As a new mum and new to Australia when Finn was born, there was a lot of exploring that needed to be done. On my days off, I would be constantly looking for something to do with Finn outside of the house because I wanted him to burn some energy and I can’t handle sitting around for too long either. As much as I tried to google and ask friends, I found it increasingly difficult to find really great things to do that were age appropriate.
That has lead to me compiling my own list from experience for all of you! These are things that both Finn and I have really enjoyed. They don’t cost a huge amount and you can spend hours at each place, which is a great use of time and money! Enjoy xox
Fairy Park, Anakie
I don’t know how I heard about this but it was a great pick-up. Fairy Park is located in Anakie, which is on the way to Geelong. It’s about an hour’s drive from Melbourne CBD but was well worth it. I knew we would want to spend a few hours there so we arrived just after Finn’s nap in early afternoon and I packed a little lunch for us too.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect at Fairy Park as I had read conflicting reviews on the internet about it, but Finn and I were pleasantly surprised. Most of this reviews said about the kids being bored and after going I would definitely say it is age appropriate for under 5’s as it might be a little boring for the older kids.
We were first greeted at the gate by an oversized gnome and already I felt nostalgic. We drove up, purchased our tickets and found a park nice and close. Adult tickets are $16 each and kids under 3 are free, which was a bonus for us. Other kids are $8 and parking is free! Toilets are located at the beginning so it’s best to use them before you start your trek.
Fairy Park covers quite a large area and is what I would describe as a big rocky hill (so wear a good set of footwear). It is made up of three main areas including Fairytale Land, Camelot Playground and the Elephant Rock Picnic Grounds.
You begin your journey walking along the path through different fairy tales like Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood housed in castles, cottages and caves. Each display has an interactive button that the kiddies can push and watch the characters come to life as they dance and sing. The walk itself is so lovely on a nice day as their is so much beautiful greenery around and lovely little gardens.
On your way up to the top of the hill, you pass a giant green dragon which is a great photo spot. Once you reach the top of the hill, there’s a stunning old castle and a magnificent view out over Anakie which is where we stopped for lunch.
We ended the day at the Camelot Playground and it is the ultimate adventure park for the little ones. Finn absolutely loved it and there were lots of little nooks and crannies to explore.
I would definitely suggest taking a packed lunch as their a plenty of picnic table spots to eat at. In terms of food available at the park, they have a hot food truck that opens only on school holidays, public holidays and weekends . They also have a vending machine for ice creams.
Overall, we loved Fairy Park and I want to go back during the summer with Finn again. I would definitely recommend it for kids under 5 with a lot of entertainment for them and a great playground space at the end to tire them out!
What: Fairy Park
Where: 2388 Ballan Road , Anakie
When: 10am – 5pm. No admission after 4pm.
For opening days, always refer to the website here as they often change.
Prices: Adults $16, children $8, under 3-free
Bundoora Park Children’s Farm
There are quite a few little farms around Melbourne but Bundoora Park Children’s Farm is our favourite so far. Bundoora is situated in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne, about 15km from the city. The park is the largest in the area and features the children’s farm, playground and a cafe.
The farm has lots of different animals including goats, sheep, birds, and horses. There are cute tractor rides to see the kangaroos and emus and the kiddies can get up close and personal with the rabbits and guinea pigs.
The park is open daily from 10am until 4.30pm and they have different time slots for animal feeding, wildlife rides and the rabbit/guinea pig handling.
I took Finn here when he was under 2 and he loved seeing all the animals and being able to touch them so I have it on my list to visit again soon now that he’s bigger!
When you’ve finished seeing all the animals, there’s a great little children’s playground at the end right by the cafe. You can stop for lunch of coffee while they burn some more energy.
What: Bundoora Children’s Farm
Where: Bundoora Park 1069 Plenty Road, Bundoora, VIC 3083
When: 10.00am – 4.30pm
Prices: $10 adult, $6.50 chilren (2-16years), under 2’s free
http://www.bundoorapark.com.au/
Werribee & Melbourne Zoo
We have been members of both the zoo’s in Melbourne for two years now and have never looked back. I can’t actually count how many times I have been but every time is just as enjoyable as the last. Growing up, I was always a zoo lover so admittedly I have probably enjoyed it more than Finn but as he has gotten older he loves it more and more.
Both zoo’s offer different animals and scenery so they are both worth checking out. The Melbourne Zoo is your typical style zoo where as Werribee is more of a safari style. I’m sure if you live in Melbourne you already would have visited the zoo’s but if you haven’t, then they are worth checking out pronto!
Melbourne Zoo can get quite busy, especially on weekends so best to get their as early as possible. Bring a packed lunch or there’s plenty of food options available but they are quite pricey. I would also suggest wearing a good pair of shoes as there is a lot of walking involved. Melbourne Zoo has a lot of animals to see (over 300 in fact) so with little ones, so you might not get to see everything in the one day. Some of our favourites are the lions, penguins, the bear (who’s forever sleeping) and the lemurs. They have recently opened a lemur enclosure that you can walk through and the lemurs swing around you which is awesome. They also have the most wonderful butterfly house that you walk through and if you’re lucky enough you’ll have a butterfly land on your hand or head!
Melbourne Zoo have plenty of close-up encounters that you can purchase tickets too for around $30 and they have lots of interactive shows and talks about the animals throughout the day so be sure to check out your map when your first arrive and figure out what you don’t want to miss! Melbourne Zoo also have a children’s play area and a carousel. Toilets are found at the beginning and the middle of the grounds so best to go before you start walking!
Melbourne Zoo is open from 9-5pm every day of the year and is located just on the outskirts of the Melbourne CBD in Carlton.
Werribee Open Range Zoo encompasses a large area and it’s nice to see the animals have a lot of their own space similar to what they would have in the wild. The zoo animals here are more what you would find on a safari in Africa like lions, gorillas, giraffes as well as hippos as rhinos.
Fitting in with the theme, the Werribee zoo offers a safari tour bus that operates every 20 minutes and takes you around the back of the park where the giraffes, rhinos and larger animals are housed. The land mass is huge and the greenery is quite beautiful. You might find the giraffes come right up to you on the bus and it’s magnificent to see them so close
Werribee also have a great kid’s playground and an indoor Ranger Kids space filled with lots of little activities. They hold toddler weekdays which is perfect for little ones as they have lots of things to keep them entertained like a junior safari and a village dance party.
Like Melbourne Zoo, Werribee have plenty of stops for food and drink a long the way and there are also quite a few toilets spread out across the park.
Werribee Zoo is located 35km’s west of the Melbourne CBD.
Tickets for both zoos are the same. Adults are $31.60, children under 3 are free and from 4-15 years they are $15.80. I would highly recommend getting a membership for $90 a year as it gives you unlimited access to both zoos as well as the Healesville Sanctuary which we are yet to check out. They are great value for money!!
Royal Botanical Gardens, Melbourne
It doesn’t sound like something that would be great for kids, but Finn and I thoroughly enjoy the botanical gardens and I think it’s a great spot for under 5’s. I find it hard sitting at home and so I like to have my daily dose of fresh air and the botanical gardens are a great way to do that. Grab the pram and your runners and head over to the gardens for a brisk walk and explore all it has to offer, plus the kids can have a good run around and burn some energy (Finn loved picking up all the leaves). It’s also the best spot for a picnic lunch, which we have done often.
We normally start our adventure with a coffee from the coffee cart at one of the main entry’s and then get walking from there. There’s lots of open space for running around and so much beautiful greenery to admire. I love the little nooks and crannies of the park and Guilfoyle’s Volcano and the waterfall is just lovely.
The Children’s Garden is a great spot for outdoor fun for the kids. It operates from spring to after the winter school holidays and has a water feature area for those hot Melbourne days. It also has a lot of other entertainment for the kids including a kitchen garden and wetland area that provides education on conservation and the environment.
Our favourite spot for picnic lunch is near the where the Terrace Cafe is as it has the most beautiful lookout to the pond area and is so green and luscious. This is where you can also jump on the Punt Tours, which I have been wanting to do for ages but haven’t got around too yet! If you haven’t brought along a picnic lunch, the Terrace Cafe have some great options.
The Royal Botanical Gardens, Melbourne are located close to Melbourne CBD on the south bank of the Yarra river. It covers 38 hectares so there’s plenty to look at and it’s a great way to spend a few hours!
These are my top things to do so far but I will be sure to update this as I come across other cool things to do in Melbourne with Finn!
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