Best Sydney Attractions For Babies, Toddlers And Preschoolers

By: Melissa Fine, ellaslist

While the activities on offer for older kids in Sydney are abundant, if you're a mum with a bub, tot or preschooler, you'll know that you have to scavenge for suitable attractions...until now! To make your life a little easier, we've wrapped up the best of the best - so that each and every day with your little one is guaranteed to be full of fun, adventure and new friends (for you too!), all while building on development. 

 

Wild Ropes At Taronga Zoo 

Did you know that kids can do Taronga's Wild Ropes from age 3?! Your little monkey can safely explore new heights at Taronga's two Wild Ropes children's courses: Koala and Possum. In each one-hour $20 session, your little monkey can climb each course amongst the trees as many times as they'd like! Check out our two-thumbs-up Wild Ropes review, and find all the details here. 

Sea-Side Stroller Tour: James Cameron's Challenging The Deep At Australian Maritime Museum

On Tuesday 24 July, hop on an educator-led Stroller Tour (suitable for newborns through to 18-month-year-olds) with like-minded parents at the Australian Maritime Museum. Here you'll stroll through and immerse yourselves in James Cameron's Under Sea exhibition, before chilling out with some baby play time in a sensory space. Front packs, baby-slings and breastfeeding are more than welcome. Bookings essential, all the details here. 

Playful Little Penguin Talks At Sea Life Aquarium

Get your happy feet over to one of the twice-daily Penguin Talks (10.30am and 1.30pm) at Sea Life Sydney, FREE for kids under four. Your little one will be wide-eyed as they get up-close to the cute and cuddly Little Penguin Colony, splashing about as they get on with their day. If time and your toddler permits, why not make a day of it and immerse yourselves in the wonders of sea life with a good wander around the aquarium? There are 700+ Australian species here, and over 13,000 individual fish and sea and water creatures. Before you go, here's our guide to surviving Sea Life with under 4s...it can be done! 

The Refreshed Wiggles Exhibition At Powerhouse Museum

Visit Dorothy’s rose garden, have a boogie on the stage, make some fruit salad, explore the S.S Feathersword, head under sea with Henry the Octopus AND buckle up ready to toot-toot-chugga-chugga in the Big Red Car! Museum entry and this permanent immersive exhibit is FREE for the kids, so head here whenever you're needing some Wiggle time!

Tours For Tots At The Art Gallery Of NSW

Designed for 3 to 5-year olds, take your tot or little one on a fun artmaking tour of the Gallery. For $25 all up, discover art together and make your own in a themed workshop which changes from month-to-month - each a perfect opportunity to develop creativity and improve fine motor skills. Details here.  

I Spy With My Telescopic Eye At Sydney Observatory

A space adventure weekday program aimed at little learners for just $10/child, kids will get up close and personal with astronomy by making take-home model planets and exploring the workings of telescopes using magnifying glasses...all before seeing a real telescope in action as they peer through one of the scientific-grade instruments at a star twinkling in the daytime sky (weather permitting). Next up, dress up as an astronaut and step in front of a space backdrop for a souvenir photo! Sit back with a picnic afterwards at the Sydney Observatory Gardens...the Solar System Orbits in the northern courtyard can be used for even more space play. Details here. 

Kidspace At Australian Museum

Featuring four interactive pods: Our Humanity, Our Land, Our Water and Our Past, at Kidspace babies and toddlers are encouraged to discover and immerse themselves in a range of simple concepts. Curious crawlers and their carers haven't been forgotten; a closed-off area keeps babies safe and provides a space for them to practise movement, explore their senses, and connect with the world around them. Kidspace is FREE for kids, $15 for adults, and open every day from 10am to 4pm. 

Kindercraften At Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre

A creative playgroup for kids 5 and under, Kindercraften is on every Monday during term time and during school holidays, watch your child become inspired to make a take-home artwork through investigative art play at Casula. Each week they'll be introduced to a range of creative encounters, methods and materials, with both individual and collaborative learning outcomes. The cost is $65/term, with nine sessions all up. Details here. 

Dandy Lions At The Royal Botanic Garden 

Suitable for under 5s and their parents or carers, each Thursday during school terms a new garden-related theme is explored at Dandy Lions with Garden Educators: from planting and harvesting and nature-based art and craft, to songs, music and dance, garden discovery walks and of course playtime, this is a special way for your little one to connect with nature and appreciate its beauty, all while having fun with other mini adventurers! 

Hero image source: Roy Weiland for Australian Museum

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