When the skies open up and you are looking for rainy day ideas in Ipswich to keep the kids entertained, this list will be your saviour! Filled with adventurous, creative and cultural things to do, Ipswich is absolutely overflowing with fantastic activities to keep kids entertained, regardless what the weather is doing outside.
Rainy Day Ideas in Ipswich – Ipswich Art Gallery
Take a cultural excursion to the Ipswich Art Gallery, where your family can take in the latest exhibitions and gallery displays. The Children’s Gallery here is incredible and always has fun, creative and hands on activities for kids to do that link to the current exhibitions.
Visit an Ipswich Library
Escape the rain and settle down into the warm and cosy confines of an Ipswich library. Not just a place to find your latest read, there are also multiple free workshops and activities for kids to get involved in while there too. Simply check online or call your local library to see what is scheduled on the day you are going.
Visit an Escape Room
The latest craze for kids, teens and adults, escape rooms are the ultimate way to beat the weather for a few hours on a rainy day. With different themed rooms to choose from, work together as a family to solve the clues and unlock the door to escape! Seraphim Escape in Ipswich has no age limit to their rooms, with kids under 14 just needing an adult along to accompany them.
Rainy Day Ideas in Ipswich – Queensland Museum Rail Workshops
For any train enthusiast, Ipswich’s Queensland Museum Rail Workshops is a must-see destination (even when it isn’t raining!). With an array of vintage trains, hands on activities, kids’ play areas, train simulators, and even a railway sciencentre, there is a full day of locomotive love to be had here. Keep an eye out for their model railway of Queensland – the largest of its kind in the world!
iPlay
For families that would love to have a bit of competitive fun and active adventure, iPlay in north Ipswich will easily chase the rainy day blues away. Play a few rounds of tenpin bowling before hitting the arcade games space.
PCYC
The local PCYC is always a good place to head to on a rainy day, with a variety of different low-price activities and sporting classes available most days. Catering for all ages and abilities, the Ipswich PCYC even offers an under-8’s active program little ones can try out.
Ipswich Civic Centre
Looking for a live show or performance? The Ipswich Civic Centre is the best place to head with the family in the area, with a full schedule of shows booked in throughout the year. Their website has a handy ‘kids’ link too, so you can easily find the shows that are suitable for younger viewers.
Rainy Day Ideas in Ipswich – Queens Park Environmental Education Centre
Queens Park, located right in the heart of Ipswich, is usually a hot destination on a sunny day due to its large children’s playground, adorable nature centre and tranquil Nerima Japanese-style gardens. On a rainy day though, the environmental education centre and neighbouring café offer the perfect and fun learning escape. With hands-on, interactive activities and a delicious menu, you really can’t go wrong. Plus, if the rain subsides you can explore all the other features this wonderful park has to offer.
Go Op Shopping
Oh, there is nothing more entertaining and fun than shopping for bargains and retro finds at the local op shops. Ipswich is home to some of the best, so get the whole family together and see who can find the most exciting vintage throwback. Full of small nick-nacks, clothes, toys, and more, it can be a trip of nostalgia for parents and an exploration for little ones.
Inflatable World
What child doesn’t love a jumping castle? Inflatable World in Ipswich features not one but a whole room of different inflatable obstacles to enjoy. Located at the Ipswich Showgrounds, your kids will be able to jump to their heart’s content at the biggest inflatable playground in Australia!
Rainy Day Ideas in Ipswich – Head to a water park
Well, you are going to get wet anyway and, for some kids, doing so while at a waterpark or splash pad just adds to the fun! Pop some swimmers on the kids, pack the towels into the car, and head to one of the many incredible water play spaces available in Ipswich. What’s the saying? If you can’t beat them, join them!
RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre
For any child who loves plane spotting, the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre could offer the perfect rainy day adventure for them. Concentrating on the aviation history of the RAAF’s Amberley base, the centre is filled with fascinating stories and, of course, magnificent planes including Sabre and Mirage fighter jets, a flawless WWII Jeep, Sioux and Iroquois helicopters, and a Caribou airlifter.
Indoor Climbing at Rope Haus
Located in Bundamba on the outskirts of Ipswich, Rope Haus is a new indoor rock climbing centre for families. Billed as being an army-style obstacle course with a twist, the centre has 26 rope elements up to 10 metres in height for kids to scale.
Rainy Day Ideas in Ipswich – Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway
Another fun experience for kids at Bundamba is going for a ride on the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway. Jump aboard one of the carriages built between 1885 and 1950, and chug along the old industrial train line past the picturesque countryside. If you are brave, you can even ride in the Prison Carriage – complete with prisoners (a.k.a. entertaining staff!).
Head to the Movies
It’s an age-old way to spend a rainy day with the kids, but it never gets tired. Grab a hot bucket of buttered popcorn, settle into a comfy chair, and spend the next couple of hours watching whatever latest blockbuster film is screening.
Visit a Child-friendly Café
Ipswich is home to some lovely child-friendle cafés. With kids’ menus, and playgrounds or child-friendly facilities, you can settle in with a warm meal and hot drink while the rain stays delightfully outside.
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