Five of the best things to do in Brisbane with kids under five
While older kids can (mostly) entertain themselves, finding something for preschoolers, let alone the whole family, to do on holidays is less simple.
But if you are considering a trip to the Sunshine State I spent some time scoping out the best spots in Brisbane for families with my two preschoolers.
Here are my recommendations for some of the best things to do with kids under five.
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Brisbane has plenty on offer for families. Getty
South Bank
I love to use South Bank as a home base when I'm staying in Brisbane.
We were guests of Emporium Hotel South Bank, conveniently located on Grey Street, and could not fault our stay.
The rooms are modern and well-appointed and we had a sweeping view of the Brisbane River and city lights.
The staff at hotel restaurant Firma didn't bat an eyelid when my preschoolers tried to fight each other with breadsticks and were completely accommodating of my coeliac dietary requirements.
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The view from our room at the Emporium Hotel South Bank. Supplied
Anyone with preschoolers knows, you have a short window of time in the morning to get food into them before they get hangry. We had breakfast daily in the hotel, starting our mornings off right with blueberry pancakes.
South Bank Parklands is a 15-hectare expanse of lawns, barbeques, and playgrounds stretching along the river.
There's plenty of coffee spots and dining options or take a swim at the famous Streets Beach, a man-made lagoon with city views.
And while you're there...
QAGOMA and the Queensland Museum
Also at South Bank is the Queensland Cultural Centre incorporating the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, the Queensland Museum, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the State Library of Queensland.
Not only do these venues all accommodate for kids, they are invested in getting kids exposed and involved in the arts.
Within the Gallery of Modern Art you'll find the Children's Art Centre with age-appropriate programs, exhibitions and activities created in collaboration with artists.
The kids loved adding elements to the projected landscape in this activity. Supplied
My kids loved the Asia Pacific Triennial Kids exhibition, where they were able to draw monsters, colour patterns and create multimedia animations.
We also checked out SparkLab, a permanent and interactive science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) space within the Queensland Museum. It's ideal for six to 13-year-olds but my preschoolers still found plenty to do.
We took in the river views and got a chance to rest our feet with a delicious lazy lunch at the GOMA Bistro.
Bluey's World
This one is a no-brainer. Bluey is the biggest gift to parents since John Howard's baby bonus and now the real-life exhibit is staying open until September.
The Bluey's World Immersive Experience at Northshore Hamilton is much more than just a life-size walk-through of the Heeler house.
Bluey's World is a school-holiday must-do. Supplied
You'll find yourself on a mission to find and rescue Bluey and Bingo with a team of characters.
Olders kids will love the mystery while younger kids will be captivated by the familiar and extraordinarily detailed sets.
I was completely engaged and even teared up at one point.
Plus there's a playground and cafe so parents can have a quiet coffee at the end too.
Off-peak (weekday) tickets are $49.90 per ticket, weekends and other peak times are $64.90. Babies under two are free.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Tucked into the western suburbs, just a 20-minute drive from South Bank, you'll find the world's first and largest koala sanctuary.
The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary opened in 1927, at a time when koalas were being culled for fur, and almost a century later it remains devoted to conservation, collaborating with universities and government contributing to wildlife research projects.
Cheesy smiles all around in our Koala Close-Up experience at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Supplied
The sanctuary is now also home to kangaroos, dingos, and a variety of birds and reptiles as well as a barn with farm animals including pigs and sheep.
We caught the sheep dog show and lorikeet feeding but the highlight was our Koala Close-Up encounter.
The sanctuary is open Monday to Sunday 9am-5pm with reduced trading hours on Christmas Day and ANZAC Day.
Storytime in the Skydome at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium
If you've been to one StoryTime you've been to them all, right? Wrong.
StoryTime in the Skydome is lightyears better than anything at your local library.
The Cosmic Skydome at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium within the Mt Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens is a 12.5-metre-diameter projection dome.
Take a seat or lie on the carpet to hear a space-themed story read by one of the lovely Mt Coot-tha library staff while animations appear on the domed ceiling above and an astrophysicist guides you through the universe.
The Planetarium also includes an observatory, gift shop and the Sundial Courtyard.
For the older kids, there's free drop-in sessions daily to play with Robot Rovers that kids can code themselves but even my preschoolers found this activity to be within their abilities too.
Check the Brisbane City Council website for dates and times.
The writer travelled as a guest of Tourism Queensland.
