The Best Kid-friendly Activities to do in Australia

Keep the kids entertained with a range of activities from indoor play centres to adventure-filled theme parks and zoos. Read on to find our tips to enjoy low-cost or completely free activities that Australia has to offer. Packed with family-friendly activities, including close encounters with wildlife, thrilling museums, and beautiful beaches. You and your little ones will definitely have an awesome time!

Roar and Snore at Taronga Zoo

Image credit: Experience Oz

Head out on a night safari to see some of Taronga Zoos Sydney’s 4,000 animals from more than 350 species during their Roar and Snore program. You can help during feeding time, get some up-close-and-personal encounters with the zoo’s animals, and enjoy incredible harbor views from the safari-style campsite. The next day, you can see some of the zoo’s cutest furry residents by daylight, like the red kangaroos and koalas.

Check out other great deals from Taronga Zoo here.

Cuddle a Koala

Image credit: Experience Oz

There’s nothing as iconic as cuddling a cute koala – and there’s no better place to do it than the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Fig Tree Pocket, Queensland. Kids can pet or hold the fuzzy animals – there are around 130 of them – or check out one of the other 70-plus animal species living at the sanctuary, like kangaroos, platypuses, and dingos. Plan your visit around one of the hand-feeding times for the kangaroos, wallabies, and lorikeets for an extra dose of fun (and photo opportunities with the kids).

Receive your entry & cruise discount offer for just $99 here.

Walking with dinosaurs in Canberra

Got an aspiring palaeontologist in the family? Check out Canberra’s National Dinosaur Museum, just a 15-minute drive north of the city. The museum features a massive collection of interactive animatronic dinosaurs, along with 23 complete skeletons and over 300 displays of individual fossils. Kids can also roam through the interactive dinosaur garden for an encounter with Canberra’s famous big dinosaur Stan the T-Rex.

Become a Dinosaur Museum member and receive special discounts on things like bringing friends, gift shop purchases, and birthday parties.

Village Roadshow Theme Parks Super Pass

Image credit: Experience Oz

Keep an eye on the combination passes and deals for the Village Roadshow Theme Parks on the Gold Coast. You can make the most of every moment with unlimited entry to 4 incredible theme parks with the Super Pass! It’s all the fun and excitement you could ever need on your next Gold Coast holiday. Get your 7-day pass discount coupon here for just $99. It’s cheaper than front gate prices & is the best value pass you can get.

Queensland is home to all the best theme parks and attractions, and you can experience them all for the best price by getting yourself a Super Pass you’ll enjoy all the best action in Queensland. With over 80 rides, shows, and attractions, there’s something for everyone!

Visit South Bank, Brisbane

southbank

There are so many fun things to do at South Bank, Brisbane, whether you want to spend a whole day or head in for a few hours. From family-friendly playgrounds and free museums to gardens perfect for family picnics and get-togethers.

There are three main swimming areas at South Bank. The swimming lagoons and all the facilities are free and open seven days a week. Streets Beach is the name given to the artificial beach and lagoon. With a lifeguard on duty seven days a week, this swimmable lagoon has a maximum depth of 1.8m. The lifeguard’s hours change seasonally, so it is worth contacting South Bank, especially in the off-season if you have little ones to keep an eye on.

The Boat Pool is a second lagoon close to Streets Beach with a depth of 0 – 1.1 metres. And it also has a lifeguard. 

Aquativity is the third water fun area at South Bank. This water play area is a popular spot in the hot summer months, featuring zero-depth with a splash zone with fountains, water jets, and tipping buckets. 

Facilities are excellent at South Bank with free public toilet facilities, underground parking (not cheap), and close to public transport drop-off points. You can also hire a stroller for a fee from the visitor information centre. 

South Bank offers two playgrounds. Picnic Island is a shaded playground located near BBQs and underneath a fig tree for all-day relaxed play. Riverside Green playground is the larger playground located right in the centre of South Bank. It features a multi-story play area with tunnel slides, hill slides, and swings. It is unfenced but with good visibility and plenty of places for parents to sit and watch nearby. It is also located close to toilets and cafes. 

Darling Quarter Playground: Play and Splash

Sydney has so many amazing kids’ playgrounds and the best part about it, is that they are absolutely free!  Visitors to Sydney who stay in the city or Darling Harbour will find the massive playground at Darling Harbour is an excellent space to let the kids run and play and burn off some energy.

There is a lot of water play there, some lovely river runs and splashing fountains, so do take your togs or a change of clothes.

There are several cafes and restaurants close to the playground, plus a kiosk serving drinks and snacks next to the playground. The range of play equipment is huge and suits children from toddlers to teenagers.

The one drawback is that this playground gets so busy at peak times, especially at the weekend. Get there early or late or during the week.

In Australia, you can have a great time without breaking the budget. It might sound like an impossible feat, but it turns out you can enjoy a fun family day out, with plenty of free or low cost things to do to help you save money – enjoy!

Teaching Kids About Money and Savings

One of the best things we can instil in our children is a healthy relationship with money. Kids learn about money spending habits by what they see their parents doing (good and bad!).

Here are some Shopa tips to teach your kids about money and savings:

1. Start Young.

If your child is showing an interest in money encourage them. When you’re out at the shops together – let them hand over the cash or card when you are paying at the checkout. Explain how Tap and Pay works. Going through the supermarket can turn into a lesson about money – you can point out which items are expensive, which ones are cheaper options and how much food costs each week for the family. Show them the receipt at the end – did you get any discounts? Talk about how you can be a smart shopper by looking for savings, deals and lower priced items that do the same job as the more expensive ones. These are all life lessons that your children will remember and for busy parents you’re multi-tasking (again!) Go you!

2. Set Up A Savings Account.

It’s never too early to set up a savings account for your child. Money boxes are great for young kids and encourage savings from day one. Get your child to put in any birthday and pocket money and take it into the bank together. The coin collection machines at the bank are great fun for kids! Show your child their bank statement – they’ll feel proud and enjoy watching the balance increase!

3. Talk About Budgeting.

Explain in simple terms how you earn the money and that you need to spend it on important things first, such as food, clothes, electricity, rates or bigger bills like paying rent or a mortgage and if there’s money left you may decide to save a bit and spend treat yourself to something! You can even do a basic budget together like how much a birthday party costs.

4. Good Spending Habits.

Your spending habits influence your children – are you a spender or saver? Show your child what you are spending money on and why. Is it because you got a great discount to bulk buy? Essentials for the house? Or paid a bill early to get a prompt payment discount? The more your child understands the better.

5. Let Kids Make their Own Money Mistakes.

No-one is perfect, and let’s be honest we’ve all spent money on things we didn’t really need. Explain about needs vs wants and encourage your child to think about this before they buy something. It’s good for children to understand if they spend all their money on something they don’t really need it will take longer to achieve another savings goal.

6. Pocket Money.

Show kids the value of money by setting chores for them to do in return for pocket money each week. This shows children that they have to work to earn. Maybe pay them on the same day each week – like a ‘payday’. Things like:

  • helping with the family laundry
  • meal preparation
  • mowing the lawn
  • car washing
  • walking the dog

Teen Money Tips:

1. Apply for a Credit Card.

Now that they’ve had a savings account for some years it’s time to test their skills with a credit card – they’ll be surprised at first that it’s not just free money! Paying this off will not only help instil good money habits but it contributes to their credit rating when it comes to taking out future loans. They can hunt around online for a low limit card so they can’t get into too much trouble and research the best interest rates on cards. Make sure you stay on top of their spending by linking the account to yours and teach the importance of not spending more than they can afford.

2. Part-Time Employment.

Teen years are a great time to get a part-time job. Start by helping them put together their CV. Their first job will give them confidence, some cash and valuable life skills like learning about payslips, super and tax. It also means they can start working out how to budget for bigger ticket items such as an overseas trip, car or to move out of home.

3. Get Teens to Contribute.

Once teens reach a certain age some parents ask them to contribute in the form of ‘board’ or ‘rent’. If this isn’t your style you can ask your child to chip in for educational expenses such as excursions, laptops or maybe lifestyle purchases like clothing, mobile phones and entertainment.

Want to stretch your dollar further?