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Arts for Kids – SYDNEY!

Posted on February 15, 2024February 15, 2024 by Cristin
Arts Activities for Kids - Sydney

Find arts activities for kids in Sydney in the Artsplorers Calendar of Events

Look for the Sydney school holidays guides ahead of each NSW term break.

Posted in What's On Sydney Arts for Kids

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What is the NSW Active & Creative Kids Voucher? (Updated 2024)
Sydney Family Arts – Autumn 2024 School Holidays

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I’m Cristin-my kids and I are exploring Sydney & beyond through the arts. 🎭💃🏻🎨🎵📚“What’s On Wednesday”. On Cammeraygal land
Artsplorers.au(at)gmail.com
VIVID BARANGAROO We had our third night out at Viv VIVID BARANGAROO We had our third night out at Vivid last week, exploring the Barangaroo precinct. This was a really nice, chill night. It’s an easy walk along the foreshore with fun, sometimes quirky light installations most of the way. We drove in and parked in the Barangaroo Reserve car park, but Metro or ferry are also great options for this part of the light walk. It’s all flat and accessible. (Beware that there IS a Yo-Chi down by the ferry and your kids are probably going to pester you pretty hard 😂) 🔥Speaking of food, the Vivid Fire Kitchen is up on the Stargazer’s Lawn, so if you feel like it’s a night you want to spend a bit of money and get foodie, there are a lot of yummy looking and smelling options there. Or, if you’d rather skip that, stay on Harbour level!🔥 Vivid @vividsydney is on through Saturday 13 June. Our verdict (individual results may vary!)- -Darling Harbour- fun and a bit exciting, especially if you go for the fireworks -Barangaroo- pretty chill and nice -Circular Quay - boring as, skip it 💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡
We have been on an adventure with the bravest goat We have been on an adventure with the bravest goat in the world. 🐐🏔️ KID by Peter Carnavas @petercarnavasauthor was the 2026 release that I think I was most excited to read, and this story of a tiny goat and a big mountain did not disappoint. Kid is the only goat on a farm, growing up in the hen yard ever since his parents chased a fox off the farm and never returned. Hen Audrey keeps their memory alive for Kid by telling him stories of their brave adventures. Though Kid loves his friends, especially Audrey and the food-loving pig Harriet - he is driven by a need to meet his parents, who he believes are living on the mountain that overlooks the farm. But, he’s such a little goat who hasn’t even learned to jump a fence, let alone tackle the wilds of a mountain. Kid’s determination and self-talk (“bravest goat in the world”) goes a long way, but so too does the help of his friends, who put their futures on the line to venture with him. This unlikely hero’s journey has the makings of a modern classic. I can see this being a go-to classroom read, audiobook for car trips, or read aloud for families with kids of different ages. It has surprises, humour, friendships, some sadness and perseverance. I asked Miss 9 what I should say about Kid, and she said, “It’s so intriguing and you’ll never guess the ending!” The story is illustrated by Carnavas’ drawings, which make you fall in love with these sweet animals even more. *Thank you to the staff at @uqpbooks for our copy of Kid*
VVIVID REDEEMED! 🎆 I was pretty rough on Vivid in VVIVID REDEEMED! 🎆 I was pretty rough on Vivid in my last post about Circular Quay, but our second night out definitely re-lit the flame. 🔥 This time we went out to Darling Harbour. We started at Tumbalong Park where the vibe was alive with a soul-inspired DJ set on stage. From there, we walked down Pyrmont side of the Harbour, passing a few installations on the way, and catching the very cool laser show (every 15 minutes). There are other ways to do it, but we took a walk down to the Pyrmont Bridge and watched the show on the Maritime Museum roof from the middle of the bridge. From the other side of the harbour, we walked back up towards Darling Harbour (there’s on installation at Cockle Bay wharf that Miss 9 loved. You could also watch the laser show from here. Then, it was back up towards Darling Square where there were a few more installations, including our favourite - the interactive “Dream Machine.” We were also at the Harbour in time to see one of the firework displays that have replaced the drone shows. (Sunday to Wednesdays - 7:30 and 9:30, except 7 June). For me - Fireworks > Drone show any day. Note: if you’re heading to Darling Harbour on a Saturday, be sure to get there at 5 for a pre-lights on family music concert at Tumbalong Park!
We had our first night out to Vivid last night, do We had our first night out to Vivid last night, doing Circular Quay, up to Dawes Point and The Rocks. I hate to say this, but our word of the night was “underwhelmed.” -It felt like there was very little whimsy or fun or even colour in almost any of the installations. -I think there may have been more food trucks than art -Some of the art seemed designed solely for Insta snaps - very little thought or interest put into them. -One of the nicest, most “Vivid” installations is up at Dawes Point, but we left that one in a rush due to the overwhelming smell of sewage that people all around us were commenting on. -The Argyle Cut is such a cool space, but this year’s installation was too loud and intense for my 9 year old - she wouldn’t get close to it. The lights on the Opera House sails are nice. Many of you know that I’m a huge Vivid enthusiast, but based on our experience, I can’t recommend giving up a night and parking/transport costs for this precinct. (We haven’t been to the other area on the Light Walk, yet, so I’m only talking about Circular Quay - I’ll reserve judgment on the other sections until we visit.) Have you been out to Vivid this year?
I am kicking off the bookstagram tour for RUNNING I am kicking off the bookstagram tour for RUNNING IN CIRCLES by Shivaun Plozza, a new middle grades novel that I’d recommend for upper primary/early high school readers. The story is set in Tully QLD. This real town is very much a central character. Tully is known for being home to one of Australia’s largest sugar mills, a giant gum boot, a lot of rain -& in 1966, a local farm was the site of the first reported crop circle. The farmer said he saw a UFO. Unlike subsequent crop circles around the world, there has never been evidence of it being a hoax. Things are pretty interesting around Tully. 12 year old Dell has no interest in crop circles, especially since her mother left the family 5 years ago to pursue alien “research.” Dell is passionate about science and its ability to combat climate change. When her mother breezes back into town, chasing new crop circles, Dell, her sisters and their Dad are thrown into emotional turmoil as she tries to re-enter their lives. Feelings are complicated by the growing alien excitement gripping the town. Dell thinks that if she can just prove that her mother and the man she works with are frauds, science will prevail and her mother’s lack of commitment to the family will become evident. Of course, things are never so simple when they involve personal histories and deeply held beliefs. The story of Dell’s mother’s obsessive drive to connect with aliens felt parallel to me to the many families who have been torn apart by the impenetrable beliefs of QAnon and other conspiracy groups. It’s heartbreaking to face that facts can’t change some minds and that their beliefs take priority over the people they love. Conversely, even for scientists, there’s room for knowing that you can’t know everything. There are some beautiful intergenerational relationships in this story, and I like that Dell’s best friends are smart, observant boys. Running In Circles takes you on an emotional ride -tissues required. Put it in the hands of kids who like stories about “real” kids and are up for grappling with some big questions. 📗sent to us by @uqpbooks . Follow the rest of the creators participating in the book tour - next slide)
Another year, another brilliant @sydwritersfest ‘s Another year, another brilliant @sydwritersfest ‘s Family Day! Morning sport meant that we had to cram all of our bookish fun into half a day, but I think we made every minute count. On the way home, we compared notes on everyone’s favourite thing of the day. -Miss 9 - making badges with @cherylorsini - a Family Day classic! -Miss 13 - hearing the authors on the “Riveting Reads for Tweens” panel talk about how they pace their stories and make them work for young readers. Thanks @tristanbancksbooks @suewhiting4 @suzannelealauthor -Mine - getting to tell Annabelle Crabb that she is responsible for one of my family members going vegetarian thanks to “Back in Time for Dinner.” Frankly, I’ve been wanting to get that off my chest for awhile! 😅 Actually, though, the best is running into *all* of the authors, illustrators, and kid-lit content creators. A nicer, more genuine group of people you cannot meet. Their enthusiasm for getting kids reading and for each other is the greatest, and it’s always fully on display at Family Day. See you next year #SydneyWritersFestival !
It’s Light’s On for Vivid Sydney @vividsydney tomo It’s Light’s On for Vivid Sydney @vividsydney tomorrow night, and Sydney will be all aglow until 13 June. 💡💡💡 I’m no expert, but I may have a bit of a reputation of “doing Vivid” like it’s my job. 😅 I have picked up a few tips through the years (including quite a few with kids from babies to tweens). If you’re thinking of heading in for the Light Walk with your kids, these are a few tips I’d pass along. EDIT FOR TIP 6 - ALL DRONE SHOWS HAVE NOW BEEN CANCELLED. (All images are from previous years) #VividWithKids
Everyone wants to be the main character in their o Everyone wants to be the main character in their own story, but for 7 year old Myra, it seems like she never gets the spotlight. Miss 9 and I loved MYRA IN THE MIDDLE, a new Junior Fiction book by Seetha Dodd @seethadodd_author (illustrations by Peter Cheong @petercheong_ ) A new baby in the house means that Myra is suddenly the middle child. Her teacher keeps mistaking her for the one other girl in class with dark skin. And, even on her new soccer team, she’s playing midfield ... right in the middle. Myra is such a likeable character - a sweet girl who is quietly trying to work out who she is and where she belongs. There are some really lovely scenes with her grandmother, especially when they make Indian treats together. One thing that Myra definitely excels at is Maths, and I love that she uses tables, charts, and logic to work out her questions. This is a great read for early to mid-primary. Any kid who has ever felt a little unsure of their place in their family, school or a group will relate to Myra. (Thank you to the @uqpbooks staff for our copy of Myra in the Middle)
The Sydney Writer’s Festival @sydwritersfest is un The Sydney Writer’s Festival @sydwritersfest is underway, and our first event was a story writing workshop with Kris Darrell @krisddarell at @statelibrarynsw My dramaturg heart was bursting with joy at the very clear and practical way that Kris taught the kids to create a conflict and build a story arc. And, Miss 9 was so excited to get to hang out with the author of one of her very favourite books this year - It’s a Twin Thing. Next Sunday is the biggest day on the kid-lit calendar in Sydney- Sydney Writer’s Festival Family Day at Carriageworks . There are free and ticketed events, so have a look at the website to plan your day. There’s not much better to get kids excited about books than putting them in the same room with the clever creators! 📚📚
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