Best Activities For Older Kids In Sydney

We talk a lot at ellaslist about what to do with babies, like the best music classes or baby yoga to get you out of the house, or where to take toddlers, which playcentres are best and the playgrounds to visit where little ones won't fall through railings. But what about the older kids?

Won't somebody think of the older children! They need fun, adventure and quality time with you too. Especially when they're in that in-between 'tween' stage where they're not quite independent but they're definitely kept not on a short leash! So here are the best things to do in Sydney for school-aged kids - the 'kidults' will probably enjoy them too... 

Climbing Adventures

Ropes courses are a thrilling and challenging activity for older kids that boost confidence and aids in problem-solving skills - it's also really fun! At Trees Adventure near the Blue Mountains, kids can soar through the treetops on an array of flying foxes, tight ropes and tunnels! Find out what we thought of it in our Trees Adventure Review. Skypeak in St Mary's has kids donning harnesses and scaling up 5.5 storey high towers and platforms. You can free fall, climb, and tightrope walks around the steel cable structures, a huge course which takes 2.5 hours to fully complete! Wild Ropes at Taronga Zoo allows you to spot wildlife as you climb through the trees, tackle challenges and soar through the air on flying foxes! Yeehaw! We also love the zipline at Illawarra Fly (must be taller than 120cm to go solo).

Mini Golf 

A round of putt-putt golf has been a family bonding experience for years and it's a great test of gross motor skills, concentration and geometry. Whether you go to a traditional mini-golf centre - the one at Thornleigh Mini Golf has golfers winding their way alongside rivers, across bridges, past ponds and waterfalls - or one of the new, funky mini golf bars like Holey Moley in Newtown which combines pop culture putt-putt with beer and cocktails for the adults, you are guaranteed to have a ball! Find more of the Best Places To Play Putt-Putt Golf around Sydney.

Laser Tag 

Laser Tag is a thrilling activity for active kids which helps them learn important skills such as communication and teamwork. There are centres all over Sydney including at Zone and Strike Bowling Centres, Sydney Olympic Park, and Darling Harbour. Being indoors, it makes for the perfect rainy day activity. Funtime 4 Kidz in the Shire encourage younger kids to play on Thursdays and Fridays with the centre offering Junior Laser Tag for 5 to 10-year-olds, so you don’t need to worry about your little kids playing with bigger teenagers.

Rock Climbing 

Rock Climbing is a great workout and an adrenaline-pumping activity that teaches problem-solving and boosts self-esteem. Many centres in Sydney will have walls for younger kids to manoeuver and more challenging ones for parents to have a go on too. Here are the Best Indoor Climbing Centres in Sydney to get your climb on!

Skate Parks

If your kids are getting too good for the paths at your local park, a skate park is a great place to get their skills of grinding, flipping and carving to the next level. The Bondi Beach skate bowl is a favourite for kids and is frequented by skaters, scooter riders and BMX-ers of all ages and levels. There's also a cool one at Sydenham, and traditional ramps at Maroubra, Summer Hill, Waterloo, Five Dock and Cherrybrook.

Theme Parks

Luna Park is a red hot favourite with tweens where they can hitch a ride on the free-falling Hair Raiser, get unparalleled views from the Ferris Wheel and slip down the giant slides in Coney Island. Further afield, Jamberoo Action Park is worth the road trip down south for a day of thrills and spills, from the relaxing Rapid River to the white-knuckle Perfect Storm. In the west, try Raging Waters - Sydney's biggest water theme park with over 40 slides and attractions, including Whirlwind - a unique, thrilling 206-metre slide!

Games Arcades

Amusement centres are having a revival, like B. Lucky & Sons in the Entertainment Quarter that brings back the best of 80's arcade games plus all the latest crazes for a day of neon adventure. Happydays Broadway has over 50 arcade games, plus prize and ticket machines, including some old school favourites. At Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq kids rack up time on dodgem cars, carousels, bowling, arcade games and prizes, and there's always the classic family-friendly TimeZone with locations all over Sydney. Sydney's Best Games Arcades will keep older kids entertained for hours, and might even make grown-ups a little nostalgic.

Tours With A Twist

Show your kids a frightfully good time on one of Sydney's Best Ghost Tours, like the Haunted History Tour on Cockatoo Island that uncovers the skeletons in the closet and spine-tingling secrets of this historic goal. The heritage-listed Q Station also comes alive after dark when resident spooky spirits coming out to play. Cockatoo Island also has a For all the fun without the fear-factor, try one of the Best Scavenger Hunts in Sydney. Adventure Clues is an exciting app kids will love using to decipher cryptic clues and discover the city. PuzzleTrails also has nature or history adventures across Sydney like the Code Breakers, Murder Mysteries or an Explorer Quiz.

More Sydney Fun For Everyone

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