Canberra With Kids 

Many of Canberra’s attractions are free (or have low admission fees), making it wonderfully affordable. The only decision to make is where to start!

National Zoo & Aquarium. Interact with animals, walk with the native wildlife, pat kangaroos & emus, hand feed lions, tigers and bears on the ZooVenture Tour. Play ball with a cheetah on the Meet-a-Cheetah Tour (ages 10 & over). Admission charge.

Australian War Memorial. Crawl through a WW1 trench, climb into a helicopter from the Vietnam War or explore a Cold War submarine. Experience a Lancaster Bomber night raid over Berlin. Free general admission.

National Museum of Australia. Create a house or vehicle of the future in K-Space & watch it come to life in a 3D cinema. Let the kids play in cubby houses or run wild in the Garden of Australian Dreams. Free general admission.

Lake Burley Griffin. Picnic or BBQ around the lake. Hire a paddleboat, family bike, tandems, canoes, kayaks, surf skis or rollerblades.

Questacon. Freefall 6 metres down a vertical slide, experience an earthquake or try the interactive Sports Quest exhibit. See zany science theatre shows, or play hide & seek in a spaceship. Admission charge.

Australian Institute of Sport. Take a tour with an elite athlete, try the interactive sports experience, kick a goal against a star goalkeeper or try wheelchair basketball. Admission charge.

Cockington Green Gardens. Take a mini train around the miniature village. Tower over tiny versions of famous buildings from around the world. Admission charge.

CSIRO Discovery. Conduct real experiments, make energy and power a mechanical arm, or feel the strange sensations of 3D cinema. Admission charge.

Canberra Glassworks. School holiday programs are dedicated to children. 3 day workshops are offered on glass blowing, glass casting & kiln forming. Age restrictions apply.

Civic Merry-go-round. Take a ride on one of the wooden horses. Admission charge.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. Spot platypus, picnic with emus & kangaroos, visit the koala enclosure or join the activities during school holidays.

Canberra Deep Space Communications. Check out moon rocks, see astronaut food, marvel at the largest communications dishes in the Southern Hemisphere. Free general admission.

National Gallery of Australia. Walk through fog sculpture or see distorted reflections in giant cones. Be stimulated with interactive activities and special events. Free general admission.

Australian National Botanic Gardens. Spot native birds, see tropical rainforest, follow emblems to discover bush foods used by Indigenous people or watch the water dragons sunbaking. Free general admission.

Australian Reptile Centre. Hold a python, see bearded dragons or the world’s most poisonous snake, the inland Taipan. Admission charge.

Canberra Walk-in Aviary. Hand feed over 50 varieties of birds and watch as they fly around you. Admission charge.

Kid City. Featuring a giant 3-lane slide & play zones.

Corin Forest. Kids love the bobsled, alpine slide, flying fox & waterslides.

Gungahlin & Kambah Adventure Playgrounds. Burn energy on the play equipment & flying foxes.

Skate Parks. In Gungahlin, Belconnen, Tuggeranong & the city.

Namadgi National Park. Discover aboriginal rock art

Weston Park. Play in an adventure playground with a miniature train.

Swimming Pools. Swim at the Civic Pool, historic Manuka Pool, Dickson Aquatic Centre, Canberra International Sports & Aquatic Centre or Big Splash Water Park.

Movie Theatres. Located in Manuka, Belconnen, Woden or Tuggeranong

Go-karts or Racing. Go Karts are in Hume or Fyshwick. Hyper Active Racing has 6 racing simulation cockpits

Rockclimb. Climb at Canberra Indoor Rockclimbing

TenPin bowling. At Canberra International Bowl, AMF Bowling Centre or Queanbeyan Tenpin Bowl.

Ice-skate. Available at the indoor rink in Phillip.

Mini Golf. At Southern Cross Pitch ‘n’ Putt or Canberra International Golf Centre.

Further Information

• Grab a 3 in Fun ticket. This is the most affordable way to see some of Canberra’s best family attractions. Ticket includes entry to Questacon, Cockington Green Gardens and the Australian Institute of Sport. Plus, you get a 10 per cent discount plus a free pass to go back to your favourite 3 in Fun attraction! Tickets are available from the Canberra and Region Visitors Centre, and at participating attractions.