Professional lifeguards patrol Bondi all year. Its surf club dates from 1907. At the southern end, Bondi Icebergs has a smaller children's pool beside its 50m ocean pool, with lifeguards on duty while it's open. From the city, take the train to Bondi Junction and then a bus.

This 7km path follows the whole mangrove-lined shore of Iron Cove, with city views along the way. Signs along the way explain the bay's plants and animals. A brisk non-stop walk takes just over an hour, and Timbrell Park has flat open fields for a ball game.

The zoo opens 9.30am to 5pm from September to April, closing at 4.30pm in winter. Catch the Free Flight Birds show, with birds soaring over Sydney Harbour. Little legs can ride the Taronga Wildlife Express through the zoo for $5 each way.

A short ferry ride from the city brings you to Manly's 3km beach, patrolled by three surf lifesaving clubs. It's a popular place to learn to surf, and lessons suit kids who are confident swimmers. There's an ocean pool at the northern end and Fairy Bower rock pool at the southern end.

This World Heritage-listed park covers 85 hectares, with Old Government House at its heart. Paperbark Playground near the George Street gate is built for kids of all abilities, and another playground sits on the Westmead side. There are 14 free barbecues, picnic shelters and accessible toilets across the park.

Kids can hand-feed wallabies and kangaroos in three walk-through habitats, then wander through the lorikeet aviary. Around 50 koalas live across six habitats, so even busy days give everyone a look. The park opens 8am to 5pm daily, and children under three get in free.

Australia's largest botanic garden is free to enter and opens daily from 8am, until 7pm from October to March. The Garden's Playground suits kids aged 1 to 12, with sandpits, slides, climbing walls and a flying fox. The Garden's Cafe is right next door, so parents can grab a coffee while kids play.

Kids can swim, snorkel and float on a lilo in the calm lagoon, then picnic in the shade of cabbage tree palms. Please don't let anyone jump from the top of the waterfall; many people have been hurt that way. Bring drinking water, and budget for the $12 park entry per car.

The 6km track passes Tamarama, Bronte and Clovelly and takes two to three hours one way. Stairs rule out prams, but every beach has a drinking fountain. At Marks Park, south of Bondi, kids can look for Aboriginal rock carvings about 2,000 years old.

This tidal harbour pool in Balmain reopened for summer on 1 October and has a sandy beach area at low tide. At high tide that beach area may be too deep for small children, so check the tide times first. The kiosk sells hot chips and ice creams, and the baths stay shut on red Beach Watch days.

Luna Park has run rides beside the Harbour Bridge since the 1930s. Coney Island, the heritage-listed funhouse, has mirror mazes, spinning barrels and giant slides, and kids from 85cm can go in with an adult. Big rides such as the Big Dipper need riders 132cm or taller.

Walk south from Manly Beach to this calm, sheltered bay, popular with families of small children. Cabbage Tree Bay marine sanctuary holds hundreds of fish species, plus Eastern blue gropers, rays and Port Jackson sharks. Free electric barbecues sit in the park behind the sand.