Wild Things: Sydney Opera House Unleashes a World of Family Fun

Wild Things

The Sydney Opera House will come alive with imagination, creativity and play when Wild Things, its first-ever international kids festival, takes over the iconic venue from 26 September to 11 October 2026.

Created for children and grown-ups to enjoy together, Wild Things brings stories, performances, workshops, interactive installations and free outdoor experiences from Australia and around the world to one of Sydney's most recognisable landmarks.

A Free Outdoor Playground at the Opera House

The Forecourt will be transformed into a giant outdoor playground where families can explore, play and discover unexpected performances. Free experiences include SWING, Iwagumi Air Scape, Puzzle and Erth's Wild Rumpus, providing plenty of opportunities for children to become part of the action.

Iwagumi Air Scape by ENESS creates an enormous inflatable rock landscape that visitors can explore. Interactive sounds respond to movement, while after sunset the installation becomes a colourful illuminated experience, with the lights continuing until 10pm on most festival days.

Erth's Wild Rumpus introduces lifelike puppets of wild animals and dinosaurs to the Opera House, with encounters featuring creatures including koalas, elephants, possums and a mosasaur. The free experience runs from 26 September to 6 October.

International Stories and Creative Experiences

Wild Things

Wild Things extends beyond the Forecourt with a program of theatre, circus, workshops and performances designed for different age groups.

Young audiences can experience ZOOOM, Handa's Surprise, Waiting!, The Longest Nights, We Come From Far, Far Away, Volatile Ombré and other productions throughout the festival. The program includes experiences for babies and toddlers through to older children and families.

At the Centre for Creativity, Plasmotopia invites children aged five and over to create digital artworks inspired by the Great Barrier Reef using iPad and Apple Pencil. Their creations are then brought into augmented reality, creating an imaginative underwater world inside the Sydney Opera House.

For babies aged six to 18 months, Be Kind offers an intimate introduction to live performance, combining singing, luminous juggling and opportunities for babies to explore the stage after the performance.

A Creative School Holiday Experience

Wild Things is particularly suited to families looking for things to do in Sydney during the September and October school holidays. The combination of free outdoor activities and ticketed performances allows families to create their own festival day according to children's ages and interests.

Visitors can also take advantage of a ticket discount when booking for groups of four or more. Children aged 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

With Sydney Harbour providing the backdrop, Wild Things offers families a chance to discover the Sydney Opera House through play, creativity, international performance and hands-on experiences.

Plan Your Wild Things Visit

Wild Things

Wild Things runs from 26 September to 11 October 2026 at the Sydney Opera House. Families should check the official program for individual performance dates, ages, session times, ticket requirements and free-event details before visiting.

Sydney Opera House

Website: https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/
Email: bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com
Phone: +61 2 9250 7777
Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sydneyoperahouse/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sydneyoperahouse/?hl=en

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