Things to do with your children on rainy days on the Gold Coast, Redlands and Brisbane

Families who live in South East Queensland, a truly beautiful part of the world, are fortunate to enjoy pleasant weather most of the time. But, like anywhere, we get our (small) share of rainy or cooler days. And while one or two days of weather-related downtime can be welcome, our corner of the Earth can sometimes see days on end of rain, something we’re not quite used to, which mean our little ones may be bouncing off the walls if we don’t find some weather-appropriate things to do for them.

Since Little Scholars is in the business of small humans, we’ve gathered some activity ideas for parents we know children will love in any weather!

Gold Coast

With its plethora of beaches and hiking trails, most people associate the Gold Coast with sunshine and heat, a near-perfect holiday destination, but what can  families do if it’s cool, cloudy or raining? The answer is, there’s still plenty to do!

We’ve selected some of the most fun, unique indoor activities families with young children can do on the Gold Coast, the Redlands and in the state capitol, Brisbane.

Home of the Arts (HOTA)

This creative hub offers plenty of rainy day entertainment options. Wander through five levels of thought provoking and inspiring displays, exhibits and artworks at the incredible HOTA Gallery. There’s a Children’s Gallery on Level 1 where little ones can do craft activities and interact with creative displays. 

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Gold Coast Car Museum

The Gold Coast Motor Museum in Upper Coomera is a fantastic option for rainy days, featuring over 80 cars and memorabilia. Opened in October 2020 by brothers Carl and Grant Amor, the museum is a tribute to their parents’ love for cars. Located in the scenic Gold Coast hinterland, adjacent to Stanley’s Barn Restaurant & Bar, it’s a perfect destination for family fun and nostalgia.

Only closed Mondays and Tuesdays, children under 13 enter for free, and they’ll love exploring the eclectic range of vehicles spanning the years 1900 to 1988. 

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EMF Pacific Fair & Nerang

Looking to entertain your children and use up some of that endless energy? EMF Junior caters for children ages two to 13, with massive ball bits, slides, tunnels, climbing apparatuses, giant blocks and more. There is a separate zoned toddler area that caters to their specific abilities and needs.

Parents can also book their children in for the creche at Nerang and supervised drop and shop sessions at Pacific Fair, which comes in particularly handy for parents who need a bit of time to themselves!

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Gold Coast City Libraries

A classic rainy day activity! But the 13 locations of Gold Coast City Libraries are not your grandmother’s library! They offer a ton of benefits besides an incredible array of books!

Join your library for fun times as the friendly librarians help build pre-literacy, communication, language and social skills for your babies, toddlers and preschoolers. 

Baby Rhyme Time – Giggle, coo and cuddle with favourite rhymes and songs. Ideal for children from birth to two years.

Toddler Time – Sing, move and groove, learn new words and make new friends. Ideal for toddlers aged two to four years.

Storytime – Listen, laugh and roar with favourite stories old and new. Ideal for children from three to five years.

These are offered seven days a week across all locations. For your closest library’s schedule, or to find nearest availability for these programs when they suit your schedule, click this link.

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Ice Skating

Grab the family and head over to Paradise Resort Gold Coast for an experience rare to the southern hemisphere – ice skating!

Planet Chill is suitable for anyone over three years, and to make it a little easier for beginners to stay on their feet, Planet Chill has fibreglass penguins to help make your ‘icecapades’ more bump-free. 

Your family will be gliding to popular music, a disco ball and under-ice lighting to light up your session.

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Imaginator

IMAGINATOR is a multisensory, walk-through experience that houses a series of immersive art installations that celebrate imagination, technology and play. 

There are 15 immersive, one-of-a-kind experiences under one roof that have been created by a talented team of architects, audio-visual artists, futurists, renderers and sound designers. The rooms feature multi-sensory installations like AI projections, sensor-triggered LED waves, giant silk parachute canopies, cosmic gardens, an anti-gravity sunset, an electronic hall of mirrors, a digital wishing well and a whole heap more.

Suitable for all ages, and is generally safe for people with sensory sensitivities, epilepsy or neurodiverse persons.

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Ripley’s Believe it or Not!

Marvel at hundreds of rare and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Surfers Paradise. Play your way through! Shatter your senses in the Vortex Tunnel, where illusions and a colourful light show transport visitors into a mind-bending dimension, or let curiosity be your guide in the Funplex, filled with hands-on interactives.

Families can add on fun by purchasing an experience at the Ripley’s Mirror Maze Surfers Paradise

Redland Bay

Charming Redland Bay has a real country feel despite being a growing bayside residential community. For its residents, the conservation areas and places for sport lead the activities, but that doesn’t mean rainy days mean families need to stay home. 

IndigiScapes

The IndigiScapes Centre is Redland City Council’s environment education centre. Situated on 14.5 hectares of serene natural bushland, IndigiScapes offers native botanical gardens, a native nursery, bush trails, a nature playground. But while a lot of its appeal is focused on the outdoors, it does have an indoor environment that visitors can access in less desirable weather. 

The Discovery Centre is full of information, displays and hands-on learning opportunities for visitors of all ages! With interactive environmental education areas, microscopes, lookout window, and touch screen activities, everyone will love learning more about the natural world. 

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After exploring the Discovery Centre, you may have worked up a hearty appetite, so check out the IndigiCafe and enjoy local cuisine with a bushtucker twist while overlooking beautiful Coolnwynpin Creek tributary on Redlands Coast. You’ll love the food so much, you’ll want to take some of the bush flavours and spices home with you.

Redland Museum

Check out the Redland Museum! Step inside the Museum and discover a treasure trove of historic artefacts and fascinating stories about the people, places and events that helped to shape the Redlands Coast.

The museum even has a toy hall of fame, where children can see unusual toys from the past, play with the interactive model railway, wind the handle and make calls on 100 year old telephones and see a collection of 100 dolls in handmade costumes.

They can also climb aboard and ‘drive’ the Redlander railmotor and even see how children learned at school in the past.

Open seven days a week from 10am to 3.30pm, the museum is great for families. Admission prices are $10 adults, $6 concession, children are FREE.

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Redland Art Gallery

This award-winning gallery offers ‘Family Sundays at the Gallery’ once per month at RAG, Cleveland. These sessions offer families a chance to create together exploring a variety of techniques themed to compliment the gallery’s latest exhibitions. It is a great chance to connect with each other while enjoying some hands on creative fun. The gallery also offers a Parents and Prams session one Wednesday a month as an opportunity to explore the latest exhibitions, socialise and get arty.

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Historic Ormiston House
Historic Ormiston House, which dates back to 1862, is regarded as the birthplace of the Australian Sugar Industry. 
 
The restored house, expansive grounds and beautiful gardens overlook stunning Moreton Bay.
 
Open every Sunday from February to December, children under five enter free and visitors can add a Devonshire Tea option to their visit. Volunteers offer information about the site and the history of one of Brisbane’s prominent families.
 
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North Stradbroke Island Historical Museum

Called a ‘hidden gem’ on Tripadvisor, we’re bringing this charming museum out of hiding to share with our families.  The museum represents the 65,000 years or so of Aboriginal history, the British invasion and colonisation and a complex shared history of less than 200 years.

Colour My Pot

If your little artist wants to try something new, why not visit Colour My Pot, a pottery painting and clay studio that provides a fun and creative environment where people of all ages can come together and make memories and some beautiful art.

Colour My Pot also caters to children for birthday parties and school holiday activities.

Brisbane

Beenleigh Historical Village 
Explore the past at Beenleigh Historical Village, which showcases a variety of buildings, experiences, and demonstrations that bring the region’s history to life. You’ll find a blacksmith, an old post office, a schoolroom from the 1800s, and traditional printing presses. There’s also an art gallery, café, and museum displays to enjoy. You can choose to join a guided tour or stroll through at your own pace to see everything the village has to offer.
Beenleigh Historical Village Church
Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway

If families are looking for something completely different to do, or have a locomotive-obsessed little ones, check out the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway in Ipswich! 

Experience a ride on vintage steam trains from the early 1900s and learn about Queensland’s railway history as you travel along historic tracks. Enjoy beautiful countryside views and grab a bite to eat or drink onboard. Check their website for dates and times.

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Queens Park Environmental Education Centre

Queens Park Environmental Education Centre offers locals, visitors (and especially families) the chance to learn more about Ipswich’s unique natural environment, waterways, and sustainability themes at no cost. Located in the heart of the city’s beloved Queens Park, children can get hands-on with this delightful, interactive, playful learning environment.

The Centre has many environmental education exhibits that showcase Ipswich’s unique natural environment, waterways, and sustainability themes. The interactive displays connect visitors with nature in the home and around the city. Families will love visiting the giant fig ‘growing’ inside the centre and explore the variety of ecosystems and wonderful wildlife that can be found in the Ipswich area.

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Ipswich Children’s Library

Did you know Ipswich has Australia’s only public library dedicated to children?  It features a specially designed catalogue with over 35,000 books just for children, and unique multi-reality interactive experiences.

The Ipswich Children’s Library is designed to be an interactive and engaging space for children. It features various zones with elements that encourage exploration and active participation. Highlights include a series of colourful tubes where children can send fabric pieces flying through the air, large interactive screens, and colouring tables where children can scan and watch their decorated fish swim on a screen. The library also offers cosy reading nooks, a gaming touch screen with STEAM-based puzzles, and a unique Reading Tree with a cushioned tunnel for reading. The space is filled with natural light, thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Nicholas Street Precinct and landscaped gardens. 

The library is open seven days a week and hosts regular, child-focussed programs and events and special tech adventures just for little ones!

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miniBOUNCE

Head over to Carindale to exert some of your little ones’ boundless energy where you’ll find this active adventure-play centre specially designed for pre-school children, offering fun, active-play experiences that help develop a positive relationship with physical activity. 

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Hologram Zoo

Hologram Zoo is a family-friendly entertainment centre that operates like a traditional zoo, but with a twist – all the animals are holographic projections created using laser light technology. Suitable for children aged three and above, there are different country based shows like Africa, North Pole, Asia, and Australia. The zoo even allows guests to travel back in time and visit the dinosaurs. 

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Area 51

Area 51 Brisbane is Australia’s largest indoor playground, occupying an incredible total space of 10,000 square metres of endless fun for all ages. 

For babies to small toddlers there’s Astrotots Wonderland and Cosmo’s Inflatable Wonderland. For children aged three to four, they can explore Mini Rovers, which includes Trampoline Park, Cosmo’s Inflatable Wonderland and Gizmo’s Galaxy. Children ages five and up can explore Universe, which includes High Ropes, Bouldering, Trampoline Park, Gizmo’s Galaxy, Mega Slides, Parkour X or Ninja Park.

Adults are very welcome to supervise for free or play for the price of a ticket.

Area 51 also has four different eateries, including iDumplings, Night Market, Mollis and the Area 51 Cafe.

Space Shuttle Inflatable At Area 51

At Little Scholars, with locations across South East Queensland, we understand that rainy days are opportunities for unique and engaging learning experiences. Our early learning service is dedicated to providing the highest quality early education and care, making every day, rainy or sunny, a chance for exploration, learning and fun.

Our beautiful campuses, best of the best resources and sector-leading curriculum, including play-based programs underpinned by the Early Years Learning Framework, ensure that your child won’t miss a beat in their development, even when it’s pouring outside.

Our team of dedicated educators tailors activities to the individual needs and interests of each child, making every day an adventure in learning. We cherish the deep, nurturing relationships our educators build with each child and celebrate the friendships they form with their peers.

Why not see for yourself how we transform rainy days into super fun learning experiences? Book a tour today and join our Little Scholars family!