14 Brisbane Weekend Activities for Kids
After a long week of early mornings and juggling between being a parent, employee, and partner, weekend plans can seem like a bit of a drag to come up with. But don’t worry. We’ve got your back. Below is a list of 14 activities to take your kids out to this weekend.
1. Visit a Koala Park
Visiting a koala park is not only great to capture adorable pics for your insta, but also a great weekend activity for kids to learn more about koala conservation. If you live on the south side, make a trip to Daisy Hill Koala Park. If you visit between 11am-2pm any day of the week, you will get the chance to hear talks from the wildlife officers about the koalas and their conservation.
If you’re situated more closer to the Brisbane CBD, check out Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. They have a range of animals from koalas, to wombats, owls and platypus. And if you’re feeling in the mood for a movie, they also host free outdoor movie screenings, on the first and third Friday of every month!
2. Take a dip at Southbank
Living in Brisbane often means you become acclimated to the heat. With the sun out most of the year, it makes the perfect weather for a dip at the beach. If you’re near the city, why not make a day trip to Streets Beach at Southbank with the kids. The area is buzzing with families on the weekend. With a free pool area, barbeque stations, playgrounds, and a stunning river view, it’s no wonder why people choose Southbank for a family day out.
3. Explore local parks and have a picnic
An easy and guaranteed fun activity for kids, is to take them to a local park. Local parks are great for kids to meet other kids and allows them to use their imagination. Some of Brisbane’s nicest parks with playgrounds and large grassy areas include Underwood Park, New Farm Park, and Bulimba Riverside Park. Bonus tip: pack some lunch and make it a picnic! Your kids will need that energy after all that play.
4. Browse through the exquisite galleries at GOMA
For the curious and inquisitive kids, take them to GOMA. Short for the Gallery of Modern Art, GOMA exhibits a range of contemporary art. The galleries are kid friendly, with an interactive area just for kids to play. Many of the artworks in the gallery also have a plaque made specifically for kids to learn more about each art piece. GOMA often rotates their exhibitions every quarter, so be sure to check out their new exhibitions when they come out.
5. Go on a treetop challenge
Are your kids the adventurous type? Then we’ve got the perfect activity for you! The treetop challenge at Mount Tambourine is suitable for kids ages 3+. They’ve got a junior course for kids aged 3 to 7, and one for older kids aged 7+ (given they meet the height requirements). While you’re there, why not make a trip to the peak of the mountain for a stunning mountain view.
6. Take a trip to your local library
As Dr Seuss said “the more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” And he’s not wrong about that. Kids can learn a lot from reading. Fostering a positive relationship with reading while they’re young, will also help them when it comes to reading at school. Brisbane offers a range of public libraries in areas ranging from Sunnybank Hills, Wynnum, the CBD and Bracken Ridge. Some libraries also have some activities running for kids on the weekend and school holidays, so be sure to check the city council website, to see what’s going on.
7. Visit Brisbane’s best theme parks
Brisbane has a range of great family friendly theme parks – the big ones being Movie World and Dreamworld, located on the Gold Coast. Movie world has something for everyone, but for the older more adventurous kids, Dreamworld’s Big 9 Thrill Rides may be more up their alley. If you’re a Northsider and don’t want to travel all the way down to the Gold Coast, Aussie World makes the perfect alternative. Located on the Sunshine Coast, Aussie World has a range of rides for the whole family, and a range of animals to visit too!
8. Ice skate your way through the heat
It may not snow in Brisbane, but who say’s Brisbane-siders can’t have some fun on the ice. Ice skating is a popular weekend activity for kids aged 4 and above. It makes the perfect weekend activity to get away from the Brisbane heat and cool off. If you’re on the Southside, visit Ice world Acacia Ridge to get your skates on, or Ice world Boondal, if you’re up North. And if you don’t want to leave the CBD to go ice skating? The Skating Festival holds a temporary Ice rink around June/July every year right outside the Brisbane City Hall. So be sure to check it out!
9. Get your game on at a bowling alley
Bowling is a great family night activity to knock out a couple hours of fun. Brisbane has many bowling alleys, with one in almost every big shopping complex. Some popular locations for bowling in Brisbane are Strike Wintergarden, Zone Bowling Garden City, Aspley 10 Pin Bowl, and Strathpine Hyperbowl. Lanes are often 6 people per game, so if you’ve got a big family, be sure to call ahead and book two lanes together.
10. Bike ride along the Brisbane river
Brisbane is beautiful city with a youthful zeal, laid-back atmosphere and 280 days of sun a year. This makes it the perfect location for a relaxing cycle with the kids. The Mini Brisbane River Loop is one course to cycle along the Brisbane River, with points across St Lucia, Dutton Park, West End and Milton. If you don’t have a bike, don’t stress, you can hire one with Brisbane City Cycle at $14 for 2 hours, with an extra $5 for every half hour after. Unfortunately, Brisbane City Cycle does not yet have bikes for kids, so you’ll need to bring your own. Despite this, a cycle along the river makes the perfect weekend activity to get your kids active!
11. Watch a movie
There are no shortages of cinemas across Brisbane. If you roam across the streets, you’ll find at least one or two in each of the surrounding suburbs. Movies are a great activity to keep your kids entertained on the weekend. The best part – it requires minimal effort to keep your kids in a single spot for 2 hours. New releases for kid friendly movies often come out around the school holiday periods, making holidays the best time for a movie date with the kids.
12. Make it a beach day with the fam
One of the highlights of Queensland, are the stunning beaches. If you travel to the Sunshine Coast you’ll find many little beach areas, such as Caloundra or Mooloolaba, which have little rock pools for the kids to discover crabs, seashells and other washed up treasures from the deep. An hour down south of the CBD, you’ll find the Gold Coast, which is also home to many beautiful beaches such as Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise.
While you’re there, why not stop by Burleigh Heads National Park on the outcrop on the Gold Coast for lunch, or to watch the sunset with your fam? It’s great idea to bring some snacks too, given that the big grassy area is just too good not to lie on. The park also makes the perfect location for the kids to run around and play, which means more time for parents to sit back and relax.
13. Take a trip to the zoo
Visiting the zoo is listed by many parents a quintessential activity to do with the kids. It provides them an opportunity to explore and learn much more about the environment, the wildlife and animal conservation. What makes the zoo so exciting, especially for the younger kids, is the chance they’ll get to learn through experience, not just books, and discover new animals they never knew existed.
Australia Zoo, renowned for their conservation efforts sparked by the late Steve Irwin, is only an hour drive from the CBD. It’s a hugely popular destination near Brisbane amongst both locals and tourists. The zoo is home to many Australian animals including the Australian Freshwater Turtle, Red Kangaroos and Tasmanian Devils.
14. Visit a local museum
For kids, learning is much more engaging when it is interactive and visual. Museum visits are a great way to make learning, particularly about history and art, more engaging for kids. Whether you want to teach kids about Australian history, dinosaurs or science, the museum is a great place to start! In Brisbane, the Queensland Museum & Sciencentre, just opposite Cultural Centre, has exhibitions ranging from dinosaurs, space, ANZAC legacy, and many more. This makes it the perfect hub for kids to roam around and explore.
There is no shortage of things to do with your kids this weekend. Whether you plan on heading to Southbank for a barbie with the fam, or a visit to a conservational park to see Aussie animals, you’re sure to have a wicked weekend.
Have more suggestions on things to do on the weekend in Brisbane, let us know.
Looking for more baby.org.au blogs? Check out our last blog on dealing with sibling rivalry these holidays