Some kids are choosy when it comes to travel. So, when planning a vacation with them, you need to carefully add activities, places and eateries as per their choice so that they enjoy the vacation as much as you do. Thus, the destination has to have something to offer for you as well as the kids. And Sydney is one such perfect destination. Also, it is one of the beautiful destinations to visit in May, when the crowd is not much and kids in many other parts of the world have summer vacations! That is why it’s awesome to plan a vacation to Sydney with kids. You can club your trip to Sydney with a trip to Melbourne as well – taking one of the most beautiful road trips connecting the two cities.
Sydney is a beautiful city with many cool tourist spots to discover. And it has something for every age group to offer. While there are some very romantic gateaways from Sydney for couples and honeymooners. At the same time, there are so many places to go in Sydney with kids. And also the Inner suburbs to visit with kids and get inspired for your trip! And the best part is you can always include Sydney while doing a trip to east coast Australia. Sydney has everything from delicious breakfast/brunch spots, playgrounds, amazing attractions and interactive centers, the more you look into the area or spend, there are more kid-friendly and family fun activities about. But where to start? Here are some kid fun things you can do in Sydney with kids to get you started. Let’s find out!
Eat – Where to Enjoy a Meal in Sydney with kids
Food is a major concern when traveling with kids. What they will like and what they may not like on the menu makes it really tough for parents. Even Neha & Abhishek have done their homework on earlier trips, coming up with a list of kid friendly travel snacks. And learning a lot on their travel to Europe with kid, when they planned on their 2 weeks Europe trip. But, it becomes all the more easy and convenient if the right restaurants and eat out places are across the corner. And that is exactly the case when traveling to Sydney with kids. You will be spoilt with options.
1) Three Williams – 613a Elizabeth St, Redfern
Though there isn’t a specific kids menu, Three Williams has all the kid-friendly facilities like high chairs, change table, pram access as well as a chalkboard to draw. The meals here are also scrumptious that your kids will enjoy. A meal averages $17. So, you can enjoy a sumptuous meal at this restaurant while in Sydney with your kids.
2) Bitton Gourmet – 36-37A Copeland St, Alexandria
Enjoy classic French cuisine with lots of facilities for kids and parents, such as pram access, high chairs and a special kids menu. The restaurant here also has a fun playroom for the kids so that you can enjoy your meal uninterrupted – after the kids finish theirs. Kids Menu Averages $10. That makes it yet another restaurant to try when in Sydney with kids.
3) Chefs Gallery – Regent Place, 12/501 George Street, Sydney
A Chinese restaurant with an open kitchen serving noodles, delicious dumplings and roti dishes. Child friendly facilities include pram access, high chairs, plastic cutlery and entertainment from the kitchen display. There are also creative desserts on the menu the kids would love. A meal averages $20. Kids just love Chinese food. So, that makes it one of the top eateries to visit when in Sydney with kids.
4) Jamie’s Italian – 107 Pitt St, Sydney
Visit the famous UK chef Jamie Oliver’s restaurant for healthy, hearty meals that also caters to kids. Book an early table to get the best out of the child friendly services, like coloring-in activities, a kids menu, high chairs and more. Kids Menu Averages $10. The activities, in particular, are very engaging for the kids, thus making it a favorite place to visit for meals in Sydney with kids.
Neha & Abhishek add : “Our kid loves Italian post. She had a wonderful time feasting on pizzas and pastas when we spent 6 days in Italy, roaming around Rome, followed by 2 days in Florence which involved a half day trip to Pisa and finally hopping on and off islands in Venice. And the best part is Italian food is easily available all over the globe. So, I guess this will be a favorite with your kid.”
5) Din Tai Fung – World Square, Level 1, 644 George St Sydney
Amazing Asian cuisine with pram access, high chairs, kids cutlery and fast service. There is an array of options to choose from. From dumplings and small portion meals to shared dishes. A meal averages $25. Thus, even if you have very little kids with you who don’t have so much appetite, still it makes for a great option for enjoying your food with them.
6) The Grounds of Alexandria – 7A, 2 Huntley St, Alexandria
Part of the Inner Sydney Suburbs, The Grounds Of Alexandria is worth the trip. There is fresh seasonal dishes that are perfect for breakfast, brunch and lunch. There is a play space for the kids, farm animals most of the time and delicious food. It is ideal to book here as it does get quite busy. A meal averages $17.
7) West Juliett – 30 Llewellyn St, Marrickville
A hip and child-friendly cafe, this buzzing spot has outdoor seating and a wide range of healthy meal options available. This spot is great not only because of the food but the location, it is right across from enmore park and the aquatic centre so you could take your kids there after you’ve eaten or before. A meal averages $15.
8) The Henson – 91 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville
Head to Marrickville to enjoy a sunny afternoon in The Henson’s child friendly beer garden. Although a pub first, The Henson makes delicious pub food with kids menus and more. The garden is also smoke-free, making it the ideal place to eat a meal with small children. Kids Menu Averages $8.
9) Coogee Pavilion – 169 Dolphin St, Coogee
Quite a distance from the Sydney CBD, but if you were out near Coogee, you can enjoy dinner with a beachside view at Coogee Pavilion. The newly renovated Pavilion offers three floors, a cool rooftop terrace and a wide range of food including burgers, pizza and mediterranean treats. You can also take the kids to the beach for a swim or even walk the Coogee to Bondi walk. Kids Menu Averages $13. In fact, you must take one of these best Sydney walks (go for the “easy” levels) to make your trip all the more memorable.
For more great eats: Timeout – More Kid Friendly Cafes
Playgrounds – Where to Play in Sydney with kids
Kids love playgrounds. In the words of Neha & Abhishek, “we still remember, on our trip to Europe, while spending 4 days in Switzerland, we went on a cheese factory tour. I was wondering if my kid would get bored. But luckily the cheese factory had a playground attached to it. And she was totally engaged playing there while we completed the tour. And again, on our recent 7 days trip to Andaman, she enjoyed playing in a kid’s area in a park in Port Blair while we took a walk alongside the sea beach”. So, here’s a list of some wonderful playgrounds in Sydney.
10) Wulaba Park – O’Dea Ave & Amelia Street, Waterloo
Close to The Grounds of Alexandria, this new playground is located in Waterloo. Full of colour, the playground has a giant slide, climbing obstacles, tunnels and outdoor table tennis tables.
11) Tumbalong Park – 11 Harbour St, Sydney
One of the most popular playgrounds in Sydney, this playground has it all, and is located in the heart of Darling Harbour. Close to many attractions, this park features, slides, tunnels, water fountains, flying foxes, jumbo nets and more. There are lots of food options available nearby.
12) Jubilee Park – Victoria Rd, Glebe
Spend an afternoon with the kids at Jubilee Park Playground and enjoy the refurbished spinning carousel, new slides, climbing ropes and swings. There’s also fun for smaller kids with a toddlers sand box.
13) Prince Alfred Park – Chalmers St, Surry Hills
A large park with a nearby outdoor pool and tennis courts, this park is right next to Central station and boasts a lovely setting for picnic or BBQ while watching the kids play on the playground. Situated in Surry Hills, there are also loads of hip cafes and burger joints to choose from.
For more playgrounds: City Of Sydney – Playgrounds
Attractions – Where to Visit in Sydney with kids
14) Australian Museum – 1 William St, Sydney
The oldest museum in Australia, the Australian Museum is a great place spend an afternoon. The natural sciences museum is located in the CBD and is easily accessible. Take your young ones to the Kidspace mini-museum designed specially for under 5’s. Children under 16 years get Free general admission.
15) Taronga Zoo – Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman
Take the ferry from Circular Quay to Taronga zoo’s gorgeous harbourside location and spend the the day monkeying around with chimps and gorillas, koalas and other native Australian animals as well as sea lions and seal shows! This attraction will definitely take up the whole day – so be prepared. Child Admission is $26. When Neha & Abhishek started traveling with their kids, they took her to zoo where ever possible. As she loves zoos. They have taken her to the massive Mysore Zoo when she was very little and recently to the Singapore Zoo. So, do keep the zoo in your itinerary when visiting Sydney. In fact this zoo is one of the most iconic sites in Sydney. Checkout this Sydney Travel Guide for more such iconic sites.
16) Powerhouse Museum – 500 Harris St, Ultimo
Great fun for the children and adults, the Powerhouse Museum boasts interactive science and technology exhibits which serves also as a great education tool for the little ones. You can see how everyday technology work, breakthroughs, what it’s like to live and work in space, what Mars looks like, the history of transport and more! General Child Admission is Free under 16 years.
17) Luna Park – 1 Olympic Dr, Milsons Point
Open everyday of the week, there are rides, showbags, performances and sideshow games that will entertain. With million dollar views, the park is simply for fun. Entry into the park is Free – though rides have two options of either an unlimited pass starting from $22 per child or pay as you go.
18) SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium – 1-5 Wheat Rd, Sydney
Head to Darling Harbour to learn about over 12,000 animals, explore the new ride-through penguin expedition and more! Not only do visitors get to you see the marine life on display, but also get an interactive learning experience of the species habitat and life. Tickets start at $33.60. This reminds Neha of the wonderful time that her kid had at the SEA aquarium on her 5 days trip to Singapore. And also of the Sea Shell museum that they visited earlier in Mahabalipuram.
19) Cockatoo Island
Take your kids on the camping trip of a lifetime on Cockatoo Island. Located near Birkenhead, it is the largest of the harbour islands, Cockatoo Island offers family camping and glamping options with stunning harbour views. The island can be found just a short ferry ride from Circular Quay.
20) Sky Zone – 75 O’Riordan St, Alexandria
The kids would love you even more if you take them here. An ultimate indoor playground, Sky Zone is popular for its trampoline park. Though that is not all they have. There are Pit zones, jumping areas, climbing obstacles and much more. The kids are able to jump around in a safe environment while the adults can tackle the more challenging courses. Prices start at $10 depending on your choice of fun.
For more family-friendly attractions: Sydney – Top Attractions For Kids
There are plenty of kid-friendly places in Sydney, are there any you want to share?
Author Bio
The following guest post was written by Alex Johnson, a blogger and lover of the little things in life, from delicious brunch spots to interior design. Recently moving to Sydney, he began his blog Inspire A Better Life to positively influence others to get out there and see all life has to offer. Join Alex as he discovers this life one day at a time, documenting his thoughts and others along the way!
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This is so cool. Perfect in time for us. thankyou.
Wow, truly Sydney doesn’t just offering luscious food to nibble, but it also offers a lot of great sights for kids to really enjoy. I love how you packed all these things in one post, and surely you gathered great list. I haven’t been to Sydney yet, and will surely try and experience all of these. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
Thank you!
Okay, as ignorant as i might sound, when i think of Sydney, i only really hugely think of the Opera House and the zoo (which i am not a fan of). But thank you for posting these and laying a good itinerary for those who want to visit sydney. I have yet to search on what i can there when i come but this post has already helped a lot.
Thank you so much!
This post is so useful! Sydney is such a big and interesting city, and it offers so many activities to do. You did a very good job in this post! 🙂
hank you Clara
There seems plenty to do in Sydney for the kids. I like the creative restaurants especially the Asian one that makes food a treat. The Zoo would be amazing with the Australian animals like Kangaroo and Koala – something that most of us dont get to see otherwise. And the underwater world just makes me dream of the Great Barrier Reef. Cheers
Thanks Ami! It’s evident how excited the kids will be in Sydney when me and you only feel this excited 🙂
If you are traveling with kids, then visiting places that are kid-friendly should be a priority. Sydney is no doubt one of them, having various attractions that won’t bore the little ones. Thanks for sharing your list! it’s great that they have parks and musuems and restos that are enticing for the kids.
Thats true. For people with kids, it’s very important that the destination has kid friendly places and attractions that kids can enjoy
Sydney is indeed a complete family destination with something in it for the entire family. Kids will never have a dull moment given the vast range of sights and experiences. Of course the Sydney harbour bridge and the Opera House are iconic landmarks which no traveler to Sydney will miss.
So true! And when you have adequate amount of options to keep the kids interested, the trip turns out to be all the more fun
Ooh, this is a great list. So many great things to do. They have a Din Tai Fung in Shanghai, it’s a fab restaurant. I actually didn’t realise it is such a large chain. Sydney looks so fun.
Even I didn’t know about the Sanghai branch 🙂 Thank you
Yummm that food looks good, kid or not. We have no children but i<m noting down these address for our next visit to Sydney. We also enjoyed the Tarango Zoo, Australia feels so exotic for us North Americans.
Definitely Nathalie, there is a kid in each one of us that needs these kind of holidays and treats once in a while. Go ahead and have a blast.
wow, such an extensive list. Would love to go to aquarium, you picture is amazing! Luna parc looks like a lot of fun too! 🙂
Thank you! Kids will definitely love these places and so would the kids inside each one of us
Wow all of those spots look so great! I still have yet to visit Australia but I’d love to get those emoji buns and see that aquarium. Even though I don’t have kids this is very helpful to my friends who do. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! Definitely, even you yourself can go ahead and enjoy each of these places.
Fantastic list here. I hope when I return to Australia, I will have my daughter (who is nearly 2 years old at the moment) I will be able to take her to Sydney and hopefully check out some of the places in this blog. GIve it a few years yet…I want her to remember the experience of going down under (its a long way from London lol)
Definitely Danik. If she is 4 or more, then she will thoroughly enjoy each of these places and she will remember the experience as well.
this is very timely as i was just planning our trip to Sydney… i am really in need of kid-friendly places because i want to give my son a great experience without stressing other members of our trip (or other tourists for that matter) … so this list is quite handy! i wonder how many places on this list we could possibly visit in a day though
Great to know that..all the very best for your trip. When we kids, we must plan something for them during the trip. You can include one of each kind in a day I guess, overdoing will bring the excitement down 🙂 And then save some for the next day
Wow! Never thought there are lots of things to do in Sydney for kids. I’m sure my kids will have a blast when we decide to go to Sydney. The Sea Life Aquarium is so beautiful!
You bet they would! you just have got to plan for it , that’s it.
Love your kid-friendly guide for Sydney! It’s so good to know that there a lot of options for families to enjoy when visiting Sydney – from museums to theme parks, there’s surely something for everybody! Love how you were able to include lots of dining options too – which can be very important indeed! Those dumplings with expressions are very cute. I’m sure they’re a hit to the kids! 🙂
Thanks Marvi. It is all the more important to plan your trip thoroughly when traveling with kids. So that they can enjoy and when they are happy, we naturally enjoy our own vacation the best
Sydney is one of the best city in Australia, Most of the people prefer Sydney as best city in Australia than others city.
Great post. Cockatoo island sounds like a lot of fun…. Will have to get to Sydney one day!
You definitely should 🙂
Wow! This is for the kids. I’m sure there’s always something for the little ones from your blog. I love all the restaurants listed and tying each and everyone of them with a little one, prolly, my nephew, sounds so much fun. The playgrounds too are wonderful places especially the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. Wish I was kid again.
Wish we could remain kids forever Lydia. But the good news is we have got to enjoy all the kid friendly places along with our kids all over again
Ooh this makes me miss Sydney so much! I went there in November last year and I loved it. There’s just so much to see although I hate it that the everything is expensive haha… There are many places in this post that I haven’t visited, but I did go to Taronga Zoo. I think kids and adult alike will love this zoo, I know I did and to think I am not really a fan of zoos. I will never forget the koala bear that I saw up on the tree, just one koala bear because the sanctuary was already closed by the time I got there, but I am was so happy that at least I got to see one. When I go back I’d like to visit the SEA Life Sydney.
Wow..you have a first hand experience with some of these places. Definitely I wish on your next trip, you are able to experience more of these. The kid friendly places can sometimes be as much fun for us adults too