Saw a photo of what looked like Stonehenge sitting out the front of the Sydney Opera House and had to find out what was going on, turns out it’s an inflatable rock installation, part of a brand new kids festival called Wild Things, running right through the spring school holidays, 26 September to 11 October.
What’s actually free
SWING. A giant interactive swing installation on the Forecourt, worth knowing it’s for ages 9 and up, not a toddler swing, so this one’s for the bigger kids chasing something a bit more thrilling than a backyard swing set.
Iwagumi Air Scape. From a distance it really does look like a field of giant boulders, up close it’s a massive walk-through inflatable. Kids triggers birdsong, frog calls and running water sounds as they move through it. Open 11am to 10pm most days (last day, 11 October, it closes at 4pm), so daytime is better for actually playing in it, evening is better for photos once the lights come on.
Puzzle. An outdoor circus act, performers constantly building, taking apart and rebuilding red and white cube frames. Running 26 September to 1 October, with a few sessions a day, so check the program on the day since times shift.
Erth’s Wild Rumpus. Probably the easiest one to get a genuine gasp out of a kid. Lifelike dinosaurs, koalas, elephants, possums, even sea creatures wander through the Opera House forecourt and public foyers. No sitting still required, it’s more of a “something wild just walked past you” kind of experience, running 26 September to 6 October.
Plasmotopia. Free, but you do need to register ahead, it’s not just walk-up. Kids aged 5 and up use an iPad and Apple Pencil to colour in coral and sea creatures, then see their artwork come to life on the Opera House walls and floors through augmented reality. Around 60 minutes, running 26 September to 1 October. The accompanying adult doesn’t need to register separately.
What’s ticketed
Not everything is free. Shows like ZOOOM are proper theatre, priced separately (tickets generally under $50), and only run for part of the festival, ZOOOM itself is on 26 to 29 September, so check dates carefully if there’s a specific show you want.
How I’d spend half a day there
10:30am, if you managed to register for Plasmotopia, start there with the AR drawing. 11am, head to the Forecourt for Iwagumi and, if your kids are old enough, SWING. 12pm, catch a Puzzle session. 12:30pm, keep an eye out for the dinosaurs and animals from Erth’s Wild Rumpus wandering through. After 1pm, grab lunch around Circular Quay, or pack something simple and head to the Royal Botanic Garden to rest up. If everyone’s still got energy once it gets dark, head back for Iwagumi lit up at night, it’s a different experience entirely after sundown.
Good to know before you go
Outdoor installations are weather dependent, so check the day’s program before you leave the house. Children 15 and under need an adult with them the whole time. The Forecourt is wheelchair accessible. Weekends get busy, so if you’ve got a younger child, mornings are the easier time to go.
Going in the school holidays
This one’s built specifically for the break, free entry to most of it, right in the middle of the city. The NSW spring school holidays run 28 September to 9 October this year, overlapping with most of the festival’s run. For more ideas around the city, have a look through our things to do with kids list.