Guest post. I used to share the school run with my friend and fellow blogger Amanda Ansell. Now she lives in Sydney with her family and is busy writing about luxury travel. But when she’s not sampling Michelin-starred restaurants (someone’s got to do it) she’s hanging out with her 8 and 9-year old boys. Here are Amanda’s tips for enjoying Sydney with kids.

Hit the Beach. The world famous Bondi Beach  is a great family day out. For the more adventurous you can book a surf lesson with one of the many Bondi based surf schools. If waves are not for you, then there are two ocean swimming pools and a kids’ paddling pool. Nearby Clovelly beach is perfect for toddlers and the many harbour-side beaches such as Balmoral, Chowder Bay, Neilsen Park, Camp Cove or Watson’s Bay are shallow and easy to swim in with the added bonus of shark nets.

Get up Close & Personal With a Koala at Taronga Zoo. Australia is famous for it’s many diverse, dangerous and just plain wacky animals. Kids love this zoo, and its harbour side location makes it perfect for the grown ups to enjoy the amazing views too. With sustainability and conservation in mind, Taronga is fun, entertaining and educational.

Take a Boat. Sydney is famous for its harbour and there are many water-based activities available for the whole family. You can simply jump on a government-run ferry and take the 30-minute ride to Manly. Alternatively you can book a tour with one of the kids’ cruise companies where pirate outfits and sailing a tall ship are fun for everyone.

Sydney Opera House Kids’ Tour. This is one of the most iconic buildings in the world. Kids’ tours run in the school holidays and take them on a journey behind the scenes of this amazing building.

Darling Harbour. Only a few minutes from the city centre, Darling Harbour is the most family-friendly area of Sydney. There are many restaurants and cafes to suit all budgets, an Imax cinema, Seaworld, Madame Tussaud’s, and the impressive Powerhouse museum. On a warm day, you can grab a coffee and sit back and watch the kids enjoy one of the best play areas around, complete with climbing frames, swings and lots of lots of fountains to splash in.

The family travel lowdown: Amanda Ansell is freelance writer based in Sydney with clients in the travel, food and kid’s clothing industries. www.amandaansellwriting.com