Kids can drive you insane – and they can fill you with joy. And when they’ve been giving you a lot of the latter, it might be time to give them a treat. A treat can be as simple as letting them stay up past their usual bedtime to watch a favourite DVD or buying them an ice cream from the corner store. Or it can be a pricier affair, perhaps taking them to a live show or giving them a day out at a theme or amusement park. If you’re looking for ideas, check out these top treats for (deserving!) Brisbane kids:
1. Treat your kids to an ice cream. Brisbane has some great ice cream shops where the kids can choose from a wide assortment of flavours, combinations and mix-ins. All that cold and creamy stuff goes down a treat at any time of year, but this is a top indulgence for hot summer days.
2. Take them to see the latest family-friendly blockbuster. Check out our guide to flicks for kids, and don’t forget the popcorn!
3. Give each child some spending money and take them to one of Brisbane’s bustling markets. This doesn’t need to be an expensive exercise – a few dollars will buy a range of child-friendly items, from toys and sweets to trinkets and games. Our top picks are:
- South Bank Lifestyle Market
- Riverside and Eagle Street Pier Markets
- The Green Flea Community Market at West End
- Ferny Grove Market - this market has lots of second-hand toys. With just a few dollars, the kids can buy loads of great toys and games.
4. If the weather’s inclement, take the kids to one of Brisbane’s indoor play centres. Many include a café where Mums and Dads can get a coffee and snacks for the kids.
5. Spend a day getting up close and personal with our native wildlife. The kids can cuddle a koala, feed wallabies, view flying-fox colonies, handle snakes and be awed by crocs at a number of wildlife venues in, or close to, Brisbane.
6. Expend all that youthful energy. Take the kids roller skating or ice skating. Don’t worry if you don’t have a pair of skates, most facilities offer equipment for hire.
7. Or try rock climbing at a variety of indoor and outdoor venues around Brisbane.
Tip: If you’re looking for an inexpensive climbing option, try the Pinnacle Rock Walls offered at Anaconda outlets (profits go to Leave No Trace Organisation).
8. If you’re looking for “Big Treat” ideas, check out the offerings at the Cultural Centre. Treat your kids to a live performance: The Awfully Big Adventures of Peter Pan at QPAC 7 - 24 January, or 31 Circus Acts in 30 Minutes at the State Library of Queensland 2 - 25 January.
Take them on at video games at the State Library's Game On exhibition. With more than 100 playable games, as well as rarely seen consoles, controllers and collectables, this is a showcase of games history like no other. Get some practice in with our free online games, including Frogger, Space Invaders and Asteroids.
The Children's Art Centre at GoMA has pulled out all the stops for its latest Optimism exhibition. There are 11 free interactive activities for children developed by some of the exhibiting artists. School aged children will love it and pre-school children will be amused by most of the activities.
9. Or take them out for a day of action-packed fun at one of the theme parks on the Gold Coast. Dreamworld, Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, and Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World, are all within an hour’s drive of Brisbane, providing a day full of entertainment and rides for kids of all ages. See our directory for more amusement and theme parks.
10. Last but not least, treat your kids to the enduring pleasure of a good read. Take a trip to you local library and select from the extensive range of books for children of all reading levels.
How do you treat your kids? Add your comments below.
