15 Fun Things to Do with Kids at The Ginger Factory |

Are you wondering what there is to do at The Ginger Factory?

The Ginger Factory, an actual factory with lots of fun things to do with kids, is located in Yandina, Queensland, on the Sunshine Coast.

I first visited the Ginger Factory on a whim in 2011. We had no idea that in 2020, we would be living near the Sunshine Coast, less than 20 minutes away from Yandina.

It was a spur-of-the-moment trip. We were staying with my now husband’s brother in Brisbane and had plans to go to the zoo with a friend. She ended up not feeling well, so we decided to drive to The Glasshouse Mountains and ended up at The Ginger Factory.

Living near The Ginger Factory with 2 kids a decade later, we decided to head back and see what fun things we could do there with the kids.

Surprisingly, or not, there are so many fun things to do with kids at The Ginger Factory.

The Ginger Factory turned into one of our kids’ favorite places. We even got annual passes!

Keep reading to find all of the best things to do at The Ginger Factory.

Arriving at The Ginger Factory

The Ginger Factory is in Yandina, Queensland, about 30 minutes from Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, and an hour north of Brisbane Airport.

The Ginger Factory is most easily accessible by car. There is a large parking lot in front. Parking is always free at The Ginger Factory.

What is Offered at the Ginger Factory?

Ginger Factory Pass and Itinerary — Ginger Factory Pass Itinerary

On our first visit with kids, we got the ticket bundle that included the factory tour, live bee show, unlimited train rides, and unlimited boat rides.

Getting into The Ginger Factory is free, as is the playground, the walk (which used to be a Gruffalo walk and is now a Zog walk), the bouncy castle, the soft-play area, and the kids’ crafting space.

There is also a cafe and a few shops.

Best Things to Do at the Ginger Factory

The Factory Tour

Though I have taken the Ginger Factory tour twice, it has always been on a weekend when the factory is closed. Still, it is an interesting tour.

The kids enjoyed it as well.

It ended with a tasting that included a ginger drink and 4 items using ginger products that they sell. We all cleared our plates.

Samples of food cooked with ginger ingredients at the Ginger Factory during the factory tour. — Food samples cooked with ginger ingredients at the Ginger Factory during the factory tour.

The Live Bee Show

We learned that, unlike the Bee Movie, the female bees do all the work, and the male bees just get fed and cleaned.

The queen bee can decide which of her eggs is male or female.

The male bees live about 3 months, while the females die due to exhaustion after 1 to 1.5 months.

At the end of the show, we went into the store for a honey tasting. There were 6 kinds of honey to try, and we all agreed that the rainforest one was the best.

honey sampling station, large jugs of honey — Honey tasting at the Ginger Factory

Lunch at The Ginger Kitchen

The cafe seating area at the Ginger Factory

The cafe has a variety of sandwiches, salads, and hot meals. They also sell scones with ginger jam and cream, which we order just about every visit to the Ginger Factory, as requested by the kids.

There are a lot of tables outside, under cover, and they get crowded around lunchtime on the weekends.

While there is indoor seating, it is usually closed. They do open the indoor seating during the busier times.

The Boat Ride, Overboard

While the music is different, I still have “It’s a Small World” in my head. Gingerbread man boat ride at the Ginger Factory.

I had imagined it to be a real boat, but it is a boat inside a building, like a lot of the rides at Disney World. It reminded us a lot of the Small World ride.

The premise is that the gingerbread man ran away, and the bakers are chasing him through different countries. He ends up at the North Pole, and then they decide to make cookies that look like him.

The boat ride can be purchased as a one-time ride or as unlimited rides. Our kids love to ride the boat at the Ginger Factory, and we have ridden it countless times.

At the front of the ride, when you check in, there is a scavenger hunt available for those who want to play a game during the ride. Another fun thing to do is to count the gingerbread men throughout the ride.

The Train Ride, Moreton the Ginger Train

You can kind of see the ginger growing in the distance. Ginger grows underground, but those tall green leaves are on top.

The train leaves every half hour and takes about 15 minutes. The train takes you around the factory and the ginger fields.

Sometimes a line forms, so be sure to be there early if it is crowded at the Ginger Factory. Otherwise, you should be able to just walk on.

Zog Walk in the Rainforest

Formerly the Gruffalo Walk, now a Zog Walk, it is a walk through the rainforest, but they added an app that tells a story.

While this walk is now called a Zog Walk, the idea is the same. There are places to stop and take photos through an app. The kids have to stand by the clue while you point your phone at them, and a character is added.

Zog Trail Packs can be purchased at the store near the trail for $7.95.

Another way to interact on the Zog Walk is to purchase an activity bag that includes:

trail activity book
wings
Zog glasses
stickers
colored pencils
an orange crayon

At the end of the Zog Walk is a shed set up as a “school for young dragons.”

Kids can play inside the school. In addition to desks, there are lots of books and a piano. Outside the shed is a large chessboard.

Decorate Your Own Gingerbread Man

I told the kids at the beginning of the day that if they behaved, they would get a gingerbread man to decorate.

Z opted not to get one as he wanted to go back to the playground.

There is an ice cream shop as well (formerly The Icecreamery, now named Gingerlati’s), which is where the Gingerbread cookies are. Treats are also available at the cafe.

On other visits, we have ordered ginger scones that come with cream and ginger jam. They are delicious, and now the kids ask if we can order them each time.

They have not asked for another gingerbread man.

The Playground at The Ginger Factory

kids on a playground — The playground at the Ginger Factory

The kids played on the playground until 3 p.m. That is when we realized that we had been at The Ginger Factory for 6 hours.

We found out that because we bought the bundle today, we can come back and get unlimited boat rides and train rides for half off. Now we have an annual pass to The Ginger Factory.

There are 2 separate playgrounds next to each other, and one is for toddlers. Both playgrounds are fully fenced in.

Despite moving to Brisbane, we have still used our annual passes many times. The kids love riding the boat and the train. They make a game out of counting the gingerbread men that they see on the boat ride.

Ginger Town and Shopping at The Ginger Factory

Ginger Town at The Ginger Factory is a group of shops located near the train station.

Souvenirs, gift items, fudge, toys, and many other items can be found in Ginger Town.

I usually head to the shops while the kids play at the playground, but they do enjoy checking out Giuseppe’s Workshop.

There is a large shop at the entrance to The Ginger Factory that is filled with many food items featuring ginger, plus souvenirs, soaps, honey, and a variety of gift items.

Play Back Games at Ginger Town

The newest shop at Ginger Town is Play Back Games.

Play Back Games is both an arcade and a game shop where you can purchase board games and pop culture merchandise.

Beetrice the Jumping Castle

A fun activity for kids has popped up at The Ginger Factory. Outside of the Overboat Boat Ride is a jumping castle with a large bee on it, known as Beetrice the Jumping Castle.

This jumping castle is completely free. It is closed to the public for birthday party events and on rainy days.

Kids should be 5-10 years old to jump in the jumping castle.

Little Explorers Soft Play Area

Another new area for kids at the Ginger Factory is Little Explorers, a soft play area for kids 5 and under.

Inside, near the boat ride, Little Explorers includes a ball pit and soft equipment that kids can play on and slide down.

Socks, not shoes, must be worn inside Little Explorers.

The Ginger Harvest Tour

A seasonal tour is available at The Ginger Factory, and we are hoping to take it soon.

The Ginger Harvest Tour takes place during the second half of March and includes a 40-minute-long hands-on tour.

Tour members will take a tour of the Ginger Factory Farm Garden and learn about the growth cycle of ginger and its medicinal benefits.

At the end of the tour, there is a guided product tasting of the Buderim Ginger wellness range.

Little Creator’s Play Space

A coloring-in and activity centre is set up by the shops near the train station. Little Creator’s Play Space has a few tables set up with crafts for kids to complete. Additional seating is set up around the room.

A free little library book exchange is located at Little Creator’s Play Space.

Rainbrella Project

A small trail is set up by the cafe with lots of colorful umbrellas above.

The Rainbrella Project is a nice, short walk to enjoy with kids while at the Ginger Factory.

Special Events

See what is happening at The Ginger Factory before your visit, as they often have special events.

From art shows to children’s events, which are usually free to attend, fun things happen at The Ginger Factory.

We attended on a day when there was a scavenger hunt for kids, and they each received a compass. This was completely free, as entry is always free.

Cooking demonstrations and classes for adults happen throughout the year as well.

What to Know Before You Go to The Ginger Factory

Kids under 3 are free
Decide which pass is best for your family and your budget
A family pass includes 2 adults and up to 3 children
Passes can be upgraded at any time during your visit
They will check your annual pass photo and date every time
The cafe stops serving meals at 2:30 but continues to serve snacks and drinks
The Ginger Factory tends to empty an hour before closing time
The train does not run as consistently as the boat, so check the time to ensure you can ride
The rainforest walk can be muddy after the rain

Ginger Factory Wrap Up

If you are near the Ginger Factory, stop by! It is worth a visit.

While it is free to enter, most of the attractions cost money.

For those who live nearby and plan on going back, it is worth getting an annual pass. Getting one ride on the train and on the boat was not enough for our kids, and the pass was well worth the money.

The tours are interesting, the food is good, and our whole family enjoys spending a day at The Ginger Factory.

15 Fun Things to Do with Kids at The Ginger Factory

Arriving at The Ginger Factory

What is Offered at the Ginger Factory?