Rainy day ideas for kids in Sydney

Things to doWater playPlaygroundsToiletsEat with kids
125 places to go when it rains across the region: indoor play, museums, libraries, cinemas, bowling and more, nearest first from Sydney. Choose your suburb at the top to sort from where you are staying.

Everything on the map

Nearest first, from Sydney

Animals

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, Sydney
Aquarium
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Sydney
under 5 min
Tickets
Photo: Nelson Pérez, CC BY-SA 3.0

Play

Arcade illustration
Arcade
DigiPark Sydney
Sydney
under 5 min
Tickets
Escape room
Escape Hunt
Sydney
under 5 min
Escape room
Virtual Room Sydney Asterix Mission Potions
Sydney
under 5 min
Arcade illustration
Arcade
Entermission Sydney CBD
Sydney
under 5 min
Escape room
Escape This Sydney
Sydney
under 5 min
Arcade illustration
Arcade
Koko Amusement
Sydney
under 5 min
Escape room
Mission Sydney The Last Order
Sydney
under 5 min
Escape room
Next Level Escape
Sydney
under 5 min
Bowling illustration
Bowling
Strike Bowling Bar
Sydney
under 5 min
Escape room
The Secret City Sydney Scavenger Hunt
Sydney
under 5 min
Arcade illustration
Arcade
City Amusements
Haymarket
under 5 min
Escape room
Cubic Escape Room
Haymarket
under 5 min
Escape room
Mission Sydney
Haymarket
under 5 min
Escape room
PanIQ Room Abandoned Military Bunker On The Rocks
The Rocks
under 5 min
Escape room
Strange World Escape Rooms
Darlinghurst
under 5 min
Arcade illustration
Arcade
Every Colour Wins
Milsons Point
under 5 min
Indoor sports
Ross-Milbourne Sports Hall
Ultimo
under 5 min
Arcade illustration
Arcade
Beercade
Redfern
under 5 min
Climbing illustration
Climbing
SUSF The Ledge
Darlington
under 5 min
Escape room
The Great Escape Sydney
Redfern
under 5 min
Climbing illustration
Climbing
The Ledge
Camperdown
under 5 min
Climbing illustration
Climbing
9 degrees - Waterloo
Waterloo
about 5 min
Climbing illustration
Climbing
NOMAD Bouldering Gym
Annandale
about 5 min
Skating illustration
Skating
RollerMart
Waterloo
about 5 min
Escape room
Social Escape Rooms
Alexandria
about 5 min
Bowling illustration
Bowling
Strike Entertainment Quarter
Moore Park
about 5 min
Indoor sports
Eastern Gymnastics Academy
Waterloo
about 5 min

Museums and history

Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney
Museum
Hyde Park Barracks
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: The original uploader was J Bar at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0
Museum illustration
Museum
Museum of Illusions Sydney
Sydney
under 5 min
Tickets
Reserve Bank of Australia Museum, Sydney
Museum
Reserve Bank of Australia Museum
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: Danausi, Public domain
Sydney Tower Eye, Sydney
Museum
Sydney Tower Eye
Sydney
under 5 min
Tickets
Photo: Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Mint, Sydney
Museum
The Mint
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: J Bar at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Museum illustration
Museum
Westpac Museum
Sydney
under 5 min
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Gallery
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0
Australian Museum
Museum
Australian Museum
Darlinghurst
under 5 min
Photo: Shkuru Afshar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney
Museum
Australian National Maritime Museum
Sydney
under 5 min
Tickets
Photo: MDRX, CC BY-SA 4.0
Justice & Police Museum, Sydney
Museum
Justice & Police Museum
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: sv1ambo, CC BY 2.0
Museum illustration
Museum
Madame Tussauds Sydney
Sydney
under 5 min
Tickets
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Gallery
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
The Rocks
under 5 min
Photo: sv1ambo, CC BY 2.0
Museum of Sydney
Museum
Museum of Sydney
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: Elekhh, CC BY-SA 3.0
Museum illustration
Museum
Opal Museum
Sydney
under 5 min
Susannah Place Museum, The Rocks
Museum
Susannah Place Museum
The Rocks
under 5 min
Photo: Stefano, CC BY-SA 3.0
Museum illustration
Museum
The Big Dig Education Centre
The Rocks
under 5 min
Museum illustration
Museum
BridgeMuseum
Dawes Point
under 5 min
Tickets
Museum illustration
Museum
Qtopia
Darlinghurst
under 5 min
Museum illustration
Museum
Sisters of Charity Heritage Centre and Archives
Potts Point
under 5 min
Sydney Jewish Museum, Darlinghurst
Museum
Sydney Jewish Museum
Darlinghurst
under 5 min
Photo: Shkuru Afshar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sydney Observatory
Museum
Sydney Observatory
Millers Point
under 5 min
Photo: Photograph by Greg O'Beirne, CC BY 2.5
The Rocks Discovery Museum
Museum
The Rocks Discovery Museum
The Rocks
under 5 min
Photo: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0
Museum illustration
Museum
Brett Whiteley Studio
Surry Hills
under 5 min
Gallery illustration
Gallery
Harrington Street Gallery
Chippendale
under 5 min
Gallery illustration
Gallery
Kudos Gallery
Paddington
under 5 min
Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Museum
Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Potts Point
under 5 min
Photo: Hpeterswald, CC BY-SA 3.0
White Rabbit, Chippendale
Gallery
White Rabbit
Chippendale
under 5 min
Photo: Nick-D, CC BY-SA 4.0
Chau Chak Wing Museum, Camperdown
Museum
Chau Chak Wing Museum
Camperdown
under 5 min
Photo: Nick-D, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gallery illustration
Gallery
Home@735 Gallery
Redfern
under 5 min
Don Bank Museum, North Sydney
Museum
Don Bank Museum
North Sydney
about 5 min
Photo: Sardaka, CC BY-SA 3.0
Museum illustration
Museum
Mary MacKillop Place Museum
North Sydney
about 5 min
May Gibbs' Nutcote
Museum
May Gibbs' Nutcote
Kurraba Point
about 5 min
Photo: Sardaka (talk) 10:08, 12 January 2012 (UTC), CC BY 3.0
MV Cape Don, Waverton
Museum
MV Cape Don
Waverton
about 5 min
Photo: Saberwyn, CC BY-SA 4.0
Museum illustration
Museum
Stage 7
Moore Park
about 5 min

Libraries, cinemas and theatres

Library illustration
Library
Caroline Simpson Library
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
City Recital Hall
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
State Theatre
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
Theatre Royal Sydney
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
ARA Darling Quarter Theatre
Sydney
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Ashley Dawson-Damer Children’s Art Library
Sydney
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Customs House Library
Sydney
under 5 min
Cinema illustration
Cinema
Event Cinemas George Street
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
Genesian Theatre
Sydney
under 5 min
IMAX Sydney, Sydney
Cinema
IMAX Sydney
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: Thomas Berwing, CC BY-SA 4.0
Library illustration
Library
Library Link Town Hall
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
Machine Hall
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
Metro Theatre
Sydney
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Mitchell Library
Sydney
under 5 min
State Library of New South Wales
Library
State Library of New South Wales
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: Geoff Barker, CC BY-SA 4.0
Theatre
Verbrugghen Hall
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
ACO Pier 2/3
Dawes Point
under 5 min
Theatre
Bangarra Dance Theatre
Dawes Point
under 5 min
Theatre
Bell Shakespeare
Dawes Point
under 5 min
Theatre
Capitol Theatre
Haymarket
under 5 min
Theatre
Concert Hall
Sydney
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Darling Square Library
Haymarket
under 5 min
Theatre
Drama Theatre
Sydney
under 5 min
Cinema illustration
Cinema
Golden Age Cinema & Bar
Surry Hills
under 5 min
Cinema illustration
Cinema
Govindas
Darlinghurst
under 5 min
Theatre
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
Hayes Theatre Co
Elizabeth Bay
under 5 min
Theatre
Joan Sutherland Theatre
Sydney
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Kings Cross Library
Potts Point
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Library Link Pyrmont
Pyrmont
under 5 min
Theatre
Roslyn Packer Theatre
Millers Point
under 5 min
Theatre
Stables Theatre
Darlinghurst
under 5 min
Theatre
Sydney Lyric
Pyrmont
under 5 min
Sydney Opera House, Sydney
Theatre
Sydney Opera House
Sydney
under 5 min
Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand, CC0
Theatre
The Old Fitz Theatre
Woolloomooloo
under 5 min
Theatre
The Studio
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
The Wharf Theatres
Dawes Point
under 5 min
Theatre
TikTok Entertainment Centre
Sydney
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Ultimo Library
Ultimo
under 5 min
Cinema illustration
Cinema
United Cinemas Opera Quays
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
Utzon Room
Sydney
under 5 min
Theatre
Belvoir Theatre
Surry Hills
under 5 min
Theatre
Chippen Street Theatre
Chippendale
under 5 min
Theatre
Giant Dwarf Theatre
Surry Hills
under 5 min
Cinema illustration
Cinema
Hoyts
Glebe
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Japan Foundation Library
Chippendale
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Paddington Library
Paddington
under 5 min
Cinema illustration
Cinema
Palace Central Cinema Sydney
Chippendale
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Surry Hills Library
Surry Hills
under 5 min
Cinema illustration
Cinema
Chauvel Cinema
Paddington
under 5 min
Theatre
Ensemble Theatre
Kirribilli
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Glebe Library
Glebe
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
SciTech Library
Darlington
under 5 min
Theatre
Seymour Centre
Darlington
under 5 min
Theatre
University of Sydney Footbridge Theatre
Camperdown
under 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Balmain Library
Balmain
about 5 min
Theatre
Hordern Pavilion
Moore Park
about 5 min
Cinema illustration
Cinema
Hoyts Cinema
Moore Park
about 5 min
Cinema illustration
Cinema
Palace Cinema Moore Park
Moore Park
about 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Stanton Library
North Sydney
about 5 min
Theatre
The Vanguard
Newtown
about 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Waterloo Library
Waterloo
about 5 min
Library illustration
Library
Woollahra Library
Double Bay
about 5 min

Also in this region, more than 4 hours from Sydney

Sydney Harbour Federation Trust (short public ferry ride (F3 or F8) from Circular Quay or Barangaroo; no cars on the island, unmetered parking at Woolwich one stop away): Cockatoo Island / Wareamah
Sydney Harbour National Park (by ferry or water taxi; Captain Cook Cruises runs a service in school holidays, and visitors must book and pay a landing fee): Shark Island
Drive times are estimated from the distance, so treat them as a guide. Tap a card for the full page.
Region boundary: ABS Tourism Regions 2021 (Tourism Research Australia), CC BY 4.0. Outings from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and venues' own listings; nature spots from OpenStreetMap and park services.