Whether you’re soggy and soiled from jumping in puddles or contemplating yet more play dough while the elements pummel down on your roof, the fun-fuelled list of indoor activities we’re about to reveal is sure to inspire your next rainy-day adventure. It’s loaded with sensory experiences, physical challenges and problem-solving that will keep your kids active while building their resilience, confidence and creativity. Just add some curiosity and imagination to the mix and you’ll be in for a wild and wondrous winter.

Blown awayYou might not be totally comfortable with your three-year-old jumping out of a plane to skydive 4200 metres, but at iFly in Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast, they can do just that, in the safety of an indoor skydive centre, with the help of a 13-metre-high wind tunnel and a qualified instructor. Dressed as a superhero, they’ll lean into the breeze and float inside the tunnel to feel the thrill of flying. If they love the sensation, book them in to the Junior iFlyer Club, a membership that will allow them to visit weekly to learn new flying tricks. iflydownunder.com.au; for ages 3+

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WORDS JOANNE MARRIOTT

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DON’T LET THE WET WEATHER DAMPEN YOUR SPIRITS – WE KNOW JUST HOW TO LEAVE THE MOST ACTIVE ADVENTURERS FEELING

ENCHANTED AND EXHILARATED.

TheInside Scoop

Now that’s safe flying!

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Shiver me timbersRound up your scallywags and head to Fremantle to join the fearsome band of marauding pirates who have commandeered WA Maritime Museum in Horrible Histories – Pirates: The Exhibition. Upon entering their pirate lair, young sea rovers can learn the ropes, design their own flag, captain the ship and take part in swashbuckling adventures armed with cannons and cutlasses. The exhibition will be in Fremantle until August 12. museum.wa.gov.au; for ages 3+

Trick or treatSit in the palm of King Kong, transform into a mermaid, get mauled by a kitten or jump into the gaping jaws of a crocodile – at ArtVo, Australia’s first trick art gallery featuring 100-plus unique 3D artworks. Most art museums operate a tight ‘do not touch’ policy, but at ArtVo your curious creatives can sit, stand on or, yes, even touch the life-size murals to create their own art. artvo.com.au; for all ages

For more hands-on interaction with art installations, head to the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art, where you’ll find tactile and immersive toddler experiences and sensory tours for babies. qagoma.qld.gov.au; for all ages

03Behind the scenesIt’s easy enough to be swept up in the glamour of Sydney when you’re chugging past the Opera House on the ferry, but the most magical experience can be found behind the sails. Take the Junior Adventure Tour, for example – a fast-paced, action-packed journey through the theatres, studios and backstage areas of the iconic structure. It demystifies the inner secrets of the cultural epicentre, revealing how a performance comes together using set design, stage markings and props. Theatre buffs and drama queens will love the opportunity to dress up in costume and become anyone or anything they can imagine. sydneyoperahouse.com; for ages 5+

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Learning the ropes at the WA Maritime Museum.

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Strike it richInspire junior geologists with a visit to The Perth Mint for an interactive tour of this working precious-metals exchange. Mini metallurgists can experience a live gold pour in the old melting house, jump on to the scales to find out what their weight is worth in gold, and create their own medallion with a real stamping machine. Have them take part in The Perth Mint Challenge, a 10-part quiz designed to help little gold diggers explore the grand heritage building and discover the magic of the Mint’s golden past. Top it all off with a traditional Devonshire tea at the cafe. perthmint.com; for ages 5+

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Shoot for the starsYour amateur astronomers will be dazzled by the stargazing opportunities at the Sydney Observatory. They’ll be able to climb up into the telescope dome to explore the stars and planets of the southern sky, and experience the wonder of the universe in the Planetarium and 3D Space Theatre. Tours run day and night. maas.museum/sydney-observatory; for ages 3+OUTDOOR OPTION: Wrap up warm and head to the hills for a spectacular winter night tour of the southern sky at the Perth Observatory. Your cosmic crusaders will be rewarded with a hot chocolate at the end of the night. perthobservatory.com.au; for ages 8+

06Long way downWhen the clouds part in Melbourne, soak up the panoramic city views from the heady heights of Eureka Skydeck. You’ll be catapulted up to 285 metres in no time in the fastest elevator in the southern hemisphere, and from the 360-degree observation deck you can get your bearings and test your geographic knowledge by searching for your favourite landmarks. Step out onto The Edge for a dizzying look down. eurekaskydeck.com.au; for all agesOUTDOOR OPTION: The Sydney Tower Eye offers a 360-degree view at 258 metres high and a 45-minute guided SKYWALK tour around the outside of the tower. sydneytowereye.com.au; for ages 8+

08Swing lowHarness up and take to the ziplines for a Tarzan flight at The Reef Hotel Casino, Cairns ZOOM and Wildlife Dome is the first place in the world to offer a challenge ropes course in a wildlife immersion exhibit. The ZOOM course integrates climbing walls, ziplines, cargo nets, tunnels and swings for an invigorating rainforest adventure combining close encounters with the parrots and an aerial confrontation with Goliath the Croc. Snap! cairnszoom.com.au; for ages 6+OUTDOOR OPTION: If you’d prefer to bask in the warm winter sun, head to Cape Tribulation for a ziplining canopy tour through the majestic Daintree Rainforest. junglesurfing.com.au; for ages 3+

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Into the rabbit holeImagine a world where nothing is impossible, if you simply take a tumble down the rabbit hole. It’s time to follow Alice’s journey into Wonderland at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image at Melbourne’s Federation Square. This immersive exhibition celebrates the timeless stories of Lewis Carroll and reveals how Alice has been reimagined on screen over the years. Little ones can get curiouser and curiouser as they bring their own playing-card soldier to life and join in the fun at the Mad Hatter’s tea party. The exhibition runs until October 7. acmi.com.au/wonderland; for ages 6+

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Pouring real live gold

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Reading up on the exhibition.

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Sleep tightIf camping out under the stars sounds a bit brisk, try camping out under the sharks at The Aquarium of Western Australia. Underwater explorers will be mesmerised by the marine life as they gaze up at the sharks, stingrays, turtles and hundreds of fish gliding gracefully above their beds. aqwa.com.au; for ages 7-12

Alternatively, snuggle up with a woolly mammoth and dine with the dinosaurs at the Australian Museum’s DinoSnore sleepover on October 5. It includes a torchlight tour of the museum, wildlife show and a movie screening. australianmuseum.net.au; for ages 6+

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Get the girls together for a

shark sleepover.

Take a walk on the wild side with a night safari, up-close animal encounters and a sleepover in the Taronga Zoo campsite

overlooking Sydney Harbour. taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo;

for ages 5+

Outdoor option