley Place, South Brisbane
Art is for all—just ask QAGOMA, who have a dedicated Children’s Art Centre that runs all year round. From free exhibitions to workshops, art programs, and tours dedicated to all ages, your little ones have a multitude of ways to get involved and explore their creativity.
Queensland Museum And Sciencecentre
Grey Street And Melbourne Street, South Brisbane
Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland
A surefire way to occupy curious minds, The Queensland Museum and Sciencecentre always has something on for youngsters. From dino skeletons at the museum for the kids with a soft spot for the T-Rex, or some good old fashioned scientific fun in the Sciencecentre, bring the fun back into learning. We promise we won’t hold it against you if you enjoy the outing yourself.
Workshops Rail Museum
North Street, North Ipswich
Take a break from Thomas The Tank Engine reruns and go in search of a life-size Thomas instead. Train-obsessed youngsters will be in literal heaven at the Workshops Rail Museum, which features old school trains, railway platforms, model train tracks, and a wealth of off-the-rails fun. All aboard.
CrossRover Rail Experience Centre
1/151 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane CBD
Free to enter, the CrossRiver Rail Experience Centre is a deep dive into the tunnels and railways currently being constructed under Brisbane, with exhibits including VR experiences, digital models, and more that will keep both adults and kids enthralled. Even better, they put on free activities every weekend, from arts and crafts to LEGO building.
Best Outdoor Activities For Kids In Brisbane
DIG IT
Cedar Creek Falls Road, Tamborine Mountain
Image credit: DIG IT | Supplied
Tell the kids they can play in the dirt for once—Thunderbird Park’s mini excavator park, DIG IT, is waiting for them. Taking them from the sandpit to the driver’s seat, this outdoor construction zone features real CAT mini excavators, wrecking balls, buried treasure, and more. At $55 per child for a two-hour session, you’re guaranteed big smiles. Who can put a price on that?
Howard Smith Wharves Community Family Fun Day
5 Boundary St, Brisbane CBD
Finding a way to entertain your kids comes easy when you’re in the know about Howard Smith Wharves’ Family Fun Day. From 11am-3pm every Sunday, you’ll find free face painting, balloon making, and a reptile show at Felon’s Barrel Hall. All of that ought to work up an appetite, so let them dig into food for free from Felon’s while you’re at it.
Kid-Friendly Hikes
Various Locations
Break out the activewear and get the kids out for some fresh air on one of Brisbane’s many kid-friendly hiking trails. You’ll find nothing too strenuous on this list—just gorgeous scenery, a chance to spot some wildlife, and maybe even an excuse to pack a cheese board (for you—we know the kids prefer Vegemite sandwiches).
Treetop Challenge
Cedar Creek Falls Road, Tamborine Mountain
Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland
Got a youngun that’s been swinging off furniture since the day they were born? Put those skills to good use at Tamborine’s Treetop Challenge— a high ropes and zipline course through the trees. With a section that’s suitable for three to eight year olds and a more advanced zone for those older siblings, your thrill seeker will find their adrenaline hit here. Cue the car naps.
Gumtree Kids Sensory And Messy Play
Various Locations
Messy play is important for kids' development, but let's face it—no parent wants to clean that up. Cue Gumtree Kids who welcome messy play in abundance. For less than $15 a session (which is what you'd spend on craft materials anyway), you can let the kids get hands on with different themed experiences every week. No clean up, no worries.
Roma Street Parkland
1 Parkland Boulevard, Brisbane CBD
Venture into the heart of the city with your crew for a jam-packed day of fun at Roma Street Parkland, which is decked out with lush green lawns, bright flower gardens, and playgrounds catering to kids of all ages. A sure hit for the whole family is a ride on the trackless Xpress Fun Train at just $5 a pop. Once you’re suitably tired out, kick back in one of the many shaded areas lakeside and indulge in a little treat from the cafe.
You might also like:
- Brisbane's Best Pubs With Playgrounds
- Brisbane's Best Kid-Friendly Cafes
- Brisbane’s Best Mini Golf Courses
Best Animal Experiences For Kids In Brisbane
Trevena Glen Farm
1100 Winn Road, Mount Samson
Get ready to feed, pat, and cosy up to the furry and feathered inhabitants at the unforgettable farm adventure that is Trevena Glen Farm. Meet the pigs, donkeys, horses, and alpacas, feed the horses, and take a pony ride before finding a shady spot to munch down that morning tea.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
708 Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket
Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland
Fun fact: there are over 130 cute koalas living peacefully in the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary, as recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records, right here in Brisbane, so go cuddle one. But that’s not the only thing the kids will love at Lone Pine Sanctuary —there’s also the chance to feed wallabies and kangaroos, meet a dingo, catch a bird show, and take a nocturnal night tour. Grab a yearly pass for just $73 per person— there are benefits in abundance.
Daisy Hill Koala Centre
253 Daisy Hill Road, Daisy Hill
With daily wildlife officer talks, a large outdoor koala enclosure, and interactive displays, the Daisy Hill Koala Centre is a great place to learn about koalas and their conservation. You can spot the cuddly marsupials from multi-level viewing platforms, while learning fun facts about the Australian species through a multitude of interactive activities. Best of all, entry is totally free.
Best Indoor Play Centres For Kids In Brisbane
Bounce
40 Enterprise Place, Tingalpa | 544 Kessels Road, Macgregor
If your little one is hard to pry off the trampoline at home, Bounce is well and truly for you. They (and you, because you know you’re not letting them have all the fun on their own) can bounce across giant trampoline pads, dunk balls at the hoops, and flip through the air into the soft fall pits. Hold my drink kids, mumma’s going to show you how it’s done.
Urban Xtreme
4/370 Nudgee Rd, Hendra
Designed for little ones with boundless energy, Urban Xtreme is Australia’s largest adventure park. Here, they have all the activities you could possibly want, from a ninja course to indoor skiing, a huge trampoline section, laser tag, dodgeball, rock climbing walls, and even a playland for little ones all under the one roof. Phew, what a lot. Guess someone’s going to bed early tonight.
Area 51
51 Kingston Road, Underwood
Image credit: Area 51 | Supplied
Launch into fun at Area 51, where every location is set up differently. Designed to be enjoyed for all ages, you’ll find a multitude of courses, rooms, and activities to suit your kids’ needs— just check what’s available at your chosen location before visiting. And yes, you’re absolutely allowed to join the kids, though you will need your own ticket.
The Jungle Adventure Play
31 Proprietary Street, Tingalpa | 2 McLennan Ct, North Lakes
If you thought Neverland was just a fairytale, think again. At The Jungle Adventure Play, you’ll find a range of heart-racing activities for your little ones to partake in, including a high ropes course, electric flying fox, free fall tower, and so much more. There’s also a junior playground set aside for the under twos, onsite cafe, and adults-only experiences for those looking to unleash their inner Peter Pan.
Best Indoor Activities For Kids In Brisbane
The Corner At The State Library of Queensland
Stanley Place, South Brisbane
Welcome to The Corner— a creative space made especially for families with children aged under eight years old. Drop in for a play anytime between 10am to 3pm daily, with heaps of different toys, activities and crafts set up in the space. They also offer a stacked program of free events scheduled at various times, making it this perfect rainy day activity.
Where The Wild Things Are Bookshop
191 Boundary Street, West End
Bookworms should drop by Where The Wild Things for their regular Story Time and Rhyme Time sessions which run from 10am to 10.30am on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. They also run arts and crafts workshops over school holidays, as well as specialty readings with the authors of beloved children’s stories, so book in (pardon the pun), and don’t miss out.
Slideways
870 Kingsford Smith Drive, Eagle Farm
Put the pedal to the metal and drift down to Slideways, Brisbane’s own indoor go-karting track. Sprawling over multiple levels, bridges, and loops, as well as a spectating platform for your cheer squad, no one will be bored. Their family sessions are made for those seven and up, with slower, easier to drive carts that won’t run away from learner drivers.
i-Fly Indoor Skydiving
395 Hamilton Rd, Chermside
Don your flying suit and fasten your goggles—i-Fly is reaching new heights with their heart-pumping experience of feeling like you’re free falling at 14,000 feet. Thanks to the capable hands of trained flight instructors, you’ll feel weightless as you float within a glass wind tunnel. Anyone aged three and up can fly, so kick that fear of heights to the curb and get set to fly.
Class Bento Kid-Friendly Workshops
Various Locations
If crafting is not your forte but you need to find a way to keep the kids entertained and off the iPad, explore what’s on with Class Bento, who offer a range of workshops and activities that are specifically designed for kids. From tye dye workshops to cooking classes, you’re bound to find something that will keep them busy (and productive).
Looking for more inspiration for things to do with kids in Brisbane? Head here:
- Brisbane's Best Escape Rooms
- Brisbane's Best Places To Go Rock Climbing
- Brisbane's Best Indoor Playgrounds
Image credit: Urban List | Supplied
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