sydney - school holidays spots

Sydney Spring School Holidays Edition - Saturday 28th Sept to Sunday 13th Oct 2019

activities

• Forestway Shopping Centre. Enjoy a Pirates & Mermaids session on Friday 27th September 9.30am to 11am before the holidays. (Held the last Friday of every month and always with a different theme). More info here. BRICKS 4 KIDZ will be coming to help keep the kids entertained these school holidays for some AWESOME fun with LEGO®. From cool Ninjas and your favourite Superheroes, to A Galaxy Far Away, Mining & Crafting, and Dinosaurs. Or dive into tons of CREATIVE FREE PLAY. Super fun activities for kids of all ages! Monday 30th Sep to Fri 4th Oct 11am to 2pm daily. More info here.

• Glenrose Shopping Shopping Centre. Bring your kids down to Glenrose Village Shopping Centre for some school holidays fun! They will be offering reptiles, face-painting and balloon art on four special days in October, so pencil in those dates: 1st, 3rd, 8th and 10th. FREE. Dates & Times Vary. More info here.

• Harbord Diggers. Harbord Diggers is hosting regular school holiday activities this Spring to keep the little ones entertained. Events include Kids Disco, Bricks for Kidz, a Harry Potter Potions Workshop, a Jack Sharp Magic Show, Kids Cinema, Face Painting and Kindifarm. Dates & Times Vary and prices apply. More info & bookings here. Our review of the venue here.

• LEGO® Play Her Way. Ahead of International Day of the Girl (11th October), LEGO® is hosting Play Her Way, an event to inspire the next generation of girls! Taking place over two days these holidays on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd October at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney, Play Her Way is a fun celebration of imagination and creativity to remind girls that they can now, more than ever, play by their own rules and be whatever they want. LEGO will bring to life the worlds of sport, science, art & design, entertainment and adventure through a colourful variety of interactive experiences, that encourage girls to let their imaginations run wild and explore all of the things they love. Whether she wants to be an astronaut, design robots or fashion, a sports or TV star, an archaeologist or a vet, this event will give girls the chance to be immersed into different worlds and discover what it’s like to Play Her Way with their dream futures. FREE. More info & bookings here.

• Park House Mona Vale. Join the Park House these school holidays for a fabulous calendar line up of activities to keep all the kids entertained! They will have arts and crafts, cooking lessons, the Taronga Zoo Mobile and more. All activities are FREE (apart from mini chefs cooking classes). Registrations for all school holiday sessions are essential to avoid disappointment. Dates & Times Vary. More info & bookings here.

• Sandbucket Play Centre and Café - Head to the Sandbucket Play Centre and Café for some fun these holidays. This great indoor playground is perfect for kids 0 to 12 years and with a café outside it’s perfect for a catchup with friends and some food & drinks after play. Dates, Times and Prices vary. Our review here.

• St Ives Village Shopping Centre. St Ives Village will keep the kids entertained these holidays with Robokids Robotics Workshops, a Marian Street Theatre performances, Cake Decorating Workshops and Plaster Fun House. Dates & Times Vary and prices apply. More info & bookings here.

• The Collaroy. The Collaroy has all the activities ready to go for you and the kids these school holidays. Packed full of entertainment - from Kids Yoga, to reptile man and plenty more. More info here.

• The Newport. The Newport has all the activities ready to go for you and the kids these school holidays. Packed full of entertainment - from kids cooking classes, to reptile fun and all the way over to movie showings by the sea. More info here.

• Wannabees Frenchs Forest & Hornsby Indoor Centres. Let the kids have fun these holidays at Wannabees Frenchs Forest’s 1100 sqm building which has a beauty salon, grocery store, vet office, café & restaurant, post office, bank, doctor’s office, school, library, jail & police station, maternity ward, radio & tv studios, fashion shop and a construction site and more! We loved our visits. Read our Frenchs Forest review here. We also checked out and loved the newer Wannabees Hornsby centre which is jam packed with many rooms to explore like a supermarket, vet, grocery shop, radio and news room, hairdresser, fire station, a dance floor, the list goes on! Dates, Times and Prices Vary. Read our Hornsby review here.

• Warriewood Square. Warriewood Square has the goods these holidays with Slime Making and Seedling Planting Workshops in week 1 and Clown Magician Shows and Circus Workshops in week 2. FREE. Dates & Times Vary. More info here.

• Warringah Mall. These holidays enjoy a bunch of cool activities at the Warringah Mall. Calling all Witches, Wizards and Muggles, appear to disappear with The Cloak of Invisibility. Come and try the Invisibility Cloak to see the magical illusion unfold before your own eyes. More info here. Kids will enjoy learning the fundamentals of sushi making with the experienced sushi chefs from Sushi Hub. More info here. Join the hunt to uncover the hidden spell! Many full moons ago, a great wizard crafted a magic spell to keep his cauldron of treasure safe. To keep the magical spell a secret, the wizard decided to hide parts of it on many different objects scattered throughout Warringah Mall hoping the spell would never be revealed. More info here.

art galleries & libraries

• Art Gallery of NSW - School Holiday Programs. Enjoy various free art workshops like Fo Fum Fiesta: Performance workshop with Lauren Brincat, Fo Fum Fiesta: Story time, School Holiday Workshops, Weaving Workshops, Drop In & Play sessions, Kids Tours and lots more. Various dates & times, free and no bookings required at Entrance Court. More info here.

• MCA - School Holidays. These school holidays, become a film star! Strike a pose in front of a green screen and explore your own imaginary landscape. See the world in new ways through the eyes of Australian artist Shaun Gladwell at his solo exhibition Pacific Undertow. Experience BMX, surfing, skate and extreme sport culture through works that challenge our perception of the way we move in the world.1st to 5th October 2019 11am to 3pm. Various dates, times and prices vary. More info here.

events

• Marian Street Theatre. Marian Street Theatre for Young People are proud to present a one of the world’s best-loved stories THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE from Saturday 28th September to Saturday 12th October. This adaptation has been created for the stage in the company’s unique, warm-hearted style, and is brought to life by the company of young artists at Marian St Theatre for Young People. Join four ordinary children as they journey into the magical realm of Narnia. Have hot buttered toast, fairy cakes and marshmallows with Mr Tumnus, find new friends with the brave Mr and Mrs Beaver and see what magic lies behind the wardrobe doors. But Narnia is under the spell of the White Witch so the children join forces with the great lion Aslan to free the frozen land and all its creatures. In doing so they discover that good does triumph over evil and that Love is the deepest magic of all. Times, dates and prices vary. More info here.

• Play World Australia. Play World Australia is back this October after an epic show last year! Presented by Nintendo, this 2 day event creates the most unique atmosphere for our littlest generation and allows them to play in a dynamic, fun and educational environment that is bound to get everyone excited! Play World will light up Sydney’s ICC this October school holidays where, kids aged 4 to 12, can let their creativity and imagination run free. Get ready to play with the latest games from Nintendo, go on a musical adventure with The Beanies, laugh until your bellies hurt with The Listies, take part in drumming workshops and explore the world where kids’ imagination is the only limit. With so much to explore from the minute you walk in, this high energy atmosphere entices you to the interactive and colourful exhibits inviting kids to laugh, play and dance all weekend long. Play World Australia gives kids the opportunity to learn and educate themselves on some crazy skills; from intricate coding with the experts from Code Camp to creating beautiful flower crowns with Sydney Flower School. October 5th to 6th 2019. 9am - 5pm Saturday & Sunday. Kids tickets 4 - 12 Years $19.95, General Admission: 13+ Years $24.96 and Tiny Tots: 0 - 3 Years go FREE. Our review of Play World Australia 2018 can be viewed here. More info here.

• Riverside’s Spot On Children’s Festival Parramatta. Riverside Theatres is proud to present the eighth annual Spot On Children’s Festival, delivering some of the best children’s entertainment from across the nation and the world over five jam-packed days from 1st to 5th October. This year’s program features a fantastic line-up of theatre, musical performances, workshops, film and free activities, guaranteed to keep children of all ages entertained these spring school holidays. The Festival encourages children to explore the world of the arts, delve into stories of magical creatures and places near and far, and experience the power of live performance and dynamic cinema. Riverside Theatres’ Program Coordinator Amy Matthews says, “With two international acts, musical delights, spooky horror and hilarious comedy from around Australia and all the fun free stuff that makes Spot On sparkle, we can’t wait to bring our own small people to Riverside this school holidays!” Shows include Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts show and workshops, Trash Test Dummies show, much-loved films including The Lion King, Ghostbusters, A Dog’s Journey, and so much more! Dates, Children’s Ages and Prices all vary. Full program online via More info here.

• Sydney Opera House - Erth's Dinosaur Zoo. Adventure back in time, and get up close and personal with an amazing array of prehistoric creatures, brought vividly to life through the art of puppetry. This widely acclaimed show is the perfect combo of daring, entertainment, education, and all round fun for the whole family. 28 Sep - 12 Oct. More info & bookings here.

• Sydney Opera House - Discover Mozart’s timeless music – from ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ to his great orchestral pieces. Renowned Australian pianist Simon Tedeschi assumes the persona of the musical wunderkind himself, alongside his wife and muse, Constanze and a string quintet in all its glory, in this fun and magical production set to inspire a love of music for ages 2 – 8. 4 - 13 Oct. More info & bookings here.

• Sydney Opera House - Creative Play also returns to the Western Foyers as a free, hands-on and interactive installation to let children bring their wildest imaginations to life. Designed to encourage a borderless and exploratory approach to creativity and art, Creative Play takes on a new form every school holidays. Discover more information about Creative Play at the Opera House here. 

• Sydney Opera House - Junior Adventure. Uncover mysterious secrets and unusual facts with this jam-packed journey through the Sydney Opera House. The Junior Adventure Tour is filled with interactive activities and games for the whole family: explore with our expert guides, and inspire your inner performer to become a Sydney Opera House star. Only during school holidays. Adult $32 and Child $22 for kids 5 to 15. Children under 5 are free. 29th Sep 8th Oct. More info here.

gardens, parks and playgrounds

• Centennial Parklands - Wild Play Garden. The gorgeous and popular Wild Play Garden has reopened for Spring. Checkout our review, tips & tricks on the blog.

• Centennial Parklands - School Holiday Programs - Kids can take part in a range of great activities like Pizza Party in the Bush, Taste of Bush School, Kids vs Wild, Nature & Art - Eco Art for Kids, Bush Rangers, Insects ParkScience and more. Ages, dates and prices vary. More info here.

• Gore Hill Park Artarmon. Checkout this great nature playground these Spring holidays. Our review here.

• Royal Botanic Garden - Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail. The Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail is coming to Sydney! Bring the whole family and enjoy the bespoke trail curated by Arts and Health Australia Pty Ltd (AHA) and hosted by the Garden. The trail encompasses over 20 one-metre high koala sculptures, hand-painted by Australian artists. Come and say Hello to the Hello Koalas this Spring. On from 4 October - 30 November 2019. Free. More info here.

• Royal Botanic Garden - School Holiday Programs - Choose from a range of sessions from Aboriginal Sport Champions, Fairy Adventures, Garden Grubs, Garden Night-Life for families and Herbarium On Stage. Ages and prices vary. More info here.

• Royal Botanic Garden Sydney - Plants with Bite. Be impressed by the NEW Plants with Bite green wall composed of 18,000+ plants. Carnivorous Plants are under threat of extinction and it has been said that among the 800 known species, 56 percent of them are under threat from habit loss, poaching and weeds. Free entry. Read our review here.

museums

• Australian Museum - Closed for renovations until mid 2020.

• Australian Reptile Park. Head to the Australian Reptile Park for a fun day in Somersby. This fun reptile park has a number of great alligators, crocodiles, Australian native animals, birds, mammals and more. Every holiday, the park throws has various activities, feeding times, talks etc so be sure to checkout their visit to make those special activities on time. This Spring it’s time to GET WILD and GET ACTIVE at The Australian Reptile Park with an action packed ADVENTURE ZONE with hands on, fun activities including an inflatable obstacle course, bungee trampolines and a jumping castle to make memories that will last a lifetime! More info on Spring Holiday Fun here. Our review here.

• Elizabeth Farm - Kids in the Garden. Come for a tasting tour of Elizabeth Farm these spring school holidays. Ages 5 to 12 yrs. Various dates, times and prices apply. More info here.

• Justice & Police Museum - The Justice & Police Museum. A great place for primary school children, teenagers and adults to read up on, understand and appreciate the rich history of the buildings and underworld Sydney. The Museum is only open weekends and the Mock Trial is only on once a day on Saturday and Sunday so make sure you attend during those times. Kids can play dress ups and follow a little trail to find their missing friend provided at reception. Read our review here.

• May Gibbs Nutcote. Visit the beautiful house and gardens of May Gibbs in Sydney's Neutral Bay these holidays. Nutcote is now a house museum surrounded by an English garden and Australian garden which is opened to the public all year round and run by volunteers and one of our favourite places to visit. Our review of this beautiful estate here.

• Museums Discovery Centre. Explore the Museums Discovery Centre and expect to find millions of treasures, with hundreds on display, and thousands more waiting to be discovered through booked tours of the deep collection stores. Our review of the centre here.

• Powerhouse Museum - Space Holidays. Enjoy space themed school holiday workshops and activities at the Powerhouse Museum these holidays. Activities include Space Odyssey Tinkertoreum, the Apollo 11 Exhibition, Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2019, Cardboard Engineer (Ages 8-10), Sydney Observatory Day and Night Tours, coding, stop motion, gaming and so much more! Various Dates, Times and Prices Apply. More info & bookings here.

• Rose Seidler House - Visit. Designed by Harry Seidler for his parents Rose and Max and completed in 1950, this house was the most talked about house in Sydney at the time and you can see why. We loved visiting this stunning house and furnishings, find out why. Our review here.

• Rouse Hill House & Farm - Rouse Hill House & Farm in LEGO® Bricks exhibition. Explore models of the iconic Rouse Hill House, outbuildings, stable and barns constructed from LEGO® bricks with breathtaking architectural detail and accuracy by the Southern Hemisphere’s only LEGO®-certified professional, Australia’s Ryan McNaught. Kids can get hands-on with over 200,000 loose LEGO® bricks too. Adult $12, Concession $8, Family $38, Member free. Wednesday to Sunday. Our review here.

• Rouse Hill House & Farm - Boomerang Art & Dance. Come to Rouse Hill House & Farm to meet the staff from Muru Mittigar. Then paint a boomerang and your face to experience the ancient art of dance and storytelling in our beautiful bush setting. Various dates, times and prices apply. More info here.

• Rouse Hill House & Farm - Family Tours. Head to the farm these holidays and find out about the fascinating history of Rouse Hill House & Farm! Take a farmyard tour to explore the stables and meet the chooks, ‘Pudding’ the cow, and our horses Larry and Ziggy. Sat 28 Sept – Sun 13 Oct 2019. Included in museum entry. Daily in the school holidays. There are also family tours at Vaucluse House, Elizabeth Farm, Elizabeth Bay House, Meroogal and Rose Seidler House. More info here.

• Sydney Bus Museum. Hop onboard a Vintage Double Decker Bus from the QVB to the Sydney Bus Museum with the kids these holidays for a fun day out! The kids will love it, we sure did! Open the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month so Sunday 21st April will be the next opening however please check their website for more to make sure. Our review here.

• Sydney Live Steam Locomotive Society. Visit the Sydney Live Steam Locomotive Society and let the kids enjoy the thrill of miniature train rides. The society is open on the THIRD Saturday afternoon of each month from 1.30 pm to around 4.30 pm. $2 per ride plus entry fee of $4 for adults and $2 for children. We loved it! Our review here.

• Vaucluse House - Kids in the Garden. Explore the pleasure and vegetable gardens and taste local honey. Then make a scrumptious traditional dessert and iced tea to enjoy in the wonderful surroundings of Vaucluse House. Ages 5 to 12 yrs. Various dates, times and prices apply. More info here.

programs

• Aussie Gems - School holiday program. Aussie Gems Fitness Academy are running their School Holiday Program for ages 5 and up these Spring holidays. Little Miss loves their holiday program, she comes home exhausted - ha! Each day will include Ninja, Parkour, Nerf Battles, Basketball, Gymnastics and a special craft activity to take home like Slime, Tye Dye Bags, Dream Catcher, Cookie Baking and more. Be quick as they book out fast! Dates, Times and Prices Vary. More info here.

• Bricks 4 Kidz - School holiday Programs. Choose from a range of great school holiday workshops. Kids can have fun with friends creating cool BRICKS 4 KIDZ® models with LEGO® Technic, building 3D characters, or making craft projects and other activities that centre around our SUPER FUN themes. (Shhh… they’re also educational, but the kids will never know!). Or sign them up to one of their robotics workshops to create and learn to program their own ‘bot! Ages and Prices vary. More info here.

• Fizzics Education. Choose from a range of school holiday programs Science Shows and Workshops across Sydney with Fizzics Education. They will be running programs at ANSTO (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation), Centennial Parklands, The Australian Botanic Garden, Museums of Discovery Centre and Sydney Olympic Park. Dates, locations and prices vary. More info here.

• MyFirstGym Frenchs Forest - School Holiday Camp. This new centre which opened in late July, will let each child go on their own MyFirstGym Development Journey. The journey is split in three age specific groups - School Ready, Sports Ready and Performance Ready. School Ready encourages Foundational Movement Skills, Sports Ready has Foundational Sporting Skills and Performance Ready has Fun, Group Interval Training. MyFirstGym will be running selected school holiday workshops these Spring holidays for 3 days week 1 and 3 days week 2 for kids aged 5 to 13 years. Activities include Ninja Warrior, Fit Club, Gymnastics and Cheer. More info re school holidays here. Our review of the centre and their Dingo Pups class here.

• Northern Beaches Council - NB Libraries. If you’re looking for things for the kids to do during the school holidays, think of the library. Every school holidays, we put on fun and often free activities for school aged children. Activities include aVery Hungry Caterpillar Scavenger Hunt, an Eco Craft with Reverse Garbage at Mona Vale Library, Harry Potter Potions Workshops at Warringah Mall Library, Harry Potter Trivia at Warringah Mall Library, Seed Bomb Workshop at Manly Library and Hama Bead Craft at Dee Why Library. Places fill up fast so keep an eye on the calendar and book as early as possible.Dates, Times and Prices Vary. More info here.

zoos - aquariums - farms and more!

• Illawara Fly. ‘The Gruffalo’ at Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures. These school holidays, Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the classic children’s book The Gruffalo, by encouraging families to embark on the Gruffalo Spotters Trail! Visitors of all ages can explore and search for The Gruffalo and other characters from the book using the Spotters Activity Trail and exciting NEW Augmented Reality App! Guests will be able to immerse themselves in our ‘deep dark woods’ and find their favourite characters from the book using the free interactive App and the Spotters Activity book, exclusive to Illawarra Fly. Included in price admission. September 21st to October 20th. More info here.

• JUMPd Brookvale. Let the kids burn off all their energy at JUMPd Brookvale these holidays. These guys have three large trampoline areas and a ninja xtreme course. The kids will love it, we did! Read our review here.

• Madame Tussauds. Calling all future Superheroes! These school holidays, join the Superhero Camp at Madame Tussauds Sydney and celebrate the arrival of Ray Fisher as CYBORG – the brand new wax figure joining the Justice League at the Sydney attraction. To earn their hero status, budding superheroes will be assigned to complete a range of challenges alongside their favourite superheroes! Mini heroes can unleash their inner powers to graduate from the Madame Tussauds Sydney Superhero Camp and join a range of free activities including UV face-painting and designing their own personalised superhero cape! Included in price admission. September 28th to October 13th. More info here.

• Nubo Chatswood and Alexandria. Kids can have lots of fun at Nubo Chatswood Chase and Nubo Alexandria. Nubo Alexandria the original is a great indoor playground with areas for kids 4+ and younger kids. Read our review here. Nubo Chatswood Chase is a smaller version of the Nubo Alexandria which offers great workshops and a calm play area for young children. Read our review here.

• Pittwater Golf Centre. Have an awesome time playing Mini Golf with family and/or friends at the Pittwater Golf Centre. It’s always a favourite family activity of ours and the kids love it. Our review here.

• Planet Mino. Let the kids burn off all their energy at the latest indoor playground which covers two levels of full play in Chatswood. Our review here.

• Sea Life Sydney Aquarium and Wild Life Sydney Zoo. These school holidays, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and Wild Life Sydney Zoo are celebrating the release of THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2 by encouraging kids to take flight with Bomb, Red, Chuck and friends and join ‘Bird Island Academy!’ Guests will learn the quirky features of Bird Island’s chirpy residents and complete unique challenges on their journey through the aquarium. Then explore the frenemies of the sea just like Red and Leonard in THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2, race Bomb in the rock pool challenge and meet the new character, Silver, in her science classroom! Included in price admission. September 28th to October 13th. More info here.

• Sea Life Sydney Aquarium - Day and Night on the Reef. Checkout the impressive $5 million NEW interactive exhibit Day and Night on the Reef developed by a team of over 100 people. This great exhibit is the largest Great Barrier Reef display in the world with interactive experiences which help visitors appreciate the Reef. Kids will love this new exhibition, lots to see experience and checkout and interact with. Read our review here. Checkout the Penguin Expedition, hop on a boat and experience this cute expedition while you’re there. Read our review here.

• Taronga Zoo - Zoo Adventures. Taronga’s Wild Squad Zoo Adventurers is a fun, educational holiday program for children aged between five to 10 years of age, where they are taken on an exciting zoo journey, learning about animals and the environments they live in. Ages 5 to 10 years. Prices vary. More info here.

For more ideas on what to do with the kids in Sydney, head to our blog, our daily spots list or pools & beaches or playgrounds list. And for a full list of parents rooms around Sydney, head to our parents room page.
Se Life Sydney Aquarium.