Kids Day Out

Kids Day Out was bigger than ever in 2026! The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre was transformed into a fun filled family festival, with activities ranging from carnival rides, the popular Teddy Bear Hospital and art and crafts, to the Woolworths Festival Stage, classic cars show, and the brand new the Kids Day Out games supported by Bunnings. With all abilities options, chill out rooms and yummy food and drinks, it was the perfect way to spend Good Friday.

Entry was free with select activities $5-$20 and others by gold coin donation.

Keep on scrolling to see what was on offer at this years event!

Kids Day Out Games

Kids Day Out Games supported by Bunnings

Come and join our fun sporting activities. There’s lots to try! Collect your KDO Games Passport. Complete all activities and jump on the winner’s podium to receive your badge and participation certificate. Say hello to your favourite sporting heroes. Suggested $5 donation to the Good Friday Appeal.

Woolworths Festival Zone

The fresh festival zone by Woolworths is back, filled with performances, activities and yummy food.

Smoothie Bikes

Pedal hard to blend up a yummy smoothie.

Face Painters

A team of Face Painters adding to the Festival vibe with so many designs to choose from.

Josh's Eggs Hen House

Cuddle a hen or two, sample Josh’s Rainbow Speckled Chocolate eggs or their famous hens eggs!

Food Trucks

Fuel your body with delicious toasties from the Cheer Toastie Truck, donuts, pies & sausage rolls from Walker Donuts or go Mexican style with The Street Caterer. Wash it all down with a refreshing slushie from Healthy Slushies.

Fresh Fruit & Hot Cross Buns

Need a snack? Free fruit available for everyone. Or get into the Easter spirit with packs of Hot Cross Buns for $3, or 2 for $5!

Performance Stage

Catch performances from Team Dream, The Funtones, QiQi Music, Bam Arts, K-Star Studios, Jhoom Bollywood Dance Company, Melbourne Line Dancing Group, Jon & Jero and DJ Flexi J! Plus, special appearances from CFA's April & Koala and the Cadbury Easter Bunny!

Family Fun Fair

Bop til you Drop

Experience the best in Children's Entertainment, Dancing and Games with Bop Til You Drop! Don't miss the opportunity to sing on stage like a rock star. Wheelchair access is available.

Smooth FM

Smooth FM brings their Tea cup ride and sends their Smooth Angels to the Kids Day Out to play games, kids colouring, give away merchandise and help pump up the vibes on site.

RCH Auxillilaries

Enter the Easter hamper raffle, balloons on sticks, nail art, friendship bracelets and temporary tattoos.

Guru Dudu Silent Disco

Bust a move and join in the secret fun of a silent disco!

Vietnamese 50UP Club

The Vietnamese 50UP Club will host Vietnamese games, lantern making, origami folding, and a captivating dragon dance. View the miniature exhibition of the Hue Citadel, highlighting Vietnamese culture and traditional garments.

Emergency Services

Explore old and new Fire Trucks from CFA, interact with the SES display, or join in the CPR workshops from St John's Ambulance Victoria.

Carnival Zone

Get the adrenaline pumping!

Action Events

Return of thrilling rides including the Chair-O-Plane, Pirate Ship, Atomic Drop Slide, Wrecking Ball, Rockwall climbing and inflatables. New rides coming in 2026 include Bungee Tramps, The Eliminator, Fire Rescue Challenge, Turbo Tubs, Jungle Maze, Music Trip, Superslide, The Cyclone and carnival games.

DJ Flexi J

Catch DJ Flexi J in the carnival area. Get dancing with interactive songs and the the occasional dance battle. Then see him take on the Performance stage to close out KDO.

Freemasons Victoria

Proudly supported by Woolworths, join the Freemasons Victoria for a Sausage Sizzle. All proceeds will be donated to the Good Friday Appeal.

Kids Day Out Favourites

Your favourite Kids Day Out activities return again in 2026!

Teddy Bear Hospital

Run by passionate medical students from the University of Melbourne, and supported by The Royal Children’s Hospital Department of Paediatrics. Children participate in mock consultations with their teddy through a variety of stations including medicine, dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy, optometry, speech pathology and music therapy.

Classic Cars

Join the Thunderbirds Owners Club of Australia and they show off their collection of shiny cars, old and new! This year, make sure to catch Batman and Catwoman at the Batmobile!

Pretty Little Braids

Add braids, feathers or hair wraps to your hair, brought to you by the team at Pretty Little Braids.

Channel 7 Meet & Greet

As Channel 7 broadcasts live from Kids Day Out, don't miss out on your opportunity to take a selfie with your fave stars!

Uncle Bobs Club

Grab some fairy floss, popcorn or a slurpee from the team at Uncle Bobs Club. They've also got slime, raffles, a lucky dip or play on the kids playground!

Teddy Bear Hospital

Run by medical students from the University of Melbourne, the Teddy Bear Hospital is an interactive experience to help children become more aware and comfortable in healthcare environments. Bring along their favourite teddy or soft toy for a check up from a range of medical practitioners. Don't have a teddy? Buy a Bunnings or Aviation Rescue bear!

Raffle Prizes

Check out some of the prizes on offer in this years Good Friday Appeal Raffle. A Majestic SLE Knight 18'6 Caravan, a Mazda CX-80 D50e Touring Mild Hybrid, or grab a massage in the Remedial Deluxe+® Massage Chair from Masseuse Massage Chairs.

MCEC Hot Cross Buns

The MCEC Pastry chefs are back, this year with 50m of freshly baked Hot Cross Buns!

Kids Soiree

This year Kids Soiree held fun activities from Slimey Monsters slime making, Bunster Money Bank money box making, Sandsters sand art or Silly Monster Friends hand puppet making!

Market Stalls

Our market stalls return bigger and better! Find some new accessories with the New Good Friday Appeal merchandise range, or hair decorations from Sunset Scrunchies. Pick up dietary friendly baked goods from Little Rabbit Cookies, chilli oil & hot honey from Mrs C's and Easter themed cookies, loaded cookies and brownies from Remi and Florence.

Roving Costume Groups

Meet your favourite characters from Star Wars, Disney, Marvel, video games, Anime, the Mandolorian, K-Pop Demon Hunters and more!

And so much more!

Kids Day Out is bigger than ever this year, thanks to the support of our amazing partners and community.

Dippin' Dots

The viral way to eat ice cream hits Kids Day Out! Choose from the range of flavours and enjoy the tiny beads of ice cream, yoghurt, sherbet or flavoured ice.

Wallop Water

Free and accessible drinking water for all attendees.

Nick Love Cartoonist

Get a cartoon version of yourself drawn by Nick Love!

NBL Sneaker

Paint your own design on our giant 3D sneaker, generously donated by Bunnings.

Variety Sensory Zone supported by The Inclusion Project

Take a moment to reset and rest whilst you visit Kids Day Out.

Balloon Story

See the giant balloon Welbie and visit Balloon Story at MCEC. A portion of ticket sales on the day will be donated to the Appeal.

Message from the Lord Mayor of Melbourne

Congratulations to our friends at the Good Friday Appeal on an extraordinary 95 years of supporting kids and families in need. Your compassion and commitment help make Melbourne a kinder, more welcoming city, especially for those who come to us during the most challenging moments of their lives.

The City of Melbourne is proud to be a long-time supporter of this incredible, life-saving work, and especially of the much-loved Kids Day Out event. I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of attending this event for many years, and it never fails to deliver the fun, excitement and an unrivalled sense of community spirit.

Thank you to the organisers, volunteers and performers who make Kids Day Out so special each year. And to the doctors, nurses, researchers and hospital staff at The Royal Children’s Hospital, we offer our deepest thanks. The work you do is among the most important there is. Day in and day out, you show up for children and families at their most vulnerable, providing care, skill and hope when it matters most.

Join the fun, bring your teddy along for its annual checkup and come be part of something that truly makes a difference.

Nicholas Reece

Lord Mayor