Carlton
Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery at Melbourne Museum
A hands-on gallery for babies to five-year-olds, with a dinosaur dig, discovery garden, museum objects and movement play.
Indoor playFamily attractions
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Children’s activities in inner Melbourne
Browse central family activities in Carlton and the Melbourne CBD. This guide brings together hands-on cultural and creative destinations with their published age guidance, entry arrangements and practical visit information.
What this location guide covers
16 places and programmes
Name, suburb or detail
Melbourne CBD
ArtPlay
A City of Melbourne arts venue where babies to 13-year-olds create and explore artist-led experiences.
School holidaysChildren’s classes
Southbank
PlanetKids Playcentre - Children's Party Venue
A Southbank indoor play venue for booked birthday parties and private functions only. It is aimed at under-fives, with a soft-play area for under-fours, tunnels, soft blocks and hands-on toys. It does not currently advertise ordinary walk-in play.
Indoor playBirthday partiesEat & play
Malvern
Studio Royale
Hosted pamper and dance parties at Studio Royale’s Malvern venue, with foot soaks, nail polish, face masks and party games depending on the package. Tween and teen packages add makeup activities; food upgrades cost extra.
Birthday parties
Chadstone
Imaginationation
An indoor play centre at Chadstone with a 30-metre running track, planetarium, interactive dance floor, slides and climbing spaces. It is designed primarily for children up to seven. Visits last two hours, and adults must buy a ticket as well as children.
Indoor playBirthday partiesEat & playSchool holidays
Malvern
Fizz Kidz Malvern
A Glenferrie Road creative studio for booked children’s parties and school-holiday workshops. Holiday participants make three projects to take home, with activities changing by session. Malvern parties can accommodate up to 28 children, and there are cafés nearby for accompanying adults.
Indoor playBirthday partiesSchool holidays
Southbank
Kingpin Crown
Bowling, laser tag and arcade games inside Crown, with 12 bowling lanes and a laser arena for up to 20 players. It suits a mixed activity outing: book one activity or combine two, allowing separately for arcade spending. Laser tag is for children aged six and over.
Indoor playBirthday parties
Hawthorn
Billy Lids Playland - Hawthorn
An indoor playground on Lynch Street with a multilevel play structure, slides, ball pit and toddler soft play. General admission lasts until you leave, with no re-entry. The Hawthorn branch also offers separately booked cinema parties.
Indoor playBirthday parties
St Kilda
Luna Park Melbourne
An outdoor amusement park beside St Kilda beach, with the Great Scenic Railway, carousel, dodgems and faster rides for taller children. Measure children before choosing tickets: an unlimited pass does not override ride height limits, and smaller children need a ticket-holding adult on several rides.
Family attractionsBirthday parties
Port Melbourne
BlocHaus Bouldering Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne bouldering with a dedicated FamilyHaus area for younger climbers. The main climbing area is for ages twelve and over; children under twelve use FamilyHaus, including its toddler wall.
Indoor playBirthday parties
Windsor
Melbourne Gymnastics Centre (Windsor Centre)
Structured gymnastics classes in Windsor, from parent-and-baby sessions to recreational training for primary-school children. Younger groups explore circuits, bars and trampolines; older classes build rolls, handstands and cartwheels.
Birthday partiesChildren’s classesSchool holidays
South Melbourne
The Party Room for Kids
A themed private-party venue in South Melbourne with two entertainers leading games, magic, karaoke and face painting. Choose a 90-minute or two-hour party; catering and cakes are charged separately.
Birthday parties
Southbank
Melbourne Skydeck
City views from level 88 of Eureka Tower in Southbank, with an interactive model of Melbourne included in general admission. The glass-floored Edge cube and Voyager VR theatre are optional paid experiences.
Family attractionsSchool holidays
South Melbourne
Skinners Adventure Playground
An outdoor adventure playground in South Melbourne for families with children aged five to twelve. The council provides staffed opening hours and school-holiday activities, with picnic space and shade trees.
Birthday partiesFamily attractions
Glen Iris
BOUNCE Inc Glen Iris
An indoor trampoline venue in Glen Iris with a separate miniBOUNCE zone for small children and an X-Park obstacle course for taller participants. Check height before booking for the obstacle course.
Indoor playBirthday parties
South Yarra
The PlayZone Melbourne
A South Yarra private function venue for pre-booked groups, including Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations. Activities include arcade games, air hockey, a ball pit and a bucking bull, with the available mix depending on which floor is booked.
Birthday parties
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Website details checked 2026-09-20. Confirm current scope, prices and availability with the provider. How we research