151 free things to do with kids in Melbourne

Altona · Open all day · Free

Ashburton · Open all day · Free

Ballarat Central · Through December in 2025, best after dark; 2026 dates not yet announced · Free

Ballarat Central · Evenings in December in 2025; 2026 dates not yet announced · Free

Bayswater · Fri 4 Dec, 5pm to 9pm · Free, book online

Belmont · Open all day · Free

Bentleigh · Sat 12 Dec, 4pm to 7:30pm · Free

Berwick · Sat 5 Dec, from 12pm · Free, bookings required via afrimate.org.au

Berwick · Daily 8 to 19 Dec, 10am to 3pm · Free, no booking

Berwick · Tue 8 Dec, 10am to 2pm · Free, no booking

Berwick · Sat 21 Nov, 10am to 11:30am · Free, limited tickets

Berwick · Daily 7am to 9pm in daylight saving, 7am to 6pm otherwise · Free (special events may incur a charge)

Blackburn · Open all day. Visitor Centre most Sundays 2pm to 4pm · Free

Box Hill · Baby Rhymetime (0 to 12 months) Mondays 10:30 to 11am. Toddler Storytime (up to 3) Thursdays 10:30 to 11am. School terms · Free

Braeside · Sunrise to sunset (Governor Road gate closes 4pm) · Free, including the electric barbecues

Braybrook · Mondays 10am to 12pm · Free

Brighton East · Tue 8 Dec, activities from 5:30pm, main stage 7:30pm, fireworks 9:30pm · Not stated on the 2026 page (free entry in past years)

Brunswick East · Public park, free to visit. Visitor Centre Fri to Mon 8:30am to 1pm · Free

Bundoora · Open all day · Free (Bundoora Park Farm is separate)

Burwood · Open all day · Free

Carlton · Open all day · Free

Carlton · Wednesdays 11 Nov to 30 Dec 2026, 10am to 2pm · Free

Caroline Springs · Sat 21 Nov, Santa arrives 10:30am, characters roam until 1:30pm · Free

Caulfield North · Open all day · Free

Caulfield South · Open all day · Free

Chelsea · Open all day · Free

Chelsea · Sun 6 Dec, 5pm to 9:30pm (kids' show with Santa 6pm, fireworks 9:15pm) · Free. Free rides, face painting and Santa photos. Reserved seats for sale (prices TBA)

Cheltenham · Baby Time (0 to 18 months) Mondays 11:30am. Storytime (3 to 5) Thursdays 10:10am. School terms · Free, no bookings

Chirnside Park · 2025 pattern: nightly 12 to 24 December, 8pm to 11pm, with 30 minute shows. 2026 dates not yet announced. · Free

Chirnside Park · Sat 14 Nov, from 10am · Free to watch (no cost listed)

Clyde North · Fri 18 Dec, 6:30pm to 8pm · Free, booking required

Clyde North · Thu 12 Nov, 4:30pm to 8:30pm · Free, including unlimited kids' rides

Coburg · Thu 17 to Sat 19 Dec, evenings (check times closer to the date) · Free entry, food and drinks to buy

Coburg North · Sat 5 Dec, evening (times not yet published) · Not yet listed

Coburg North · Open all day · Free

Craigieburn · Fri 20 Nov, 5pm to 9:30pm · Not stated

Craigieburn · Sat 5 Dec, activities and markets from 5pm, stage show 6:30pm to 8:30pm · Free, no tickets (optional Eventbrite registration)

Craigieburn · Open all day · Free

Craigieburn · Sat 14 Nov, parade 11am, free face painting 11am to 2pm · Free

Cranbourne · Sat 14 Nov, 10am to 12pm · Free, booking required

Croydon · Sat 5 Dec, 6pm to 10pm (main concert 7:30pm, fireworks about 9:30pm) · Free, no bookings

Dandenong · Fri 4 Dec, 5:30pm to 8:30pm · Free

Dandenong · Open all day · Free

Dandenong · Sat 23 Jan, arrive 7:30am, 8am start, finishes about 9:30am · Free, registration required

Diamond Creek · Sun 20 Dec, 8pm to 9:30pm · Free, book on Eventbrite

Diamond Creek · Sat 12 Dec, 10am to 2pm · Free, including the BBQ

Diamond Creek · Sun 20 Dec, 9am to 2pm · Free entry

Diamond Creek · Open all day. Toilets 8am to 9pm October to April, shorter hours May to September · Free

Docklands · Open all day · Free

Doncaster · Fri 11 Dec, evening (2026 times not yet published; 2025 ran 6pm to 10pm) · Free (as in past years)

Doncaster East · Open all day. Water play gates run in the warmer months · Free

Doveton · Sun 29 Nov, 10am to 12pm · Free, booking required (free farm entry and sausage sizzle)

Doveton · Wed 2 Dec, 3pm to 6pm · Free, no booking

East Geelong · Open all day · Free

East Melbourne · Open all day · Free

Eltham · Sun 20 Dec, 12pm to 2:10pm, half-hour stops around Eltham · Free

Eltham · Open all day · Free

Eltham · Sat 14 Nov, 10am to 9:30pm · Free, gold coin donation appreciated

Ferntree Gully · Sat 12 Dec, 4:30pm to 9:30pm (main show 7pm, fireworks about 9:30pm) · Free, no tickets

Ferntree Gully · Every day during daylight hours · Free

Fitzroy North · Open all day · Free

Footscray · Open all day · Free

Forest Hill · Sat 21 Nov, 12pm · Free to watch (no cost listed)

Frankston · Open all day · Free (car parking fees and time limits apply)

Frankston · Sat 28 Nov, 4pm to 9pm (parade 4:30pm, tree lighting and fireworks 8:45pm) · Free entry and free activities; rides and food extra

Frankston · Wed 20 Jan: 10am (up to 7 yrs), 11:30am (8 to 12 yrs), 1pm (mixed ages) · Free, book on Eventbrite

Geelong · Open all day · Free

Geelong · Sat 23 to Tue 26 Jan, 9am to 5pm daily · Free

Geelong · Sat 21 Nov, 6:30pm to 9:30pm (carols 7pm to 9pm, tree lighting then fireworks about 9:15pm) · Free

Geelong · 2025 pattern: nightly dusk to midnight, 22 November to 7 January. Christmas in Geelong 2026 opens 21 November; projection dates not yet announced. · Free

Geelong · Lit from Sat 21 Nov; Christmas in Geelong runs to 7 Jan · Free

Geelong · Open all day. Extra water play elements run over the summer months · Free

Glen Huntly · Open all day. Water play 9am to 7.30pm Oct to Mar, 9am to 5pm Apr to Sep, sometimes off for water treatment · Free

Glenroy · Thursdays and Fridays 9 to 10:30am, school terms · Free, just drop in

Greensborough · Sat 12 Dec, evening (2026 times not yet published; 2025 ran 5pm to 9:30pm) · Free in past years (2026 cost not yet listed)

Greensborough · Sat 14 Nov 11am to 2pm (parade 11am from Main Street entrance), Sun 15 Nov 11am to 2pm (Level 3, near Target) · Free

Hampton · Open all day · Free

Hampton Park · Fri 18 Dec, 4pm to 9:30pm · Free, no booking

Hawthorn · Open all day · Free

Healesville · Sun 29 Nov 2026, 10:30am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm, drop in · Free workshop with Sanctuary entry

Heidelberg · Open all day · Free

Ivanhoe · Nightly 18 to 24 Dec, 7:30pm to 11pm · Free

Keilor East · Daily from 6am to 5:30pm, to 8pm during daylight saving · Free

Kew East · Open all day · Free

Lalor · Open all day · Free

Lilydale · Park open all the time. Splash pad 9am to 6pm, Sep to Apr, but closed for upgrades and expected to reopen Dec 2026 · Free

Lyndhurst · Open all day · Free

Malvern East · Open all day · Free

Malvern East · Sun 6 Dec, face painting from 4:30pm, carols 5:30pm to 7:30pm · Free

Maribyrnong · Open all day · Free

Melbourne · 27 Nov to 25 Dec · Free

Melbourne · Daily 10am to 5pm (ANZAC Day 1pm to 5pm, closed Christmas Day) · Free entry. Some exhibitions and events are ticketed

Melbourne · Open all day · Free

Melbourne · Daily 11 to 24 Dec, 2pm to 10:30pm · Free entry. Ride coupons: kids' rides $8, adult rides $12

Melbourne · Wednesdays 25 Nov, 2 Dec, 9 Dec and 16 Dec, 5pm to 10pm · Free entry; free reindeer petting zoo and Christmas photo

Melbourne · Daily 27 Nov to 25 Dec, open all day · Free

Melbourne · Fri 27 Nov, 6pm to 9pm · Free, no booking

Melbourne · Fri to Sun 13 to 15 Nov and 20 to 22 Nov 2026, 11am to 10pm · Free entry, food to buy

Melbourne · Most displays 27 Nov to 25 Dec (some laneways and Docklands from mid November) · Free

Melbourne · Decorations and Santa's throne 24 Nov to 25 Dec; facade projections nightly 9pm to 11pm from 4 Dec · Free

Melbourne · Sat 19 to Wed 23 Dec, 10am to 3pm, two live shows daily · Free entry (RSVP online)

Melbourne · Daily 10am to 5pm (closed Christmas Day) · Free general entry. Some special exhibitions are ticketed

Melbourne · Daily 13 Dec 2026 to 11 Apr 2027, 10am to 5pm · Free

Melbourne · Thursdays to Sundays until 13 Jun 2027, 10am to 4pm · Free, no booking needed

Melbourne · Daily until Sun 31 Jan 2027, 10am to 5pm (closed Christmas Day) · Free

Melbourne · Sat 7, Sun 8, Sat 21 and Sun 22 Nov 2026, 3pm to 5pm, drop in · Free, no booking needed

Melbourne · Daily 13 Dec 2026 to 11 Apr 2027, gallery hours (10am to 5pm) · Free

Melbourne · Daily 10am to 6pm. Closed New Year's Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day · Free to visit. Some events are ticketed

Melton South · Open all day · Free

Mill Park · Park open 24 hours. Splash jets and mist rings 8am to 8pm, 1 Nov to 30 Apr. Water pumps and tables all year · Free

Moonee Ponds · Sat 5 Dec, 4pm to 8:30pm · Free (as in past years)

Moorabbin · Open all day · Free, including the electric barbecues

Mordialloc · Open all day · Free (ticketed parking)

Mornington · Sat 12 Dec, 10am to 6pm (Main Street closed to traffic 7am to 7pm) · No cost stated (public street event)

Mornington · Open all day · Free

Mount Waverley · Open all day · Free

Narre Warren · Sat 5 Dec, 4pm to 8:30pm (tree lit 6pm, The Grinch screening 6:30pm) · Free

Narre Warren South · Sat 14 Nov, parade and characters 10am to 1pm, face painting 10am to 2pm · Free (Santa photos need a booking)

Newport · Open all day · Free

Northcote · Open all day · Free

Nunawading · Sat 19 Dec, rides and activities from 5:30pm, stage 6:30pm to 9:30pm · Free, no booking needed

Olinda · Open all day · Free

Panton Hill · Sat 21 Nov, 3pm to 9:30pm · Free

Parkville · Open all day · Free

Point Cook · Splash park daily 8am to 8pm, 1 October to 30 April. Water off 1 May to 30 September · Free

Preston · Mon 30 Nov, Tue 1, Wed 2, Mon 7, Tue 8, Wed 9 (11am start), Mon 14, Tue 15 Dec, 12pm to 4pm · Free

Ringwood · Open all day · Free

Rosebud · Open all day · Free

Rye · Open all day · Free

Sandringham · Tue 10 Nov, 10:30am to 11am · Free, no booking

Seville · Water jets daily 9am to 6pm, 19 Sep 2026 to 25 Apr 2027. Off on Catastrophic fire danger days · Free

South Morang · Fri 11 Dec, evening (2026 times not yet published; 2025 ran 6pm to 9pm) · Free (as in past years)

South Yarra · Sun 13 Dec, carols 7:30pm to 9:30pm, pyrotechnics to finish · Free

South Yarra · Wed to Sun 10am to 7:30pm (5:30pm Apr to Sep), every day in Vic school and public holidays. Closed for 8 weeks of winter from start of Term 3 · Free

Southbank · Mon 18 to Sun 24 Jan 2027, 30 minute sessions, times on the Arts Centre site · Free

Southbank · Nightly 4 to 25 December 2026, 9pm to 11pm, a show every 15 minutes · Free

Southbank · Daily 1 to 24 Dec; 11am to 5pm until 14 Dec, 11am to 7pm 15 to 24 Dec (with breaks) · Free, no booking needed

Southbank · Open all day, every day · Free

St Albans · Open all day · Free

Sunbury · Sat 12 Dec, 5pm to 8:30pm · Free

Sunbury · Drop in and Play Tuesdays 1 to 3pm, school terms. Messy Play Tuesdays or Wednesdays 10 to 11:30am (term enrolment) · Drop in and Play free, no booking. Messy Play $100 per 10-week term, siblings included

Sunshine · Open all day · Free

Tooradin · Fri 18 Dec, 6pm to 10pm · Gold coin donation

Werribee · Splash park daily 8am to 8pm, 1 October to 30 April. Water off 1 May to 30 September · Free

Werribee · Sat 19 Dec to Sun 31 Jan, sessions between 9am and 6pm (timetable out about 2 weeks before) · Free, most sessions need pre-booking

Werribee · Open all day · Free

Westmeadows · Fri 18 Dec, evening (times not yet published) · Not yet listed

Wheelers Hill · Open all day · Free

Wheelers Hill · Sat 5 Dec, 5:30pm to 9:15pm (Christmas market from 3pm, carols 7:30pm, fireworks 9pm) · Free, register on TryBooking

Williams Landing · Sat 28 Nov, 5pm to 8pm, movie starts about 6pm · Free, no booking

Williams Landing · Rhyme Time Wednesdays 10:15 and 11:30am, Fridays 10:30am and 2pm, school terms (last session for 2026 is 28 Nov). Baby Time Mondays 10:30am · Free, no booking for these sessions (arrive early, spaces limited)