Family Activities in Kew
Parks, playgrounds and things to do with kids in Kew, Victoria
📍 Kew · east
willo cafe
Willo Café in Kew is a family-friendly café known for its welcoming approach to young children, with toys, drawing activities, and a generous kids menu. The menu includes a wide range of toasties, burgers, and café classics, with indoor and outdoor seating available. Dogs are welcome, with outdoor seating better suited for prams.
📍 Kew · east
arthur's milkbar
Located on a quiet side street in Kew near Cotham Rd, Arthur’s milkbar is a spacious spot for coffee, brunch, or takeaway. The cafe is pram-friendly, offers high chairs, and serves a variety of tasty breakfast and lunch options for both adults and kids.
📍 Kew · east
barry's garage
Barry’s Garage in Kew offers a casual spot for sandwiches, hot dogs, coffee, and sweet treats, with both indoor seating and takeaway options. The café is known for friendly, fast service and fresh, flavourful food, making it a popular choice for lunch or a quick bite.
📍 Kew · east
studley park boat house
Studley Park Boathouse is a must-visit this spring with its revamped dining options. Choose from the indoor restaurant, outdoor café with river views, or grab takeaway from the kiosk. Plus, the new boat-themed playground is perfect for kids to enjoy after a meal or while waiting for coffee!
📍 Kew · east
gillberts
Gilberts in Kew is a stunning spot to grab breakfast or lunch, sip an ice-cold drink and watch the High Street traffic fly by. This laid-back diner serves a delicious cafe menu packed with Greek-inspired flavours like spanakopita, rizogalo, halloumi salad and every toasty you could dream of, while the kids are well covered with waffles (ice cream included, obviously), eggs or fruit and yoghurt. With roadside seating, window spots, cosy booths in the heart of the space and a courtyard outside, Gilberts nails relaxed, family-friendly vibes — and you can even grab ready-made meals to take home for later.
📍 Kew · east
briquettes coffee shop
Briquettes Coffee might just be the smallest coffee shop in Melbourne’s east, but it packs a big punch in charm! This revitalised old shop on Harp Rd in Kew serves all the essentials—coffee, pastries, cookies, toasties, and salads—while the kids can enjoy a babycino, ice cream, snacks, or a juice box at really great prices. Grab a seat at the back courtyard tables or take your coffee for a stroll to the nearby park. Mamma guarantees it’s a total winner!
📍 Kew · east
postmaster hotel
Postmaster Hotel in Kew is a winner for Mammas looking for a family-friendly spot for lunch or dinner. Housed in a stunning historic building that was once a courthouse and post office, this local watering hole sits right on Kew’s High Street and is impossible to miss. The menu offers pub classics alongside share plates, pizzas, and delicious pasta dishes, perfect for groups of all sizes. There’s plenty of space for kids to move around, with a lovely outdoor courtyard for sunny days and an equally inviting indoor space for cooler weather.
📍 Kew · east
origami play cafe
Origami Play Café, Kew is a brand-new family favourite, hidden behind the Westpac building and opening this August. Downstairs, enjoy a delicious café serving sushi, sandos, karaage chicken, crepe cakes and specialty coffees, while upstairs, the Scandi-inspired play area sparks little imaginations with themed zones for chefs, doctors, builders, superheroes, princesses and shopkeepers. There’s a soft play area, mini claw machine, and a sun-soaked outdoor space featuring a motorized ride-on train. With limited sessions, classes, playgroups and party packages available, Origami Play Café offers a relaxed, safe and fun experience for kids and parents alike.
📍 Kew · east
flying foxes @ bellbird picnic area
Yarra Bend Park is a hidden gem for nature lovers, especially at the Bellbird Picnic Area where you can marvel at hundreds of grey-headed flying foxes roosting in the trees. It's a great spot for kids to watch these fascinating creatures, and if you're lucky, you'll see them take flight, especially closer to dusk. The picnic area has seating, an undercover space, and toilets, and you can explore the surrounding walking trails, though be mindful of the steep paths. The area near the boats launch is perfect for spotting bats, but watch out for bat droppings!
📍 Kew · east
alexandra gardens
Cotham Gardens, Kew – Nestled just a stone’s throw from Kew Junction, these 100-year-old gardens are a magical oasis for families. Stroll through formal lawns, spot charming statues hidden around the pond, and let little ones climb and balance on pint-sized wooden friends. While not huge, it’s perfect for toddlers to burn off energy, especially in autumn when the tree canopies glow.
📍 Kew · east
explorers program @ studley park boathouse
Studley Park Boathouse in Kew takes family dining to the next level with its Sunday Explorers Program! While Mamma enjoys some well-deserved peace and fries, the kids can join in fun, guided activities – with a mini explorers program for under 7s and a big explorers program for ages 5-12. From crafts to place-based learning, your little ones are entertained and engaged, with their creations (like chef mix-and-match magnets) making lasting memories.
📍 Kew · east
kew traffic school
The Kew Traffic School is such a hidden gem for families with young kids! It’s been around for over 60 years, offering a safe and fun environment for kids up to 10 years old to learn road rules and bike safety. The miniature village is complete with real roads, stop signs, roundabouts, and even working traffic lights—perfect for your little ones to practice their cycling skills while having a blast. They can zoom around, learning the ins and outs of traffic, while navigating through shops, a train station, post office, fire brigade, and more—talk about an interactive way to introduce them to Aussie history! With recent updates to the entrance and facilities, this place just keeps getting better, and it’s such a fun way for kids to build confidence on two wheels.