Free things to do in Sydney with kids

Beaches

More than 100 beaches line Sydney’s surrounding coast, ranging from tranquil bays to sweeping surf beaches. The famous waves of Bondi and Manly are perfect for swimming and bodysurfing, or you can seek out calmer waters at Coogee or Malabar. Harbour beaches are ideal for kids, with sheltered conditions and hardly any swell. Popular spots include Camp Cove, Parsley Bay, Chinamans Beach and Balmoral. 

Families will love swimming in the many coastal ocean pools, most of which have no entry fee. Try the Bronte Baths and Mahon Pool in the east; the tiny Fairy Bower Pool near Manly; Palm Beach, Narrabeen and Avalon pools on the Northern Beaches; or the two rock pools at Cronulla Beach in the south. There are also a handful of spots to swim along the Parramatta River, like the Bayview Park Baths and Cabarita Park Beach, and you can even take a dip in Lake Parramatta. Penrith Beach is open for swimmers between December and April.

Read more: The best family-friendly beaches in Sydney

Family enjoying day at Mona Vale Beach, Mona Vale

Gardens and parks

Stroll through the Royal Botanic Garden, a green oasis in the middle of the CBD, and enjoy a picnic with an incredible view of the Sydney Opera House from the harbourside lawns. Barangaroo Reserve sits on the water on the other side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and is a picturesque spot for exploring native gardens, having lazy picnics and splashing in the protected Marrinawi Cove. Across the bridge, Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden is a hidden-away oasis tucked behind Luna Park, free and open to the public seven days a week.

Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden, Lavender Bay

Further north, St Ives is home to the enchanting Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden. Follow winding trails and spot wallabies hopping among the gums, or pop into the nursery for a souvenir to create your own wildflower garden at home. To the south-west, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is a lovely expanse of rolling hills, lakes and gardens – perfect for a picnic away from the hustle and bustle. 

Centennial Park is an enormous green space on the eastern edge of the CBD with almost 200 hectares of parkland, gardens, ponds and trails. Kids will love the natural surrounds of the Ian Potter Children's Wild Play Garden, an immersive space of bamboo forests, free-form timber climbing frames and waterways. On the other side of the city, award-winning Sydney Park covers 40 hectares of green space, complete with a skate park, bike track for pint-sized cyclists, an adventure playground, wetlands and picturesque grassy hills. Wander the boardwalks that run through the Badu Mangroves at Bicentennial Park or cycle some of the 60km of trails that wind through Western Sydney Parklands.

Read more: A three-day itinerary in Sydney for families

Bicentennial Park at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush

Playgrounds

First stop: the CBD, where kids can burn off their energy at The Kids Playground at Darling Quarter. Here you’ll find a multi-zone activity paradise including slides to suit all ages, swings, climbing structures and water-play areas so be warned: they will get wet! On a Saturday evening, stick around Darling Harbour for the 8.30pm fireworks display.  

Darling Harbour playground - Credit: andre&dominique

Blaxland Riverside Park is Sydney’s biggest playground, covering three hectares of green space at Sydney Olympic Park. It’s packed with adventures like a double flying fox, oversized swings, tunnel slides and a treehouse that spans multiple levels. Need some quiet? Take a stroll on the Riverside Walk trail.  

The North Shore is home to St Leonard’s Wadanggari Park, where colourful, angular climbing frames and slides are flanked by oversized sculptures inspired by Australia’s native flora. In nearby Ryde check out the small-but-mighty Santa Rosa Playground. Designed for older kids, this park is all about climbing – over twisting spaghetti net, through the ninja circuit and up the climbing cubes. Bring your racket and ball to take advantage of the ping pong table. 

Head further north for the St Ives Showground Playground, a tree-lined play space designed for whole families. Younger kids will love climbing on the red tractor and playing in the cubby house while older children can test their adventure skills on the rope walkways, oversized birds nest swing and race their friends down the double tunnel slides. Shaded picnic tables surround the playground, and there’s a cafe to get your caffeine fix or a cold drink.  

St Ives Showground Playground - Credit: Ku-ring-gai Council

In South Sydney, Oatley Park Adventure Playspace blends nature and exploration with a fully netted, four-storey treehouse, a twirling tunnel slide as well as a sandpit and timber and sandstone elements. For accessible play, Livvi’s Place playgrounds can be found across the city, from Five Dock to Kellyville to Jordan Springs. The fun-filled, fully-fenced spaces include wheelchair ramps, accessible swings and play equipment with plenty of space for kids of all abilities to play together.  

Read more: Budget-friendly school holiday experiences in Sydney

Walks

The Barangaroo Foreshore Walk and Glebe Foreshore Walk are perfect for little legs, scooters or prams, and will show you the harbour from another vantage. The famous Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk is more challenging – the handful of stairs and steep sections mean the full walk is best suited for school-aged kids – but it can also be broken into smaller walks that will suit little legs. Make a whole day of it with stops to catch a wave at Bronte, swim in the ocean pool at Clovelly or snorkel in Gordons Bay. 

Bondi Beach, Bondi

The Fairfax walk at Manly’s North Head is a 1km-loop with a flat, paved walkway that still feels like a proper bushwalk and has stunning ocean and city views. If you have lighthouse fans in your group, catch the ferry to Watsons Bay and follow the South Head Heritage trail to the candy-striped Hornby Lighthouse. You can even have a swim at Camp Cove along the way. Older kids looking for adventure could tackle the 10km trail from Spit Bridge to Manly, where they’ll walk on paths, rocks and sandy beaches. 

Away from the coast, the Great River Walk in Penrith is an easy trail suitable for walking, bikes and prams, with lovely views over the Nepean River and Blue Mountains. There are plenty of places to break up the journey, like overwater platforms, playgrounds and picnic spots. Catch the Rivercat to Parramatta, stopping off midway at Olympic Park terminal to walk along the boardwalk to Homebush Bay with its collection of rusted shipwrecks overgrown with mangrove trees dotting the water. Hop back on the boat to Parramatta and follow the paved path beside the tranquil river taking in the view from the Escarpment Boardwalk that juts out over the water. You can also find bushwalks of varying lengths and levels winding through Western Sydney Parklands. If you’re planning your walk in a national park, be sure to check the NSW National Parks’ website for safety updates and closure notices.  

For a stellar view of Sydney, take the pedestrian walkway over the Harbour Bridge. North to south starting from Milsons Point gives the best views of the Opera House and CBD.  

Read more: The best family-friendly hikes in Sydney

Great River Walk, Penrith

Museums

The vast Australian Museum is a wonderland for kids and it’s absolutely free (excluding special exhibitions). Start in the Dinosaur Gallery where all ages can marvel at fossilised skeletons and life-sized replicas then visit the extinct Tasmanian tiger and lots of deadly creatures in the Surviving Australia exhibit. The Burra learning space is full of games, puzzles and interactive artworks to guide kids and adults alike through an educational experience interweaving Aboriginal knowledge and Western science. 

Australian Museum, Sydney

For a quieter but equally engrossing museum experience, the University of Sydney’s Chau Chak Wing Museum is home to an incredible collection of ancient artefacts from Rome, Greece and Egypt, including a child mummy exhibit with 4D digital imaging to spark the curiosity of budding archaeologists. There are also natural history specimens including birds, mammals, fish and insects. Located nearby, the university’s Tin Sheds Gallery has a regular rotation of contemporary exhibits, including interactive art, design objects and robotic sculptures.   

Join the history trail at Vaucluse House, a gothic homestead that housed a family of 12 in the early 1800s. Surrounded by 10 hectares of formal gardens with multi-million-dollar views, this living museum offers education, exploration and space to run. Finished touring the grounds? Head over to Milk Beach to dip your toes in the water at one of the prettiest little sandy beaches in the harbour.  

All the permanent galleries at the Australian National Maritime Museum are free, including Shaped by the Sea, a space full of First Nations seafaring artefacts: dug-out canoes, handwoven fishing baskets and sculpture. The Royal Australian Navy exhibit is also free, with miniature steam ships, historical objects and interactive control stations. Climbing aboard the submarines, playing at the ‘Kids on deck’ maker space or visiting the latest exhibitions is ticketed. Aspiring crime fighters will enjoy the Justice and Police Museum, which covers everything from bushrangers to futuristic forensics. 

Read more: A guide to Sydney's museums (and what's on)

Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour

Galleries

Junior art lovers are well catered for at the Art Gallery of NSW, where entry is free for everyone. Activity booklets are available at the welcome hubs and encourage kids to follow special art trails and then use their imaginations to draw their own works. Look out for the special labels for kids alongside many of the artworks, which make the pieces more meaningful for them. Then join one of the free tours of the amazing architecture in the Naala Badu building, get creative at a workshop, listen to Storytime and check out the curiosity-sparking children’s art library with cubbyhouse-style bookcases for immersive reading. Casula Powerhouse in Western Sydney is another great free option with lots of immersive and interactive exhibits. 

Read more: A guide to Sydney's art galleries (and what's on)

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney 

Historic sites

Learn the fascinating legends of Cockatoo Island, one of the city’s World Heritage-listed convict sites that sits right in the middle of Sydney Harbour. You’ll have to pay for the ferry ride there but, once you’ve disembarked, you can pick up one of the Visitor Centre’s free kids’ activity books – it’s packed with fun ways to explore the historic buildings. Rouse Hill Estate in Blacktown is one of Australia’s most important historic properties, dating back to 1813. The kid-friendly offering including the ‘Meet the animals’ tour, the schoolhouse and the stunning grounds are all open and accessible every Sunday. 

Read more: The best behind-the-scenes tours in Sydney

Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour

Walking tours

One of the best ways to feel Sydney’s pulse is on a walking tour, giving you the chance to discover the city’s stories, as well as a few of its secrets – and many of these guided jaunts are free. I'm Free Walking Tours explore the historic neighbourhood of The Rocks. You might even like to visit The Rocks Discovery Museum while you’re there. Or explore the Royal Botanic Garden and its remarkable history, botany and wildlife on an unforgettable 1.5-hour guided walk.

Read more: 24 of the best walking tours in Sydney

Walking tour in the Royal Botanic Garden with an Aboriginal guide