Top Things to Do In Melbourne with Kids

Melbourne offers a variety of family-friendly activities for kids. Here is BusyKidd‘s guide to some things to do with kids in Melbourne.

Melbourne Zoo

Image Credit: Zoo.org.au/melbourne

Explore the Melbourne Zoo, which houses a diverse range of animals from around the world. It’s an educational and entertaining experience for children. Many different animals – from elephants and giraffes to kangaroo. Big area to explore with kids of all ages and those who are kids in soles.

Scienceworks

Visit Scienceworks is a must-see for families with kids. A hands-on science and technology museum with interactive exhibits suitable for kids of all ages. Science workshops and regular exhibitions. Scienceworks has features a wide range of interactive exhibits covering topics such as physics, chemistry, biology, technology, and astronomy. The exhibits are designed to engage visitors of all ages in a fun and educational way.

You can visit planetarium that offers immersive shows that explore the wonders of the cosmos. It’s a fantastic experience for anyone interested in astronomy.

Scienceworks has interactive workshops, schools tours and café to refresh after your visit.

Melbourne Museum

The Melbourne Museum is another great destination for families, featuring exhibits on natural history, cultural heritage, and more. Dinosaur lovers will find dino fossils. You can show to kids many local animals and insects. For little kids below 5 yo, Melbourne Museum has amazing area for play and learn, where little ones can take their grown ups to have some quality time together.

Royal Botanic Gardens

Enjoy a day at the Royal Botanic Gardens where kids can explore the Children’s Garden, a dedicated space designed for interactive play and learning. Royal Botanic Gardens has a huge territory with lakes, ducks, swans and other interesting-to-spot things. We highly recommend families to go there and spend 2-3 hours, you can consider picnic on the green grass to enjoy food and nature!

SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

It’s big, modern aquarium and usually very popular among locals and tourists. We recommend you to book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.

Luna Park

Experience the fun and excitement of Luna Park, an amusement park with rides and attractions suitable for various age groups.

Collingwood Children’s Farm

Collingwood Children’s Farm organizes various farm activities and experiences for visitors. These may include animal feeding sessions, cow milking demonstrations, and other interactive programs.

Polly Woodside – Melbourne’s Tall Ship Story

Polly Woodside is permanently moored at South Wharf on the Yarra River in Melbourne, Victoria. The address is 21 South Wharf Promenade, South Wharf.

Explore the maritime history of Melbourne by visiting the Polly Woodside, a restored 19th-century tall ship.

The ship has a rich history and was in service for several decades. It operated in the coal and grain trade and made voyages around the world. It has been restored to its former glory and is now a museum ship.

Polly Woodside is open to the public as a maritime museum. Visitors can explore the decks of the ship, learn about its history, and experience what life was like aboard a tall ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Eureka Skydeck

For a bird’s eye view of the city, take the kids to Eureka Skydeck, the highest viewing platform in the Southern Hemisphere.

While kids can see animals, eat chocolate and ice-cream, parents can taste some wine. Melbourne and its surrounding regions are home to some excellent wineries, offering a diverse range of wines and beautiful landscapes. Here are a few regions and wineries near Melbourne that you might want to explore.

Yarra Valley

Known for its cool climate, the Yarra Valley is one of Australia’s premier wine regions. It’s just an hour’s drive from Melbourne. Some notable wineries in the Yarra Valley include De Bortoli Wines, Domaine Chandon, TarraWarra Estate, and Oakridge Wines.

Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery

While not a traditional farm, the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery offers a delightful experience. You can watch chocolate being made, enjoy free tastings, and indulge in a wide range of chocolates and ice creams.

Fairy Park

Fairy Park is a popular family-friendly attraction located near Melbourne, specifically in the town of Anakie, which is approximately an hour’s drive west of Melbourne. The park is known for its fairy tale-themed displays, sculptures, and interactive areas. Here are some key features and attractions you can expect at Fairy Park.

Enchanted Adventure Garden

The Enchanted Adventure Garden is a popular attraction located on the Mornington Peninsula, southeast of Melbourne, Australia. It is known for its beautiful gardens, hedge mazes, and various outdoor activities.

The park features an Enchanted Adventure Garden, where visitors can explore various themed gardens, mazes, and artistic installations. It’s a whimsical environment that brings fairy tales and fantasy to life.

It has mazes, tube slide, canopy walk and many more amazing activities for families, enough to spend the whole day there!

Fairy Tale Sculptures

Fairy Park is home to a collection of fairy tale sculptures and characters from classic stories. You can expect to see figures like Cinderella, Snow White, and other beloved fairy tale characters.

Camelot Playground

The Camelot Playground is designed for children and includes play structures, slides, and interactive elements with a medieval theme. It provides a fun and imaginative space for kids to play.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne

Ideal place to visit for lego-fans!

The centre offers a range of attractions, including MINILAND, a LEGO-themed ride, 4D cinema, and various interactive play zones. MINILAND typically features miniature replicas of iconic Melbourne landmarks created with LEGO bricks.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre provides creative workshops where visitors, especially children, can participate in building and crafting with LEGO bricks. These workshops often have different themes and activities.

You can even join lego factory tour, where friendly workers will open you some secrets of making lego bricks!

Healesville Sanctuary

Habitats and Exhibits

The sanctuary features naturalistic habitats and exhibits that mimic the native environments of the animals. There are dedicated areas such as the Land of Parrots, Wallaby Walkabout, and the Platypus Creek.

Wildlife

The sanctuary is known for its focus on native Australian wildlife, with a particular emphasis on the conservation of threatened species. Visitors can encounter a variety of animals, including kangaroos, koalas, wombats, echidnas, and various bird species.

Location

Healesville Sanctuary is located in the Yarra Valley, approximately one hour drive from Melbourne.

MOPa

MoPa – Art and Play Museum – is a great place for kids below 10 y.o. They have workshops, dance parties and storytelling in each session. Kids will be impressed with real car that they can paint! A lot of different art-inspired areas, costumes for pretend play, big labyrinth, unusual slide and lots of positive emotions guaranteed!

Vjunior cinemas

Can you imagine cinemas with slides and toys inside?! These are such magic places in Melbourne, specially designed for families with kids. Jump into one of the many cinemas across the city and enjoy not only movie, but a great playground just inside!

Melbourne National Aviation museum

The Australian National Aviation Museum is located at Moorabbin Airport, about 25 kilometers southeast of Melbourne’s central business district. Visitors can explore exhibits on topics such as World War I and II aviation, the history of Australian aviation, and the development of civil aviation in the region.

The museum houses an extensive collection of aircraft and aviation artifacts, including historic military and civilian planes. The collection covers various eras of aviation history.

This is great place for kids who are interested in big machines and aircrafts. You can give them some dose of history and show “how it was” with real-life objects display.

Overall, Melbourne is a great city to visit with family. You can make a plan to stay here for 3 days, but its enough to visit and see for 3 weeks too! So, its up to you and your family how to plan your adventure – stay in this family-friendly city and enjoy it longer or move your wheels to Great Ocean Road and add even more of adventure!