Over 100 Things To Do In Melbourne With Kids.
(An A-Z Directory of Things To do in Melbourne With Kids)
Melbourne is a great family-friendly city. Most tourists attractions in Melbourne welcome people of all ages. There are hundreds of free playgrounds, a large number of indoor play centres and many museums to explore.
Here are 100 things to do in Melbourne with Kids.
1. Go on a Road Trip To A Maze’N Things Theme Park in Phillip Island
Address: 1805 Phillip Island Rd, Cowes VIC 3922
A Maze’N Things is home to a huge 2 km maze, a high ropes course, a mini-golf course, puzzles and optical illusions.
While there make sure you check out the magic exhibition with a lot of magic inspired illusions.
The venue has toilets, a cafe and a gift shop. There are also BBQ facilities and a playground that you can use without purchasing a ticket.
2. Spend An Afternoon At ACMI (Australian Centre for The Moving Image)
Federation Square, Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000
3. Take a Trip To Geelong and Splash Around At Adventure Park
1249 Bellarine Hwy, Wallington VIC 3222
4. See The Animals at The Animal Land Children’s Farm In Diggers Rest
200 Duncans Ln, Diggers Rest VIC 3427
5. Ride The Waterslides and Go For a Swim at Aquapulse Hoppers Cr
ossing
80-82 Derrimut Rd, Hoppers Crossing VIC 3029
6. See How Many Fish You Can Spot at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
Address: King St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Melbourne Aquarium is better known as Sea Life Melbourne, the aquarium lets your family discover an amazing underwater world. Have a glimpse of the best and most mesmerizing sea creatures with your family; huge sharks, penguins, massive crocodiles, and mysterious stingrays are on the list of animals you can find at the Melbourne Aquarium.
7. Get Creative at Art play
Birrarung Marr, Russell St Ext, Melbourne VIC 3000
8. Ride The Arthur’s Seat Eagle
Address: 1085 Arthurs Seat Rd, Arthurs Seat VIC 3936
9. Have Fun With Photography and Optical Illusions at ArtVo
Address: Shop NCF, 07 Level/1 26 Star Cres, Docklands VIC 30084
10. See a Movie at The Astor Theatre
1 Chapel St, St Kilda VIC 3182
11. See How High You Can Climb Up The Playground At Booran reserve
Address: Corner Booran and Glenhuntly Road, Glen Huntly
12 Eat a Delicious Italian Dish, Dessert or Gelato at Brunetti
Carlton Location: 380 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053
Flinders Lane Location: 250 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Myer Melbourne: 314-336, Myer Melbourne 3, Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
13. Visit Bundoora Park Children’s Farm
Address:1069 Plenty Road Bundoora, VIC, Australia 3083
Image: Bundoora Park Farm Facebook Page
14. Explore The Library And See a Show at Bunjil Place
Address: Bunjil Place, Patrick NE Dr, Narre Warren VIC 3805
Image: bunjilplace.com.au
The Library at Fountain Gate has gotten a huge overhaul. It is now one of Melbourne’s best libraries.
Bunjil Place is a huge landmark located outside of Fountain Gate. You won’t miss it. The Bunjil place library is a huge 3 story library! The whole ground floor is a dedicated children’s area!
There is a gigantic collection of children’s books and lots of cozy bean bags and reading nooks. There is also a dedicated reading amphitheatre to read in.
Each week Bunjil Place also hosts Baby Rhyme time. It’s a free reading and singing session for babies under 12 months. See here for upcoming sessions.
There are also many shows to see at Bujil place. There are plenty of shows specifically for young kids. At the time of writing this article Bluey and Shrek, The Musical are currently showing at Bunjil Place. See here for current upcoming events.
15. Fall In Love With The Earth at CERES (Community Environment Park)
Address:Stewart St & Roberts St, Roberts St, Brunswick East VIC 3057
16. Visit Historic Chesterfield farm
Address: 1221 Ferntree Gully Rd, Scoresby
17. Explore The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden at The Royal Botanic Gardens
Address: Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Melbourne Gardens, Birdwood Ave, Melbourne VIC 3004
18. Eat Hotpot and Immerse Yourself In Chinese Culture in Chinatown
Address: Little Bourke Street Melbourne, Vic. The Gateway to Chinatown is located at 206 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Vic
19. Do a Circus Class at The Circus Spot
Address: 31 Essex St, Pascoe Vale VIC 3044
The Circus Spot offers circus classes for anyone over the age of 2. There are even classes for adults! Which is a great alternative and fun way to get fit.
There are classes in Acrobatics, tumbling, trapeze, Aerial silks, Aerial hoop and general circus skills classes to participate in.
2o.Take a Tour of The CBD on The City Circle Tram
Melbourne CBD
Image: Yarra Trams
The City Circle Tram is a free tourist tram. It’s a great way to see all of the main tourist attractions in the Melbourne CBD and is also a convenient and free way to get around.
The tram offers audio commentary as it travels around some Melbourne attractions such as The State Library, Melbourne Museum, Federation Square, Sea Life Aquarium, Melbourne Central and more. The tram runs every 20 minutes between 10 am and 6 pm Sunday to Wednesday and from 10 am and 9 pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
21. See How High You Can Climb at Clip ‘n Climb Berwick
Address: 39-51 Intrepid St, Berwick VIC 3806
22. Milk a Cow and Visit The Animals At Collingwood children’s farm
Address: 18 St Heliers St, Abbotsford VIC 3067
23. Have Fun With Sensory Play at Craftercise
52A Hawker St, Airport West VIC 3042
24. Feel Like a Grown-Up at Dream City
Address: DFO South Wharf, Shop 114/115, Level/1 20 Convention Centre Pl, South Wharf VIC 3006
25. Ride The Diamond Valley Miniature Railway Eltham
Lower Eltham Park, Eltham, 570 Main Rd, Eltham VIC 3095
26. Have Some Family Fun at The Enchanted Adventure Garden
Address: 55 Purves Rd, Arthurs Seat VIC 3936
27. Cycle around Essendon Traffic School
Address: 43A Lawson St, Essendon VIC 3040
28. Bask In the Views At Eureka Skydeck
Address: 7 Riverside Quay, Southbank VIC 3006
29. Explore Melbourne’s laneways
Melbourne CBD. See our Melbourne laneway guide.
3o. On a Day Trip To Fairy park
Address: 2388 Geelong-Ballan Rd, Anakie VIC 3213
31. See What’s on at Federation square
Address: Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000
32. Play at Cubbies, Fitzroy Adventure Playground
Address: 167 Condell St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
33. Go For A Treat and Try a Freakshake
Melbourne has a great cafe culture and some of the best food in the world. The latest cafe food trend in Melbourne are freakshakes. Freakshakes are more than a milkshake. They are an entire dessert. They’re so big in fact they could be shared between two people. Some of the best cafes and restaurants to get freakshakes include Sweet Espresso Sugar Buns and Common Galaxia .
34. Cool Off On a Hot Day At Funfields in Whittlesea
Address: 2365 Plenty Rd, Whittlesea VIC 3757
35. Play At Funtopia
2 Locations. Address: 586 Frankston – Dandenong Rd, Carrum Downs VIC 3201 and 3/98 -108 Hampstead Rd, Maidstone VIC 3012
36.Play at Galactic circus in Crown Casino
Address: 8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006
37. Window Shop (Or Actually Shop) at Geppetto’s Workshop
Sassafras Location: 371 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Sassafras VIC 3787
Olinda Location: 25 Olinda-Monbulk Rd, Olinda VIC 3788
Photo: Gepetto’s Workshop, Facebook
38. Test Your Golfing Skills at Glowgolf
Address: Shop 35 Star Cres, Docklands VIC 3008
39. Burn Off Some Energy At Go climb Coburg
Address: LINCOLN MILLS HOMEMAKER CENTRE, 64-74 Gaffney St, Coburg VIC 3058
40. Take a Road Trip Down The Great Ocean Road and See The 12 Apostles
If you travel by car non-stop from Melbourne to The 12 Apostles it will take you a little under 3 hours. But if you take the scenic route along The Great Ocean Road and stop at all the sights along the way you could spend a whole day heading up there.
There are so many great attractions and sights along The Great Ocean Road that you shouldn’t miss.
41. Slide Down Water Slides at The New and Improved Gumbuya world
Address: LINCOLN MILLS HOMEMAKER CENTRE, 64-74 Gaffney St, Coburg VIC 3058
42. Go For a Surf or a Swim at URBNSURF Melbourne
Address: 309 Melrose Dr, Tullamarine VIC 3045
43. Learn About Native Wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary
Address: Glen Eadie Ave, Healesville VIC 3777
Healesville Sanctuary is located one hour from Melbourne in the beautiful Yarra Valley.
This is the zoo to go to when you want to see native Australian animals.
Healesville Sanctuary is passionate about fighting extinction and is a great place to educate your kids on our native wildlife. The zoo is a sanctuary that is known for its conservation of native Australian animals, such as wallabies, wombats, koalas, platypuses, Tasmanian devils and more.
A visit to Healesville can be a great educational and fun outing for your kids to learn about native Australian wildlife and animal conservation.
For a fun experience, the zoo offers encounters with kangaroos, echidnas and koalas. If you would like a behind the scenes tour of how the animals are fed on a daily basis you can even take a sanctuary food tour.
44. Play Mini Golf Holey Moley
4 Locations Crown Melbourne, Melbourne CBD, Frankston and Ringwood.
45. Go To Melbourne “Coolest” Bar — IceBar Melbourne
Address: The Atrium Federation Square, Melbourne VIC 3000
Yes, Kids can go to the IceBar. They are even given a free mocktail on arrival. Entry into the IceBar comes with complimentary snow gear so there’s no need to bring your own. I mean who wants to drag snow gear all the way out to the city to go out. Plus I’m sure a lot of people in Melbourne don’t own snow gear since it does not snow in Melbourne. The IceBar stays -10 degrees celsius all year round so that snow gear is a must.
Pricing: Children are allowed into the IceBar between 11 AM and 7 PM and tickets are $19. There’s also a family pass available for $99 (2 adults and 2 children). Adult tickets vary depending on drink options. See here for a full range of ticket options.
46. Go Indoor Skydiving at iFly Melbourne
Address: 2 Burns St, Essendon Fields VIC 3041
47. See a 3D Movie or Educational 3D Show at Imax
Address: Melbourne Museum Precinct, Rathdowne St, Carlton VIC 3053
48. Explore Melbourne’s History of Settlement at The Immigration museum
Address: 400 Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000
49. Visit Pop Culture Superstore Minotaur
Address: 264 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
50. Get Your Imagination Going at Interaxcity Children’s Museum
Address: 1A Cawkwell St, Malvern VIC 3144
51.Hop aboard Pollywoodside
Address: 21 S Wharf Promenade, South Wharf VIC 3006
52.Have a Cup of Tea and a Cake at Lady lavenders Tea Room
Address: 3085 Princes Hwy, Bunyip VIC 3815
53. Ride All The Rides at Luna Park
18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda VIC 3182 Australia
Luna Park has been a Melbourne icon for over 100 years! The rides at Luna Park are generally tame and most rides are family-friendly.
See if your kids are brave enough to ride the Scenic Railway. Don’t be fooled by its size it’s a very mild rollercoaster.
From the top of The Scenic Railway, you’ll have a great view over Port Phillip Bay and the Melbourne skyline. If you go at night you can even enjoy 6,000 lights at night from the Luna Park Carousel.
54. Visit The 3-Storey Library- Library at The Dock
Address: 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands VIC 3008
55. Spend an Afternoon At Legoland Discovery Centre
Level 2/ 1341 Dandenong Rd., Chadstone VIC 3148, Australia
The Legoland Discovery Centre has 13 exhibits including a miniature Melbourne made entirely of lego. See how many Melbourne landmarks your kids can point out such as Luna Park, Eureka Tower and Flinders Street Station.
The Discovery Centre also has a 4D cinema with simulated rain, snow, and wind. Each movie is 20-minutes long and there are 5 movies to choose from.
There is also an indoor playground, and 2 rides for your kids to enjoy. Once your kids have burned all of their energy there’s a cafe to recharge their imaginations.
56. Learn About History, Science and Culture at Melbourne Museum
Address: 11 Nicholson St, Carlton VIC 3053
57. Visit The Melbourne Zoo
Address: Elliott Ave, Parkville VIC 3052
Melbourne zoo has over 300 species of animals including birds, mammals and reptiles.
Melbourne zoo also has animal experiences and guided tours if you want to see the animals up-close. There are experiences available with elephants, kangaroos, gorillas, tigers, giraffes, seals, orangutans and more.
If you’re up to it you can even spend a night at the zoo. With Melbourne Zoo’s Roar and Snore.
58.Visit The Environmentally Friendly State Of The Art Melton Library
Address: 31 McKenzie St, Melton, Vic
59. Visit Montsalvat
Address: 7 Hillcrest Ave, Eltham VIC 3095
Read our review on Montsalvat Eltham here.
61. Get Up Close To Australian Animals at Moonlit Sanctuary WIldlife Conservation Park
Address: 550 Tyabb-Tooradin Rd, Pearcedale VIC 3912
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62. Visit The Museum of Play and Art (MoPA)
Address: 51 McKillop St, Geelong VIC 3220
63. Play at My puzzle house
Address: 5 Embrey Ct, Pakenham VIC 3810
64. See an Exhibit at The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)
Address: 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3006
65. Visit The National Sports Museum at The MCG
Address: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Brunton Ave, Melbourne VIC 3000
66. Go Ice Skating at O’brien Ice House
Address: Ground/105 Pearl River Rd, Docklands VIC 3008
67. Visit The Historic Old Melbourne Gaol
Address: 377 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000
68. See the Colony of Little Fairy Penguins At St Kilda Pier
That’s right, you don’t need to travel all the way to Phillip Island to see penguins in their natural environment. Some adults that have lived in Melbourne their whole lives don’t even know that there is a penguin colony in St Kilda. Just before the sunsets, you can see the cute little penguins coming ashore! Adorable.
69. Eat Everything at The Phillip Island Chocolate Factory
Address: 930 Phillip Island Rd, Newhaven VIC 3925
Great for sweet tooths. Panny’s World of Chocolate at Phillip Island Chocolate Factory is a must-visit.
You can go on a self-guided chocolate factory tour and view the Chocolate Statue of David and the world’s biggest chocolate waterfall! 400 kilos of chocolate flows from the waterfall every 3 minutes. If you ever had dreams of going to WIlly Wonka’s Chocolate Factory this is probably the closest you’ll get.
When you purchase a ticket for a self-guided tour you will get a bar of complimentary Belgian chocolate. Your ticket for entry is also edible!
After working up an appetite wandering around the chocolate factory you can eat your heart out in the cafe. If you’re not a chocolate lover don’t worry. The menu has savoury options making it a great place to have lunch.
And before leaving don’t forget to stop by the chocolate shop so you have some chocolate to take with you.
70. See The Phillip Island Penguin Parade
Address: 1019 Ventnor Rd, Summerlands VIC 3922
You can’t say you have been to Phillip Island without watching the penguin parade. The Phillip Island Penguin Parade is one of Victoria’s biggest attractions. Also, there’s no denying that the penguins are super cute. The penguins on Phillip Island are the smallest species of Penguins on earth. Each night on Summerlands Beach the penguins return to their nesting grounds. There are several ways to view the penguins. See here for viewing options and penguin experiences.
71. Ride Puffing Billy
Address: 1 Old Monbulk Rd, Belgrave VIC 3160
72. Wonder Around The Queen Victoria Market
Address: Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000
73. Play at Rabbit Hole Play Centre
Address: 13/227 Ballarat Rd, Braybrook VIC 3019
74. Go Fruit Picking at Naturipe Fruits, Bacchus Marsh
Address: 638 Bacchus Marsh Rd, Bacchus Marsh VIC 3340
75. Jump, Climb and Play at Rush HQ
Address: 39 S Corporate Ave, Rowville VIC 3178
76. Learn About Science at Scienceworks Museum in Spotswood
Address: 2 Booker St, Spotswood VIC 3015
Scienceworks is a kid-friendly science museum. It is as fun as it is educational.
Scienceworks allows children to learn through play. Teach your kid about the human body by letting them play in a playground of giant organs, or let them get some exercise in the sports section of the museum.
In the sports section, you can race against a simulated Cathy Freeman to test how fast your kids are. It’s a great way to trick your kids into burning off some energy.
If your kids can sit down without getting restless you can take them to a show in the planetarium or watch a lighting show to help teach your kids how lightning is created.
77. Go On a Seal Watching Cruise in Phillip Island
Address: 11 The Esplanade, Cowes VIC 392
The coasts surrounding Phillip Island are home to some spectacular wildlife. You can take a seal, dolphin or whale cruise off the coast of Phillip Island. On a seal-watching cruise, an average of 5000 seals can be seen, so you’re guaranteed a great experience. On a Dolphin and Whale watching cruise, there is an 80% chance of a whale or dolphin sighting but you will be guaranteed to at least see seals on the cruise. Regardless it’s still a great experience and most cruise packages come with lunch, dinner or morning tea.
Note that wildlife cruises are seasonal so bookings are essential. There are various ticket options. See here for more info and ticket prices.
78. See Harry Potter and The Cursed Child at The Princess Theatre
Address: 163 Spring St, Melbourne VIC 3000
79.Appreciate The Wildlife At Serendip Sanctuary, Lara
Address: 100 Windermere Rd, Lara VIC 3212
80. Go Rollerskating at Sk8house
Address: Unit 3/2 Amayla Cres, Carrum Downs VIC 3201
81. Try All The Food and Explore The Shops At South Melbourne Market
Address: 322-326 Coventry St, South Melbourne VIC 3205
82. Play for Free at St Kilda Adventure Playground
Address: Neptune St, St Kilda VIC 3182
83. Explore The Beautiful State Library Victoria
Address: 328 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000
84. Go Shopping at Melbourne’s Own Harry Potter Inspired Store. The Store of Requirement
Address: 6 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3066
85. Wonder Around The Summer Night Market
Address: Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000
86. Fall in Love With Reading at The Little Bookroom
Address: 220 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North VIC 3068
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87. Go Shopping at The Lost Forests Toy Store
Address: Ground floor, SC The District Docklands, G21/7 Wharf St, Docklands VIC 3008
88. Shop Til You Drop at Treetop Toy Shop
Address: 353 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056
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89. See a Movie at V Junior Cinemas, Sunshine
Address: 80 Harvester Rd, Sunshine VIC 3020
90. Play a Virtual Reality Game at Zero Latency
Address: 22-32 Steel St, North Melbourne VIC 3051
91. Attend Weerama Festival, Werribee
Address: Watton Street Werribee
92. Wonder around The Werribee Mansion
Address: Main Dr, Werribee South VIC 3030
93. Go on a Safari at Werribee Open Range Zoo
Address: K Rd, Werribee South VIC 3030
Werribee Zoo is located around 30 minutes from the CBD but it is worth a visit. Werribee Zoo does have things that Melbourne Zoo does not have so don’t give it a miss.
What makes Werribee Zoo unique is the Safari Bus. Your kids will feel like they’re on an African safari. The safari bus allows you to see African animals up close and instead of behind a cage or fence. The Safari bus is included in the price of admission so a visit to Werribee Zoo is definitely worth it.
As well as the Safari bus, Werribee Zoo also has animal encounters and a slumber safari. The slumber safari allows you to spend two days at the zoo immersing yourself in the zoo and participating in unique animal encounters,
94. Attend White Night Melbourne
95. Get Cozy With Some Warm Food At The Winter night Market
Address: Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000
96.Stay at The Wizards Suite at The Windsor hotel
Address: 111 Spring St, Melbourne VIC 3000
97. Play at The Newly Renovated Wyndham Park, Werribee
Wyndham Park has had a 13 million dollar upgrade. It is one of the best parks in Melbourne!
Wyndham Park is home to 2 playgrounds: Nature Park Playground and Wyndham Park Playground. There are 2 outdoor gyms for the adults with plenty of workout equipment to use.
The park is also home to an oval, bike tracks, BBQ facilities and picnic areas. There are also toilets and water fountains. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon and have a picnic or a BBQ.
98. Eat Everything at The Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
Address: 35 Old Healesville Rd, Yarra Glen VIC 3775
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99. Play at Rainbow Town Glen Waverley
Address: 49-55 Myrtle St, Glen Waverley VIC 3150
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100. Climb The 1000 Steps of The Kokoda Track Memorial Trail (or Try To)
Address: Dandenong Ranges National Park, Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Ferny Creek VIC 3786
There you go! Those are our top 100 things to do in Melbourne with Kids. What are your favourite things to do in Melbourne with kids?
