Vivid Sydney 2017 for Kids

Destination NSW has promised that Vivid Sydney 2017 will be the best ever, and will be great fun for families. Over 100 family-friendly installations and events are on the cards this year so there’s something for the kids, no matter what age. Here’s a list of Vivid events that will be great for kids young and old:

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Vivid Sydney’s youngest visitors can watch light and colour dance and animations come to life. They will enjoy interactive installations featuring giant friendly flowers, favourite animals and a fantastical fairytale world, where colours, sounds and forms change, simply by moving, touching or walking past something. Highlights include:

Dipping Birds (The Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney)

Just like the ‘drinking bird’ novelty toy perched on a glass, these brightly coloured, spindly legged, two metre tall birds bob up and down seeking a drink of water too, changing colour as they quench their thirst.

The Sunflowers (The Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney)

Kids will be delighted by this joyous creation. Charming, giant sustainable sunflowers welcome you with a bow as you walk by at night, using solar energy they harnessed during the day.

Never Ends (The Rocks)

A lone illuminated rocking horse on a platform four metre in diameter, waiting for a rider. Hop on for a ride into the night and everything changes as you create a fairy-tale setting.

Lights for the Wild (Taronga Zoo)

After the permanent zoo residents have retired for the night, the giant light sculptures of endangered animals take centre stage along an illuminated trail of interactive animal lanterns with crowd favourites including the Asian elephant and toothy Sumatran Tiger joined by new additions: Gorillagram, Pelican, Tasmanian Devil, a swarm of tiny buzzing bees and PJ, a 20 metre walk-through Port Jackson shark.

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Activities that tap into primary school aged children’s natural curiosity and sense of discovery through exploration and play include watching combat action with Australia’s best robots battling it out and making their own interactive creation by giving coding a crack. Youngsters will burn off energy at installations that challenge them to get involved, from jumping over cracks to swinging giant, colour-changing balls.

Don’t Step on the Crack (Alfred Street, Sydney)

You might have childhood memories of not stepping on cracks in the footpath, but never like this. Kids jump over illuminated cracks, cross boundaries and question what really lies beneath the surface.

Cradle (Customs House Square)

The coolest physics lesson ever. Kids can channel their inner Isaac Newton and give five giant illuminated spheres a gentle push so they swing back and forth, changing colour every time they touch.

{Kids/Code/Create} (Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo)

This event starts on 27 May at 10am through to 3pm and is presented by Code Club Australia. Kids are inspired to create a project using code, light and music. Parents can learn what all the fuss is about, and give it a go too! Tickets can be purchased here.

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Pre-teens can interact with installations featuring favourite teen activities, including making music and playing video games. They can also get their hands of some of the coolest technology around at events featuring 3D printing, coding and robotics.

SYDNEYLAND (The Royal Botanic Gardens)

Best viewed from Circular Quay. Paired with its very own geotag, teens can pose for a Hollywood-style Sydney selfie and share it with friends and followers via Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

MailboX (The Rocks)

Part video game, part post box: Posting a letter has never been this much fun. By interacting with MailboX’s game inspired design and tapping at different places, teens can help create anything from an emoji to a smiling koala.

Gen XI: Educating the Next Generation (Surry Hills)

28 May and 4 June, 9am – 4pm. Calling all budding change-makers, problem solvers and inventors! Learn to tap your imagination and turn it into tangible prototypes at this interactive one-day Vivid Ideas workshop for 14 to 18 year olds. Tickets can be purchased here.

Rhodes: Creative (Rhodes)

Curious kids who enjoy creating cool things with the latest technology will enjoy this program of masterclasses, workshops, activities and talks on 3D printing, robotics, wearable art and tech.

Future City, Smart City (Chatswood)

What teen doesn’t love a funky, retro-futuristic smart city? That’s what they’ll find in Chatswood, where the CBD is reinvented with ingenious, steampunk installations and light sculpture inspired by 19th century steam powered machinery. Follow a flight to an airborne, sustainable community, then return to earth and discover the submerged magic of Steampunk Waterworld and try to solve hidden light messages sent by Crossword.

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Photo: Vivid Sydney 2017 – Taronga Zoo Saltwater Crocodile by Destination NSW/James Horan