melbourne - school holidays spots

Melbourne Autumn School Holidays Edition - Sat 6 Apr 2019 to Sun 21 Apr 2019.
 

art galleries & libraries

• Alexander Calder: Workshop for Kids - In association with the exhibition Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor, NGV Kids presents a large-scale installation. Born to parents who were both artists, young Calder made ingenious objects with moving parts using wire, wood and metal. His family encouraged him to create, and for Christmas at just eleven years of age he presented his parents with his first sculptures: a dog and a duck made from a sheet of brass. Incorporating hands-on activities that explore the artist’s interest in inventing and constructing new artistic forms, this installation draws inspiration from Calder’s unique exploration of space using line, objects, scale and movement. Free entry. On from 5th Apr 2019 – 4th Aug 2019. Open 10am–5pm daily. NGV International Ground Level Kids Area. Our review here. More info here.

• Mystery Making at the NGV these holidays. Children and families can join in free, drop-by, playdough making workshops inspired by the game Pictionary! Every weekday during the first week of the school holidays in the Great Hall. Suitable for all ages, with supervision. Free entry from 8th to 12th April 10am to 1pm. More info here.

events

• All the Ways to be Smart at The Wheeler Centre. All the Ways to be Smart is a warm-hearted children’s book that celebrates our distinctive (and sometimes abstract) talents. Author Davina Bell and illustrator Allison Colpoys will read from their award-winning book, then hold an interactive, hands-on, storytelling workshop. Wednesday 17 April 2019, 11.00am-12.00pm. Free. More info here.

• Beneath at ArtPlay. Explore an underwater landscape created from recycled plastic. There are surprising creatures all around and strange sounds on the ocean floor. Various dates & times. Free. More info here.

• Highpoint Shopping Centre - The House of Colour. Explore, learn and play in our colour house these school holidays. The House of Colour is an interactive play space with three different rooms of FUN to discover - jump on the bed in the bedroom, draw on the walls in the living room, and even take a bath! Monday 8th to Sunday 14th April 11am to 3pm daily. Level 1 next to JB Hifi. More info here.

• Kids Day Out at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. This annual event is a great way to bring the whole family together for a day of amusement, activities and entertainment, all while raising much needed funds for The Royal Children’s Hospital. Free. Friday 19th April 10am to 5pm. More info here.

• Lizy’s Lizards, Library at The Dock. Meet Lizzy the zoologist and learn all about reptiles. Be sure to check out the other school holiday events on offer at the City of Melbourne Libraries. Various dates. Free. More info here.

• The Very Big Laugh. World-class street performers and the best physical and musical comedy in da biz, performing on the Fed Square Main Stage and, for the first time, Melbourne Museum Plaza in Carlton Gardens. The (Very) Big Laugh Out is renowned for its exciting and surprising all-ages programming, jam-packed with stellar local and international artists. The best bit? It’s totally FREE! 5th to 20th April 2019. Various dates & times. More info here.

• Wander Park Interactive Zone at District Docklands. Knock down the Chimpanzombies, design and build your own mini roller coaster and enjoy a range of craft and photo opportunities. And, you can also meet and greet Boomer, a friendly narcoleptic blue bear that works at Wonderland! He’ll join us daily for a half hour meet and greet at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm! Make sure you head down for a big bear hug! 06 April 2019 to 22 April 2019, 11am to 4pm daily. The Square near H&M. FREE. Movie tickets as per HOYTS prices. More info here.

museums

• Melbourne Museum. School Holiday Activities at Melbourne Museum. Meet a Museum Expert from our live exhibits team, or bring along a grandparent to make stop motion magic in our Intergenerational Animation Workshop these holiday. Activities include Born In A Taxi presents: Gut Feeling, Meet the Museum Expert: Live Exhibits, Direct your own TV ad, Comedy Festival at Melbourne Museum and Stop! Intergenerational Animation Workshops! Some programs require bookings. Dates and prices vary. More info here.

• Old Melbourne Gaol. A word from Ned. Kids can get a deeper glimpse of the man beneath the armour with a code-breaking activity that will send them on a hunt through every corner of Gaol. An important message in Ned’s words awaits those who keep their wits sharp. A Word From Ned is designed for children aged five and over and is included with entry. Saturday 6 April - Monday 22 April 2019. More info here.

• Scienceworks. Wonder at Museum of the Moon, a picture-perfect 7-metre 3D super-realistic sculpture of the moon. Lie beneath it and hear moon stories. On until 28th April 2019. More info here.

  >The Moon has always captivated humanity, inspiring us to leave the world behind and venture into space. Come on an amazing adventure as we strive to understand our magnificent neighbour the Moon. The latest full dome show from the Melbourne Planetarium Production Studio is Moonbase One. Ages 8+. Prices and dates vary. More info here.

  >Enjoy the screen-free interactive permanent exhibition space for babies to 5 year olds at Scienceworks. Kids love Ground Up: Building Big Ideas, Together. Our review here.

• School Holiday Activities at Scienceworks. Have you wondered how bridges stay up? How skyscrapers get so tall? How construction cranes lift? All of these accomplishments are because of the work of engineers. With the help of friendly Scienceworks staff and volunteers you can join in heaps of different engineering activities these school holidays. There will be an Engineering Challenge 6 years+. Engineering Play Space Ages 2 to 5 yrs. More info here.
  Engineering Play Space at Scienceworks. Use your ingenuity and creativity to Design, Build and Test these school holidays, and have a go at our pneumatic engineering challenge! Tiny builders aged 2-5 get their own play space to imagine BIG, and we’ll be visited every day at 1pm by an industry professional from program sponsors Exxon Mobil. 6th April 6 to 22nd April. Engineer visit at 1pm. More info here.

• Immigration Museum. Love. Hear beautiful stories of all kinds of human connection in the moving new Love exhibition. More info here.

  School Holiday Activities at Immigration Museum - Autumn Harvest. With the arrival of autumn there is a bounty of vegetables waiting to become artist’s tools in our courtyard garden oasis. Use harvested produce to create unique artworks to take home, make a mini scarecrow to decorate our planter boxes and draw your favourite native urban critter to hide amongst our garden. Free. More info here.

programs

• ArtPlay - Various sessions. Various ArtPlay these holidays. Find a workshop, event or exhibition that suits your age group, time and date. Prices vary. Ages vary. More info here.

• ArtPlay - Kids aged 6-9, get hands on with Indonesian food, art and music at ArtPlay these holidays. Record your own tunes, bring traditional shadow puppets to life and sample some delicious fairy floss in The Sound of Shadows. On 17th to 18th April. More info here.

• ACMI - Enjoy a range of great workshops and activities at ACMI these holidays. Workshops include Make a Videogame (2days), Cleverman Comic Making, Build a Virtual Reality World, Minecraft, Clay Motion, Movie & Animation Making and more. From 8th to 18th April 2019. Ages 8+. Dates and prices vary. More info here.

• Chadstone - Enjoy exclusive entertainment at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre or catch the latest movie at HOYTS. More info here.

• Fizzics Education - Choose from a range of school holiday programs Science Shows and Workshops across Melbourne with Fizzics Education. They will be running programs at Gasworks Arts Park and Narre Community Learning Centre. Dates, locations and prices vary. More info here.

• Science Play Kids - We loved taking part in the last Science Play Kids school holiday sessions. Little Miss loved it so much, she wanted to go back the next day! (Our review here). Head to their website, to book a spot or two for the kids this April. Week 1 Water and Week 2 - Flight. But be quick, they sell out fast. Great for kids 2 to 10 yrs. Each class runs for an hour, has 2-3 hands on experiments that foster creative thinking and problem solving in a fun and MESSY way. More info here.

zoos - aquariums - farms - markets and more!

• Blue Lotus Farm. Visit the luscious Blue Lotus Water Garden in Yarra Junction and be spoilt with this unique water garden filled with waterlilies and exotic lotus flowers. Kids can enjoy wondering around the garden by following a cute trail, playing in the kids garden, feeding fish, exploring greenhouses, trying lotus chips, listening to a story and face painting (on the weekend) and more! Kate and her little ones loved their visit. Open now until 22 April 2019. Prices Vary. Our review here.

• Boneo Maze - Take a journey through Neverland in the evenings of this Easter’s Long Weekend 19th, 20th and 21st April 2019 with the Moonlight Festival at Boneo Maze & Mini Golf. The Sand Sculpting Australia Peter Pan exhibition will come alive with light installations and lantern sculptures from The Lanternist. This interactive family friendly event will transform the exhibition, maze and wetlands into a night time wonderland with activities, workshops and some spectacular lights and entertainment the entire family. Our review here of this great place here. More info here.

• Chesterfield Farm. Pop by the Chesterfield Farm with the kids and see all your favourite farmyard animals, jump on the farm tractor, see the Baby Animal Nursery, milk a cow and feed lots of animals. Our review here.

• Collingwood Children's Farm. Kids can enjoy a day at the farm every day of the holidays and older kids can take part in school holiday programs. On various dates. Bookings essentials. Our review of the farm here. The Collingwood farm’s school holiday program info here.

• Diamond Valley Railway Miniature Train Rides. All aboard! Whether you have a little train enthusiast or are just looking for a fun day out, the whole family will have a ‘toot’ of a time on the Diamond Valley Railway. Open every Sunday 11am-5pm, families can ride the steam, petrol, diesel or electric powered locomotives for only $3 per person. The 15 minute ride - along just over 2km of track - is set in the natural Eltham bushland and takes passengers past several station platforms, carriage sheds, workshops, guard towers and signal boxes,  over and under bridges and through crossings and two short tunnels. Our review here.

• Fairfield Park Boathouse Boating. Located just seven kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, Fairfield Boathouse is a picturesque, riverside spot offering traditional English boats and an historic tearooms in a stunning, inner-city bush setting. Enjoy boating with the family across the Yarra River on a hand-made Thames-replica rowing skiff! After a nice trip down the river, kids can enjoy feeding the resident (hungry) ducks, riding giraffes and fire trucks rides, eating scones & jam and a milkshake and looking out to the river. Our review here.

• GoClub Coburg. Checkout GoClimb Coburg's newly upgraded play zones these holidays! GoClimb will also have fun activities these holidays like face painting, free giveaways & prizes, colouring & craft stations, special guests and much more. Our review here.

• Green Olive at Red Hill. Green Olive at Red Hill encourages kids to enjoy and learn from the surroundings of a real working farm on the Mornington Peninsula. The Green Olive Farm Kids school holiday programs give children the opportunity to meet farm animals, learn about where food comes from, plant seeds and create their artistic impressions of the farm while spending time outside in the fresh air and sunshine. This April be spoilt with a range of activities - pizza making, meet the animals, kids cupcake decorating, kids chicken workshop and mini farmers as well as an Easter Egg Hunt on the 19th April. Dates and prices vary. Find out about the Green Olive’s school holiday program here. Don’t forget to visit this family friendly winery. Green Olive at Red Hill has a playground, an outdoor in-ground trampoline, ducks by the lake to feed, a tapas style menu with kid friendly choices and drawing sheets with crayons. Read our review of Green Olive’s Kids Chicken Workshop here.

• Healesville Sanctuary New Nature Play Space. Let the kids run wild in our brand new enchanted Casuarina Forest play space. Nature inspired play will include exploring the awesome rock elements, sand pits, sculptures, water pumps and a rustic backyard cubby! Mums, dads and carers can also grab a coffee or try something from the new menu at the Pavilion Café while the kids explore. Our review here.

• Healesville Sanctuary - School Holidays. Every day of the school holidays, keep cool under the new Hills Hoist sprinkler, connect with nature through the ever-popular creek play, explore our rustic cubbies and play awesome backyard games. Listen to the didgeridoo and learn how to throw a boomerang with Wurundjeri Elder Murrundindi, and keep an eye out for roving bush poets, singers and encounters with some furry friends! 22 December to 29 January 9am to 5pm. Kids under 16 visit FREE on school holidays! More info here.

• Heide Museum of Modern Art. The Heide Museum of Modern Art has always been a great place for us to visit as a family since little Miss was born. Whether you’re a fan of modern art or not, you’ll still enjoy walking the grounds, checking out the sculptures and gardens, taking part in school holiday activities, weekly children’s programs or enjoy catching up with friends for picnic or grabbing a coffee at Café Heide. Our review here. Checkout the Heide website for more info re kids programs & school holiday activities here.

• KaBloom - Festival of Flowers. KaBloom is back these school holidays April 6th - 28th daily from 10am to 5pm. Head there to walk amongst 130,000 plants across 140 garden beds and enjoy children's activities and shows daily. Adults $25, Concession $22, Children 16 & Under are free (and do not require a ticket). Our review here.

• Kids Adventure Tour Anglesea. Could your child be Australia’s next surfing superstar? Or mountain bike champion? It’s time to find out at this year’s popular Kids Adventure Outdoors (KAOS) festival that is returning to Anglesea for another adventure weekend on April 13-14, 2019. Kids aged 3 - 13 years old will experience a range of active adventures including rides, runs, climbs, paddles and plenty more ‘wild’ things in and around the stunning coastal town of Anglesea! More info here.

• Legoland Discovery Centre Melbourne - Lego Movie 2 Special Holiday Activities. LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is celebrating the long-awaited “The LEGO Movie™ 2: The Second Part” with movie-themed school holiday activities from 6th to 22nd April. “The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part” reunites the heroes of Bricksburg in an action-packed adventure to save their beloved city from DUPLO invaders from outer space. The range of intergalactic activities at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre includes stop motion video making, building a Systar System, escaping aliens and scavenger hunts! More info here.

• Legoland Discovery Centre Melbourne - Underwater Quest. Visitors can create exciting new creatures, ships and submarines to explore the seas and be amazed as projected animation brings the water and LEGO models to life. The new experience is made up of over 200,000 LEGO blocks and it took the dedicated team at Legoland over 700 hours to complete the build. Our review here. To see our review of Legoland Discovery Melbourne, head here.

• Melbourne Comedy Festival. Laugh out loud at many family friendly shows this April. Cool shows include Captain Cauliflower & Marvin the Mischievous Moose, Macdeth, Super Amazing Giant Girl. More info here.

• Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. From Wednesday 27th to Sunday 31st March, the enchanting Carlton Gardens will transform into a play-haven for kids of all ages for the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, headlined by charity partner Beyond Blue. The Beyond Blue Charity Garden will feature outdoor playsets, flower crown & tiara making, drawing stations, a Funky Monkey Bar installation, face painting and a take-home show bag for all children who visit. Parents can also join in the fun with giant Snakes and Ladders and Jenga games or relax on beanbags in the chill out area. There will be and educational kids zone where little ones can get their hands dirty pot planting, taking turns pedalling a bike that generates water supply, playing hide-and-seek site in a bamboo forest tunnel, climbing the log fort, and taking part in workshops exploring the microscopic world of mini-beasts and the intricate layers of worm farms. A Diggers Club will also host a sensory extravaganza in the gardens, where children can sample delicious heirloom fruits, explore a mini pumpkin field, count the colours of the rainbow in the veggie patch and frolic with clucking chickens. Our review here. More info here.

• Melbourne Star. Melbourne Star, the Southern Hemisphere’s only giant observation wheel, will transform into a Choc-o-licious Wonderland these Easter school holidays. Between Saturday, 6 and Monday, 22 April, guests will be able to treat their kids to free flights on the Melbourne Star and have fun in the eye-popping chocolate Easter wonderland display and activities corner that has transformed the Star Departure Lounge.  Also on offer is a delicious upgrade to a private Choc-o-licious cabin, complete with drinks and a chocolate hamper of San Churro Chocolates. With ticket prices starting from $23.00 per guest for a 30-minute Choc-o-licious flight, Melbourne Star is set to be the sweetest escape this Easter. Available for private groups of up to ten guests, Melbourne Star’s Choc-o-licious Cabins are a sweet-tooth’s fantasy land, a private world decorated with colourful candies, chocolate and dangling donuts flying high above the city! The package includes a drink of choice for each guest to be enjoyed on board along with a delectable chocolate hamper from San Churro. More info here.

• Melbourne Zoo. Experience Melbourne Zoo after dark as it's transformed with lights, projections, art installations, interactive performances, food and drink, and more. Bringing Melbourne's vibrant culture to the lush grounds of the Zoo, Neon Playground is a new event celebrating wildlife conservation with a showcase of some of the best local light and visual artists and designers. And the most important part, all proceeds contribute to the conservation of the critically endangered Southern Corroboree Frog. Join us in the fight against wildlife extinction! Our review here.

• Myuna Farm. The Myuna Farm in Doveton is a gorgeous little community farm managed by the council of City of Casey. Families can visit the working farm and get hands-on contact with a variety of animals and learn about farming processes, farm animals as well as various sustainability activities. Perfect for a holiday visit. Our review here.

• Otway Fly Treetop Adventures. Otway Fly Treetop Adventures is home to ten enchanting fairy houses for visitors to discover as they wander through the magical rainforest from 6th to 28th April. Handcrafted by volunteers from Men’s Shed Colac, the charming fairy houses create a spellbinding trail through the rainforest floor. Children receive a special activity card for their journey to help them find the letters on each of the dainty houses to spell out the magic word to collect a reward. More info here.

• Peninsula Hot Springs. Nestled among the coastal tea trees of Fingal, Peninsula Hot Springs is an award-winning natural hot springs and day spa destination on the Mornington Peninsula, just 90 minutes from Melbourne. With over 30 globally-inspired experiences Peninsula Hot Springs’ Bath House is a bathing wonderland for families and children to discover together. Children will love bathing in the hot springs. Kate and her family had an amazing time. Our review here.

• Rippon Lea Estate Annual Easter Fun Day. Bring the family for a wonderful day out at Rippon Lea Estate. Take part in our Easter Egg Hunt through the amazing grounds, meet the members of our Easter Bunny team, and of course our very own Koala and Rippon Lea Bear! Sunday 21st April 10:00am - 4:00pm. Adult $15
  Concession $12, Child $10 : 3-15 years (2 & under free) or Family $45 : 2 Adults & 2 Children. More info here.

• Royal Botanical Gardens - Melbourne. Nature Play in the Gardens: Find your joy in connecting with the natural world through a range of nature-based sensory experiences for children of all ages. Wed 17 April 10am – 1pm, drop in anytime. Free. More info here.

• Royal Botanical Gardens - Cranbourne. Botanica: A Village in the Australian GardenConstruct cubbies and creatures using natural materials collected from the Gardens. Welcome to Wareeny: Enjoy storytelling, look for clues of wareeny (wombat), and pot up a yam daisy to take home. Birds in the Australian Garden Identify often-seen birds and hear stories about how they have shaped the forests and wildflowers of Australia. Kids Explorer: Experience the Australian Garden on this special trip on The Explorer bus, designed for a child’s view. Dates & Times, Kids Ages and Prices Vary. More info here.

• Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium is helping Peppa Pig celebrate ‘15 Years of Muddy Puddles’ during the April school holidays with a marine adventure! Peppa Pig activities will run through the whole month with Peppa herself plunging into the aquarium for daily meet and greets from Sunday 7 April to Sunday 21 April. Guests will begin their SEA LIFE Melbourne experience with a Peppa Pig mask and a special edition activity book before embarking on an underwater journey to find Peppa’s friends and family among the marvellous reef creatures. Keep a lookout for Daddy Pig, Mummy Pig, George Pig, Suzie Sheep and Rebecca Rabbit amid the regal blue tang, sea stars, flatback turtles and clownfish! Peppa Pig activities: 1st to 30th April 2019. Peppa Pig Meet and Greets: 7th to 21st April 2019 at 11am and 2pm. Opening Hours: School Holidays, Weekends and Public Holidays: 9:30am-6:00pm (last entry 5pm). Weekdays (outside School Holidays): 10:00am to 5:30pm (last entry 4:30pm). More info here.

• Sovereign Hill Easter Holiday Program. The Blacksmith needs a new apprentice. There’s animals to be fed. And Brown’s Confectionery Manufactory has lollies to make. These Easter holidays (Sat 6 April - Mon 22 April), Sovereign Hill is exploring the working life of the goldfields. Relive history and discover the lost trades with a range of exclusive workshops and free events that will transport you back to the busy goldfields of Ballarat, including: Weet Experience: Brown’s Confectionery Factory is hiring! So get your uniforms on and help Sovereign Hill make some butterscotch lollies. Smell, touch, and roll your own lollies while learning about the sweet treats of the Goldfields. Become a Blacksmith: Join Sovereign Hill’s talented Blacksmiths and try your hand at ken through the basics of blacksmithing and learn about the history of this trade on the Ballarat goldfields. Belt making: Back in the 1800s, everything was made by hand and even the simplest piece of clothing had a story to tell. Go back in time and join Sovereign Hill to craft your own belt using traditional methods at Sovereign Hill’s leather harness workshop. Sat 6 April - Mon 22 April. Checkout our review of Lost Trades School Holiday Program and the latest multi sensory show AURA here.

• Sunny Ridge Farm. There’s nothing quite like the taste of freshly picked strawberries. It’s hard to describe the juiciness and flavour – you definitely won’t get it from any supermarket! And there’s no better day out with the family than hunting through the fields at Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm to find the perfect strawberry. Our review here. Sunny Ridge School will be running two weeks of Holiday Programs. Kids can pick strawberries, decorate them, try some Sunny Ridge ice cream and more. Checkout their website here for more info.

• Zoos Victoria - Dinosaur Are Coming School Holiday Program. Giant beasts that once freely roamed the earth have been brought back from extinction for a limited time only at Zoos Victoria’s three properties: Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary. For 100-days only, from April 6 to July 14, zoo visitors can get up close to life-like, roaring and moving dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes in three very different Zoos Victoria experiences. Free with Zoo admission and look out for Easter events too. Details below. More info here.

  >Step through Melbourne Zoo’s quarantine zone and into Dino Park where you will see dinosaurs come to life. Get up close during this unique walkthrough experience with roving dinosaurs thanks to the creators at Erth Visual & Physical Inc. You might even be lucky enough to watch a Dino Keeper waking a dinosaur from their slumber. It will be an experience like no other.

  >Over at Werribee Open Range Zoo, take a self-guided walk with Dinosaurs along the new River Trail Zoorassic experience. Nine life-size dinosaurs come to life through animatronics and soundscapes. Meet a Dinosaur Ranger and find out what it is like to care for and train this species. Help the team at Werribee Open Range Zoo protect these extraordinary animals, and discover what you can do to help fight the extinction of the Zoo’s 21 priority threatened species. See our review of the Dinosaurs at Werribee Zoo here.

  >In a world-first at Healesville Sanctuary, discover 10 MegaBeasts from Australia’s ancient past in an animatronic spectacular. See Pallimnarchus the crocodile, Procoptodon the kangaroo, Phascolonus the wombat and more – some look eerily familiar to their animal relatives still in existence today.

For more ideas of what to do with the kids in Melbourne, checkout our Website, our Daily Spots List, CBD Spots or Blog.