What's on in Newcastle this weekend for kids
Less searching. More time together. Find family activities by age, suburb and budget. Coastal walks, wildlife picnics and curious museum visits.
Find your family outing
What works for your family?
Narrow the event and program listings below.
3 event and program listings. Choose an exact age to match published age ranges. Outing ideas and venues are not filtered.
Try a different suburb or budget. Some activities do not publish suitable ages.
Explore outing ideas insteadFamily events this weekend
Dated activities for 17 Oct–18 Oct. Check the event details before you leave.
No matches in this section. Change your filters or explore the outing ideas below.
Ongoing programs to explore
Classes, playgroups and seasonal programs. A program date range does not mean it runs every weekend. Prices may cover a session or a full course.
Newcastle
Mr Squiggle and Friends exhibition
Check suitable ages
Ongoing program · check session dates
View details
FreeSpeers Point
Digitales: Storytime and art - Oct 15, Nov 19, Dec 10
Ages 2–5
Ongoing program · check session dates
View detailsNo matches in this section. Change your filters or explore the outing ideas below.
More ways to spend the day
Newcastle family outing ideas, even when the events calendar is quiet.
Free things to do with kids
Parks, walks & picnic stops
Choose a picnic and short nature walk at Blackbutt Reserve. General outdoor exploring can be a low-cost outing; check parking fees and charges for animal experiences separately.
Visit NSW Newcastle guide ↗Indoor & rainy-day activities
Museums, art & indoor alternatives
Newcastle Museum offers a weather backup with local stories to explore. Confirm opening hours, exhibition access and any children’s workshop bookings.
Visit NSW Newcastle guide ↗Toddlers & preschoolers
Short outings for little legs
Start with a short Blackbutt Reserve playground visit, with a snack and toilet stop. Choose paths suited to your pram and check the timetable for library storytimes.
Visit NSW Newcastle guide ↗Explore places around Newcastle
Local venues and activity providers. Check opening hours, facilities and suitable ages directly.
A little planning goes a long way
Before heading out, confirm the session time, total family cost, booking requirements and transport. For accessibility or sensory needs, ask the venue about step-free access, accessible toilets and quieter sessions.
Planning a Newcastle day out with kids
What’s on for kids in Newcastle this weekend?
The dated-event section covers 17 Oct–18 Oct. Longer-running classes and programs appear separately because their exact sessions need checking. If no dated events are listed, the guide includes indoor attractions, gardens and local venues to explore.
How do I find free activities?
Choose “Free only” in the budget filter to see listings marked free by their organiser. For an inexpensive day out, explore the free outing ideas above. Check whether booking, materials, parking or accompanying adults cost extra.
What can we do on a rainy day?
Consider a museum, indoor gallery, aquarium or play centre. Check session times, admission costs and travel before you leave. Use the indoor links above to check venue information before you go.
Are these activities suitable for toddlers?
Select your child’s exact age to see listings whose published age range includes it. Listings without age information do not appear in age-filtered results. Ask the organiser about supervision and facilities.
Where can I find school holiday activities?
See our Newcastle school holiday planning page for holiday planning, or browse kids’ activities in New South Wales for ongoing classes.
Outing ideas reference the Visit NSW Newcastle guide. Activity details come from published listings; inclusion does not confirm availability.
Photo credits
City guide photo: Hugh Llewelyn, CC BY-SA 2.0. Photos resized and displayed with crops; adapted images retain their respective licences. Images illustrate places to explore, not current event availability.
