Lightening Online

Questacon was by far the most enjoyed attraction we visited while in Canberra. We purchased a 3 in 1 ticket which not only gave us discounted entry to Questacon, Cockington Green and the Institute of Sport but we were also able to return to the attraction of our choice for a second visit. We chose to return to Questacon for our “free” visit. Given we spent the best part of a day there the first time, it was good to know we could come back for a 2nd visit and do those things we hadn’t had time to do (and re-do the stuff the kids particularly enjoyed).

The place is divided into Galleries with each Gallery having a theme. I didn’t actually write down the names of the galleries but there were things like a sporting gallery, a sideshow gallery and so on.

This photograph is taken in the first gallery. In hindsight, I think we should have skipped the first gallery and headed to the top as it was quite busy when we arrived. I assumed it would be that busy all day which didn’t turn out to be the case. There was just a bit of congestion as so many people arrived at a similar time and started at the same spot. Aint hindsight great?

The one thing I did find disappointing, particularly in this first gallery, was the number of adults pushing in front of my children when they were waiting for an activity. I almost had a meltdown because it meant I had to be more assertive in order to make sure my children didn’t miss out. Is common courtesy a thing of the past?

Here is a photo of Trailer Boy playing on the clowns in the Sideshow Gallery. I think our admission paid for itself just with this one activity, when you consider how expensive they are to play at the show!!!

Another feature in the Sideshow Gallery was this free fall where you could experience what it’s like to free fall (I can’t remember how high it is - can anyone help me out here?). Farmboy was the only one game enough to give that a go:

The line was a bit long for the Roller Coaster simulation on our first visit but we had a go on that in the return visit. I was determined to have a go as it’s the closest I’ll ever come to going on a roller coaster (I’m no dare-devil).

Mini Q

Questacon have a section designed specifically for the under 6 age group and have it very well set up. They only allow a certain number of children into the section at a time so they have set session times and a ticket system. You can pick up a ticket to any session (providing it’s not booked out) and then you just come back at the designated time. An EXCELLENT idea for this age group.

Trailer Boy LOVED it and I’m sure could have played in there all day. They had a construction section, bakery, vet clinic, sensory play, a climbing gym, water play and more. Here he is filling his car with petrol in the garage section:

He didn’t want to leave when our session time was over so the staff encouraged me to pick up tickets for a later session so he could come back. He then went back for a third time with Farmboy on our return visit and didn’t get bored at all. In fact, it was really good for him to have some decent “play” time. I think it’s something he really missed while we were away.

Theatres

Questacon has a number of theatres set up for shows run at set times throughout the day. I took Trailer Boy to one on Dinosaurs which was designed for younger children.

We then went to a fantastic show on Rockets as a family. The guy presenting the show was fabulous and it was a lot of fun as well as educational. During the 30 minute segment, 7 rockets were launched, each one building on the concepts of what it takes to launch a rocket to the moon.

On our second visit, I assumed all the shows would be the same but there were a few changes so we chose to go to another show that was all about how planes fly. I was so pleased when Singstar Princess volunteered to go out the front (our kids tend to be a bit shy when it comes to that sort of thing).

It wasn’t quite as fascinating as the rocket show but we all learnt something about how planes fly.

Other Favourites

Other highlights were the Earthquake House (giving you an idea what an Earthquake feels like) and the Shark Cage (a simulation of swimming with sharks, complete with moving chairs).

I didn’t see many of the exhibits on the first visit as I was busy keeping Trailer Boy entertained while Farmboy took the older two through the various galleries. So on our return visit, we swapped roles and Farmboy took Trailer Boy while the older 2 took me to see their favourites. If you’re short on time, it would definitely be worthwhile having someone who has been there take you to the best bits.

We chose to buy lunch from the cafe there. I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to come and go and we didn’t really want to be carrying lunch in the backpack all day. The prices weren’t too bad and the food was lovely (when they finally got my order right after 3 tries). I noticed a lot of families had brought a picnic lunch and you can go out to your car so packing lunch is certainly an option.

To see it properly, I think you’d need at least 5 hours. We noticed that the afternoons were less busy than the mornings, particularly between 3.30 and 5.00pm.

If I lived in Canberra, I would definitely buy a year’s membership. It’s the kind of place I could imagine bringing the kids for a couple of hours to entertain them.

We also had lots of fun in the Questacon shop. They had lots of stuff for kids for under $5 and plenty of gift ideas. I love educational toys and books!!!