Gold Coast kids are used to sun, surf, and spending time outdoors. The seemingly endless summers mean there are few occasions to be spent rugged up on the couch, so there’s no doubt that families who have been in iso for weeks on end will be busting to break free and enjoy some well-earned time in the great outdoors.
Whether your little ones are the adventurous type, have curious minds or want to get up close and personal with some cuddly critters, we have some awesome ideas for kids to exercise the mind, body, and soul that we can’t wait to share with you!
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Here are the best 10 kid-friendly things to do on the Gold Coast:
- Dreamworld
- iFly
- Glow Worm Night Tour
- Treetop Challenge at Tamborine Mountain
- Wet ‘n’ Wild
- Aquaduck Safari City Tour
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- Movie World
- Sea World
- Three Park Combo
1. Dreamworld
No time for dreaming, it is all action at Dreamworld!
Dreamworld is a theme park like no other, in that it isn’t just about rides, water or a particular film franchise – it is, as the name would suggest, kind of a dream world. This mash-up of experiences works beautifully because it means that what Dreamworld does best is please each and every member of your crew, offering everything to suit everyone’s tastes and desired levels of fear!
There are family-sized rides and ones for your youngest children, who will also go wild for all their fave characters from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar. Animal lovers and big cat fans will have a ball exploring Tiger Island.
For an educational slant, you can learn more about Australia’s First Nations peoples’ cultures at Dreamworld Corroboree, including weapon and music displays and informative sessions about the natural fauna.
See? Something for everyone!
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2. iFly
Indoor skydiving is a must do on the Gold Coast
Have you ever wanted to skydive but been put off by the whole ‘jumping out of a plane’ thing? Yeah, us too. Unfortunately, if you want to free fall through the sky, that’s the only way to go about it…or is it?
At iFly on the Gold Coast, you can experience the rush of a skydive without having to drop 15,000 feet with another person strapped to your back. It’s a win-win!
The way it works is that rather than dropping from a great height, your body is suspended in mid-air by a strong current of wind travelling upwards in what looks like a glass tube but is really a sophisticated simulator. So, you still get to feel like you are flying but there’s no nerve-wracking plane ride or those nail-biting last seconds where you’re preparing to jump!
When you think about it, it’s actually very civilised: you, kitted out in all the regular safety gear and jumpsuit, and a safe and contained space in which to take your flight. No bugs, birds, or tricky grass patches to contend with here!
Before you ask, yes, it’s totally available for kids to take part in too, and they will absolutely love it. Fun for the whole fam bam!
3. Glow Worm Night Tour
A whimsical experience on the Gold Coast
Children and adults alike will be beguiled by the magical glow worms who light up the dark caves in Springbrook National Park.
Your adventure begins when you venture into the blackened caverns, where you will be wowed by the tiny larvae whose presence beautifies the damp walls. After you have had your fill of this lustrous phenomenon, you will step back into the park for some stargazing.
The clear, pollution-free air above Springbrook National Park makes for a prime observation spot and your expert guide will be able to answer any questions you or the kids have about the celestial bodies lighting up the night sky.
Any kid who has been couped up for weeks will be thrilled to get outside in the vast national park, and parents will love the educational aspect of this tour.
4. Treetop Challenge at Tamborine Mountain
An adventurous and energetic day out for the while family
Love rides but also want to get back to nature? Combine the two and take an exhilarating trip through the bush on a zip line that will reach speeds of up to 70 kilometres an hour and a height of 70 metres off the ground. It's definitely one way to get the heart-pumping, and its such an exciting activity for the kids who have had more than their fair share of finding things to do in the backyard.
Also offered is a rope challenge, which is more hands-on and tests agility, balance, and tenacity. This one is perfect for your kids too and it’s a great way to satisfy the appetites of your active family!
5. Wet ‘n’ Wild
Prepare for a day of thrills and fun at Wet n Wild on the Gold Coast
Queensland’s enviable weather means a place like Wet ‘n’ Wild is fun all year ‘round, and on those rare days when it may be a little cooler, the pools are even heated. This is the kind of luxury you and your kids deserve.
The attractions at Wet ‘n’ Wild range from the unfathomably thrilling to the meek and mild and everything in between. It’s not all about slipping and dipping, though, and you are free to just relax or entertain your littlest munchkins in the Junior Splash Zone if they’re not big enough for the scary slides yet.
What’s great about Wet ‘n’ Wild (aside from the outrageously creative rides) is that you can pack the whole family up for a full day out and count on the fact that nobody will get bored. Do you remember ever begging your parents to LEAVE a water park? Nope, because it doesn’t happen! You’ll really get some bang for your buck here.
6. Aquaduck Safari City Tour
Book this quirky tour that the kids will just love
Part bus, part boat, the Aquaduck Safari City Tour is a novel way to see the sights of the Gold Coast from land and sea.
This tour starts at Surfers Paradise and makes its way through the ritzy end of town, past the Palazzo Versace Hotel and Marina Mirage shopping centre where it will then take on its duck-like form and ‘dive’ into the ocean. While in boat mode, children are allowed a turn at driving as the vessel cruises along the waterways of Broadwater before heading back to dry land.
We think the kids will love this unique way of seeing the Goldy, and the one-hour tour time is the perfect length to keep their interests piqued. Or should that be ‘beaked’? Quack quack!
7. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
The cutest place to learn about Australian animals
Australia has so much to offer and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary just loves to show it off. If it’s kangaroos, koalas, bilbies or even Tassie devils you’re after, this place has them all! The biggest bonus is that in Queensland it isn’t illegal to hold a koala, so Currumbin is one of the few places you can have your pic taken while cuddling one of these beautiful grey marsupials! What’s that sound? Oh, it’s just the gentle hum of thousands of likes racking up on your insta post.
What we love the most is that Currumbin is about more than just fawning over animals. This wildlife sanctuary houses an active wildlife hospital that treats, rehabilitates, and then releases sick, injured, and orphaned native wildlife. To give you an idea of how vital their services are, in 2019, they attended to a whopping 12,200 animals, including 600 koalas.
A visit to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is fun for the whole family and is exactly what you make of it: gentle, reflective, and relaxing, or fast-paced and daring! Don’t just take our word for it, book your tickets now.
Hint: Children under 12 can take advantage of the Wild Island Adventures Splash Zone with water jets, streams, and waterfalls to cool off in, so make sure you pack their swimmers!
8. Movie World
Spend a family fun-day at Movie World on the Gold Coast
It’s been a while since cinemas have been open and watching movies from home isn’t quite the same. Are your kids wondering how movies are even made? Why not treat them to a visit to Movie World where they can learn more about what goes on behind the scenes and burn off some of that pent up energy they’ve accumulated during lockdown?
Movie World is an inclusive theme park experience for you and the kids because it isn’t just about the rides (although they are worth the trip alone!). With performances, stunt displays, movie character meet and greets and costume displays, you don’t have to be a thrill-seeking teenager to enjoy your day out here.
Hint: Buy your tickets online and save!
9. Sea World
A day spent wandering and wondering about the beauty under the sea
A little slice of paradise within the Gold Coast, Sea World features rides, shows, exhibits and animal encounters that are all based around the ocean.
Witness just how clever slinky seals are with an educational presentation, feed some curious penguins or be dazzled by dolphins at the Affinity Dolphin show.
The rides range from mild and family appropriate to the totally outrageous, and there’s a Nickelodeon Land and an interactive splash zone at Castaway Bay to keep active kids happy.
If you can’t take an overseas tropical holiday for a while, Sea World is definitely the next best thing!
10. Three Park Combo
Why stop at just one? Hit every theme park on the Gold Coast. Image via @ozthrills
Being the super-smart person that you are, you already know it’s quicker, more convenient, and often cheaper to purchase tickets to anything online.
We want to let you in on another little secret, though. You can actually purchase combo tickets to most of the family attractions on the Gold Coast, which means you will save even MORE time.
All you need to do is select which combination of parks you want to visit (made up of Movie World, Sea World, Paradise Country, and/or Wet ‘n’ Wild) then *boom* your pass is complete. It is, as they say, too easy. The only stressful part now is picking which parks you want to visit. Our advice? Go for all four!
Wow, there is a LOT to do on the GC and when you have kids that is important. Show them how good they have been during the lockdown and treat yourself at the same time with a little post-iso fun for the fam!
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