8 Rainy Day Ideas For Kids In Melbourne

When the sun’s out, you can keep the kids busy with a backyard or a bucket and spade. But what if it’s rainy and grey? When Melbourne turns on its infamous wet weather, the ‘I’m bored!’ starts, and cabin fever sets in. Round up your couch potatoes, and keep them active with these ways to wait out the rain.

Local Library Love

Seeking shelves full of adventure? When it rains, head to the library for page-turners that’ll make you forget about the downpour. Curl up in a corner with your kids. Think of a theme, and get your readers to find a matching book. For pre-readers, bring out your best character voices, and steer older kids towards the magazine section.

Get Arty at the National Gallery of Victoria

Stay out of the rain by eyeballing some art at the National Gallery of Victoria, or ‘NGV’ for short. See the free exhibitions and learn about the famous works and their creators. Get chatting with the kids: what did you guys like, and why? When you’re back home, dig out the crayons for your pint-sized Picassos to create an artwork of their own.

Visit a Museum

Melbourne has its fair share of incredible museums. Want to be moved by one? Explore the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. The kids will love the free ‘Screen Worlds’ exhibition; learn the history of film, TV, video games and moving image art. This museum is the right mix of engaging and educational.

Queen Victoria Market

After an adventure undercover? When the clouds are clustering, Melbourne’s buzzing ‘Queen Vic’ market is a must. The kids can smell, taste and touch the fresh fruit and veggies, sample delicious gourmet foods and shop for clothing and trinkets. Get your small shoppers to help by giving them a shopping list. Doughnut you want a treat? Drop by the popular American Doughnut Kitchen for a tasty delight.

What’s Cookin’?

With your market-fresh ingredients, collect your little chefs to help you bake a cake. When they start asking – is it ready yet? Challenge them to set up an indoor picnic, complete with folded serviettes. When your cake is cooked; sit down to share your creation. Yum!

Visit Melbourne’s Indoor Playground

Visit Australia’s first ultimate indoor LEGO® playground, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne. A guaranteed good time for the whole family; marvel at more than two million LEGO® bricks for a bricktastic experience. Bring their imagination to life; discovering, creating, constructing. What rain? The kids will be so engrossed, the storm will have passed by the time you set foot outside.

Get Curious at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

When it’s raining and pouring, visit this world of water to see gliding, pinching and snapping sea creatures. Crawl-through, look up and lose yourself in the different habitat zones. Touch sea stars, LOL at the cheeky penguins and see the Fiddler Rays fly through the water. Watch the kids’ jaws drop at the whopping size of Pinjarra, one of Australia’s largest saltwater crocodiles. Go gaga! Our royal pair of King Penguin chicks, Maple and Odin, will steal your heart.

Make it double the fun for a rainy weekend by purchasing the Melbourne Big Ticket. It will give you single entry to both SEA LIFE Melbourne and LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, valid for a full 30 days, at a great discounted price!

Family-friendly Pub

While the thunder booms outside, grab some pub grub at one of the many kid-friendly Melbourne pubs. Cosy-up indoors with a delicious lunch, and get the kids colouring-in while they fight over who got more hot chips. Try the Edinburgh Hotel in Brunswick or the Flying Duck Hotel in Prahran.