Before last year, mentioning the Sydney Royal Easter Show was guaranteed to send a shiver down my husband’s spine. He just didn’t get the fanfare and found the mere idea a version of parenting hell. Developing our Sydney Royal Easter Show Family Survival Guide ensured that the one time I convinced him to attend was actually quite successful at reframing his mindset and saw us all heading off again this year. It’s all about heading to the spots the kids will love and avoiding the spots that will end up in tears of frustration. But how to we move mere survival to an actual full blown bloody good time with the kids?
- Avoid the Haunted House – As you leave the Woolworths Dome and start heading towards the kids attraction area you are likely to spot the Haunted House in the distance. If your kids are with you, don’t head towards it no matter how curious you are! We made that mistake and were drawn like moths to a flame, although in the case we it was lambs to the slaughter. Screams, scary clowns, people running out in fear – you’ll witness it all or should I say, the kids will witness it all. It’s where nightmares are made. (I couldn’t help myself and went inside while T distracted the kids with food! Not that scary – go on, try it!)
- Showbags – set your budget before you head off. Rather than number of bags, I tell the kids that they have a $30.00 show bag budget each. They have the choice of blowing it all on one big item show bag or they can do a little research and buy a number of smaller bags for the same price. Applying a budget that they kids can work within has totally eradicated any whining or begging. Winning! The kids love moving around each stand and working out what they are going to get within their budget. Their choice of bags? The Idiot Showbag. I wonder what that says!!
- Follow the Hoof prints – I spent a few hours designing our pathway around the show, convinced that I could create a much better itinerary than the one suggested by the show. Silly me! The reason it has hardly changed from last year is that it WORKS! Make sure you grab the kid passport from a stamping station and you’ll find the kids won’t want to skip anything. The other advantage of following the hoof prints is that it circulates the show BEFORE ending at the show bags. Great incentive.
- Check the Show Itinerary – I downloaded the Sydney Royal Easter Show app in advance and used it to check what special presentations or events were on during our visit. We caught the Girls, Girls, Girls Trick Riding as a consequence, something I didn’t even know existed.
- Pounce on Shaded Rest Stops – Little kids need frequent pit stops. On a hot day, all the shady spots are likely to be taken. Pounce on them when you spot one – you won’t be sorry.
- Pack Extra Drinks – The drink providers have a little monopoly on drinks at the show. The pricing for a bottle of water or bottle of soft drink is exorbitant. You will want to keep the kids hydrated throughout the day so take a solid backpack and stock up on drinks and some snacks before you go.
- Use the Toilets at Spotless Stadium – Say what? There are toilets all around the show BUT the ones at Spotless Stadium are by far the cleanest. They are regularly cleaned throughout the day, with both toilet paper and soap regularly topped up. Come on, it’s an important thing when you’re out and about with kids (ppst….don’t forget to pack your wet ones regardless).
- Catch Public Transport – public transport is included in your ticket. Use it! Buses drop off right at the gates and they circulate every 10-15 minutes throughout the day.
- Feast On All The Free Stuff – there are samples scattered throughout the show. From magnets, to rubber bracelets, food samples to plates and hats. If you look carefully you will find something fun to add to your bag. My kids loved the Police stand the best, each grabbing a finger print card, Cops Are Tops bracelet and temporary tattoo each (and a ride on the police motorbike). I liked the Steggles stand where a few happy snaps were taken of us with the baby chickens which were then given to us as free prints. I think the food samples over in the Woolworths Dome was T’s favourite. The backpack is going to come in handy for this too!
- Did I mention to avoid the Haunted House?
The Sydney Royal Easter Show runs until 30 March at Sydney’s Olympic Park, Homebush. This year, we booked our own tickets directly through the Sydney Royal Easter Show website.
