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.
The Art Gallery of NSW houses an impressive array of colonial, modern and contemporary Australian art, as well as international works and touring exhibitions. Here you can explore interactive educational exhibits about astronomy, look through telescopes, witness star family activities sydney cbd shows and more. If you’re only in Sydney for a short time and want to see some native animals, this is a good option. You may find various types of native Australian animals here in the 10 interactive zones, including koalas, Tasmanian devils, platypus, wombats and kangaroos.

There are 1,332 stairs which sound daunting, but the views and the guide make it easier than it looks. The view from the top is breathtaking and along the way are a variety of items to see and information to absorb. Read my full review of the museum and see the amazing photos here. A visit to the Sydney Harbour Pylon Museum (and lookout) involves a little over 200 stairs making it best for kids who are steady on their feet (or parents happy to carry smaller ones).
We have considered things like the number of beds per room, special family facilities and the best locations for families. There are lots  of family activities to be found in western Sydney from Sydney Olympic Park to Parramatta to the Parramatta River. Check out our guide to the best things to do in Parramatta for ideas. The Australian Museum has an interesting program for kids from 9 months to 3 years, Tiny Tots playgroup, where they will be exposed to First Nation’s history and culture through music, craft and games.

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.
You and your kids can interact with lifelike wax replicas of your favourite celebrities, sports legends, and historical icons. It’s also the 5th oldest natural history museum in the world so that alone makes it a pretty cool place to visit. This is a great option if you’re looking for rainy-day activities in Sydney. The Sea Life Sydney Aquarium is one of the most popular Sydney attractions for kids. There is also a big space playground for older kids, plus a wet play area. Taronga Zoo is one of the most well-known zoological parks in Australia.
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.

I like to walk from North to South, so the Opera House remains in view the entire way. A little over a km long, it should take you about 30 minutes, given how many times you will stop to take photos and watch the traffic. The current exhibition is Alchemy of a Rainforest and features more than 18,000 plants. You can also check out the largest living green wall in the southern hemisphere. While there is a chance you will come across some Aussie wildlife on your travels, it is tough to find a platypus in the wild, so do not miss this chance! Taronga is a world-class zoo with some of the best views in Sydney.
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.

Your complete guide to Sydney's best indoor play centres, birthday party venues, trampoline parks, and family-friendly activities across every suburb. Standard play sessions at Sydney indoor play centres typically cost $14 to $22 per child for 1.5 to 2 hours of play. Toddler-specific sessions (under 3s) are often discounted to $10 to $15. Most venues offer multi-visit passes or memberships that bring the cost down to $10 to $14 per visit. Play cafes tend to charge $12 to $18 per child, often including a coffee for the adult.
Trampoline parks like BOUNCE and Flip Out run party packages with dedicated hosts. For something different, try art studios, cooking schools, or outdoor venues like Centennial Park which has BBQ and picnic facilities. Our Party Planner tool lets you compare venues, check availability, and request quotes from multiple places at once. Many Sydney play cafes specifically target the baby and toddler  market, offering a relaxed environment where parents can enjoy a decent coffee while their little ones explore safe, stimulating play areas. These venues are particularly popular with parents on maternity and paternity leave who are looking for social connection alongside child-friendly spaces. Our soft play centres guide and toddler activities blog have detailed recommendations.

Birthday party packages run from $25 to $45 per child including food, a party room, and a host. Sydney is, without question, the best city in Australia for families with young kids. With over 200 indoor play centres, dozens of trampoline parks, and an ever-growing scene of boutique play cafes and creative workshops, there's genuinely something for every age, interest, and budget. Whether you're a parent of a crawling 9-month-old looking for a safe sensory space, or you've got a high-energy 8-year-old who needs to burn off steam on a rainy Saturday, Sydney delivers. The best choice depends on your child's age, your suburb, and what kind of experience you're after. Indoor play centres like Monkey Mania, Lollipops, and Croc's Playcentre offer all-inclusive party packages from $25 to $40 per child.
If they’ve gotten their hands on one of the extravagant milkshakes from the diner, get them to burn off all that sugar-strength running around the laser tag field or games arcade. This glittery wonderland is open seven days but the kids get kicked out after 8pm. Before you even get into the nitty gritty of the exhibitions, the welcome hub offers a 'kids trail' map, activity sheets and a fold-your-own chatterbox with cues to spark discussion about the artworks. If your little ones like getting messy, send them off to one of the hands-on art-making workshops and clubs that you can browse on the gallery website. BOUNCE is the premium player in the Sydney market, with locations in Alexandria and other suburbs.
This zoo provides an amazing opportunity to see wildlife of land and sea with the only combined zoo and aquarium in New South Wales. One of the greatest Sydney family activities is a day at heritage-listed amusement park Luna Park Sydney. If you’re really daring, and visiting with older kids who are a little daring, try the Skywalk experience around the outside of the Sydney Tower  Eye.