sydney - school holidays spots

Sydney Autumn School Holidays Edition - Saturday13th April to Sunday 28th April 2019

Photo at Australian Reptile Park - credit: @busycitykids

Photo at Australian Reptile Park - credit: @busycitykids

art galleries & libraries

attractions & events

  • Pixar Putt. Since making its worldwide debut in Melbourne on 4 January 2019, over 25,000 guests have enjoyed a round of Pixar Putt, with Sydneysiders and visitors now able to enjoy their very own round when Pixar Putt arrives at Darling Harbour just in time for the school holidays from Saturday 6th April 2019 to Friday 19th April 2019. Inspired by the beloved stories, characters and icons from some of Disney-Pixar’s most iconic films including Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E, Inside Outand Coco, Pixar Putt is anticipated to take guests to infinity… and beyond! Our review from Pixar Putt in Melbourne here. Dates & times, Recommended Age and Prices Vary. Ticket Prices: 18 holes – $39.90 Adult, $29.90 Child, $119.60 Family (2A/2C or 1A/3C) or 9 holes – $24.90 Adult, $19.90 Child, $79.50 Family (2A/2C or 1A/3C). More info here.

  • Sydney Easter Show. 12th to 23rd April 2019. The Sydney Royal Easter Show is Australia’s largest annual event, attracting close to 900,000 people each year. It is a celebration of Australian culture, from our rural traditions to our modern day lifestyles, providing unique experiences for everyone. Prices vary. More info here.

  • Sydney Opera House - Shows. This April, the Sydney Opera House will present a wide range of stories for the whole family to explore. Great adventures await from the streets of our bustling big cities, the wilds of the Australian bush and from the mysterious depths of our oceans. Basketball, bike riding and breakdancing will be spun into the jaw-dropping urban circus show 360 ALLSTARS while beloved picture books Possum Magic and There’s a Sea in My Bedroom (in May) are brought to life in charming page-to-stage adaptions. Creative Play takes yet another new form these April school holidays as Lego literally comes to life. Performers dressed head to toe in Lego suits will roam the Western Foyers as living models. Lilliputian Lego builders will be able to create a living Lego masterpiece by sculpting straight onto the human form. Show dates & times, recommended age and prices vary. More info 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

  • Centennial Parklands - School Holiday Programs - From lego robotics, Wild Play Bush School, Pizza Party in the bush, Wild Play kids vs wild, Wild Play Bush Rangers, CSI Forensics with Fizzics, Gross and Gory, chemical concoctions, and more. Ages, dates and prices vary. More info here.

  • Royal Botanic Garden - School Holiday Programs - Choose from a range of sessions from Create and Play!, Kids Veggie Patch, Indigenous Olympics, City Slicker Critters, Botanic Beats - Garden Disco and Garden Grubs. 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 - Whales | Tohorā. Enjoy the Whales | Tohorā exhibition and explore the diversity, biology and how whales have adapted and have been treated by humans in their oceans thro.ughout history. Kids will enjoy taking the Whale trail, checking out various species around the world, watch movies about whales, walk into a life size whale heart and enjoy the other interactive spots. Our review here.

  • Australian Museum - School Holiday Programs. Enjoy free drop-in activities, theatre and science workshops, behind-the-scenes tours, craft activities, live shows, film screenings and talks at the Australian Museum this summer. Workshops this autumn include Wild Yoga for Kids, Mini Makers in the Deep Sea, Scientist for a day: Marine Biologist and Claymation Film Workshops. Kids ages, dates and prices vary. Dive into the coolest underwater party with Mini Makers - In the Deep Sea where children and accompanying adults craft bioluminescent sea creatures and rock out, like a seahorse, at the silent disco. Walk, stretch and pose on the wild side at Wild Yoga for Kids with Play School presenter and yoga teacher, Rachael Coopes. Did whales ever walk on land? Do they sleep? Why do whales beach themselves? Mini-marine biologists discover the latest research and meet real marine scientist, Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, to help answer these fascinating questions during the Scientist for a day: Marine Biologist session. More info here. Checkout our top 5 things to do at the Australian Museum while you’re there. Our review here.

  • 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. Our review here.

  • Casula Powerhouse - School Holiday Programs. Holiday KinderCraften 16, 18, and 23 April 2019. 10- 11am 2- 5 years old $10. Come join the creative exploration with your children and become inspired to make a take-home artwork through investigative art play in this creative playgroup. Drawing on a Younger Mind 23 April 2019 11.30-3.30 pm. Ages 10+ $25. Drawing on a Younger Mind allows students to develop their visual thinking. They will be introduced to new perspectives on drawing and get to create innovative artworks to take home. Engage in ideas based on the drawing practice of modern and contemporary artists. Junior Clay School Holiday School 18 and 23 April 2019 6-9 years old $50 for two days. 11.30-3.30pm. Squash it, shape it, roll it, join it, break it, and re-join it and c r e a t e with it! Clay School will give kids the chance to experience this amazing material, learn new skills and apply their imagination to its addictive diversity. Drama Camp 24 April 10- 12 years old $25 11.30-3.30pm. Young drama geeks unite! Students will learn all about the art of performance, culminating in a spectacular performance for family and friends on the Friday. Dance Beats Holiday School| 23 and 24 April. 12.00- 4.00pm 10 – 12 years old $50 for two days. Come join us for our first ever introductory and energetic Dance Beats Holiday School at Casula Powerhouse. Students explore the foundations of hip hop dance, whilst working on their rhythm and co-ordination to develop their skills. More info here.

  • Elizabeth Farm & Vaucluse - Kids in the Kitchen. Make dough to create damper, and learn how to make your own butter using only cream. Quench your thirst by making traditional lemonade with fresh lemons, and join us to explore Elizabeth Farm’s kitchen garden. Then enjoy the garden while you taste the products of your morning’s labour. Various dates & times. Ages 8 to 12 years. More info here.

  • Elizabeth Farm & Vaucluse - Egg-cellent Easter Trail: Try your hand at an “egg-cellent” range of activities inspired by traditional Easter games including egg rolling, egg-and-spoon racing, a chicken hunt (of the non-chocolate variety) and a hot-cross bun ingredient challenge. Get crafty at our Easter-inspired tinkering station and venture through the house and find the mischievous baby chicks. Meet our feathered friends at the Kindi Farm and explore the kitchen garden – an Easter bunny’s paradise. When you have finished your trail, you can claim your chocolate treat. Ages 3+ Sunday 21st April. 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. Take the kids to enjoy a cool school holiday workshop where they can create their own artwork. Ages 5-11 years on the 18th & 26th of April. Check their website for more details. 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.

  • Museum of Sydney - How Cities Work. A must visit exhibition for the summer holidays. Kids will love exploring and creating their own city and interacting with James Gulliver Hancock’s world of his popular How Cities Work book. Every area in the exhibition is interactive, kids will be busy for hours. Perfect for busy city kids! Our review of the exhibition here. Don’t forget to checkout the Lonely Planet Kids videos on level 1 while you’re there for some fun videos & facts as well as the Street Photography exhibition on the same level as the exhibition and wonder around the rest of this great museum. A great morning in sight!

  • Powerhouse Museum - STAR WARS™ Identities is this Summer’s must see exhibition. Whether you’re a Star Wars fan or not, kids and their parents will love this very interactive and family friendly exhibition. Read our review here. Checkout the Wiggles’ exhibition while you’re there too, our review here.

  • Powerhouse Museum - School Holiday Workshops. littleBits Droid Inventor: Ever wanted to build your very own R2-D2 or C-3PO? This workshop will introduce kids to innovative design tool littleBits, with easily snap together working lights, switches and buzzers to build their own droids. Kids will also learn about Artificial Intelligence, and what it really means to be a robot. 24 April 2019 @ 10am–4pm (Ages 7–8). Star Wars Special Effects: Create your own signature sound effect for a special power of your own! In this workshop, recreate classic special effects using creative cloud and other technologies, and learn how certain sounds are crucial to the identities of their favourite characters. 16 April 2019 @ 10am–4pm (Ages 11–13). Cosplay Design Principles: What’s a great character without their own signature item? From lightsabers to personalised emblems, this workshop will guide kids through designing and crafting their own personalized props based on the Star Wars universe. Using thermoplastics and heat guns, participants can take their newly-created designs home with them. 17 April 2019 @ 10am–4pm (Ages 10–12). Cardboard Engineer: Let your inner craft-maker travel to a galaxy far, far away and let their imaginations go wild. Armed with thermoplastics, cutter printers, articulated joints and mechanisms, participants will create their own Star Wars identity from scratch in this exciting workshop. 18 April 2019 @ 10am–4pm (Ages 8–10). Explore the Forces in our world in FREE FOR KIDS daily activities. From air resistance force to muscular force to gravitational force, complete a series of challenges using physics, technology and your ingenuity! Create and prototype a flying creation and test it out in big wind tubes. Move magnets to draw and make your own designs at magnetic tables. Explore tension as you squeeze through our tension walls. 13 – 28 April 2019, (Ages 5 – 12). Prices Vary More info 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 - Search for bush tucker plants with Aboriginal guides from Muru Mittigar around Rouse Hill House and Farm. Learn about traditional bush foods and make a traditional johnnycake. Then sit down to your well-earned tucker! Ages 5 to 12 yrs. Various dates, times and prices. 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 22 Dec 2018 – Sun 27 Jan 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 Living Museums - School Holiday Programs. Take part in The Water Picnic, Jungle Book performances, Convict Kids at Vaucluse and Elizabeth Farm these holidays. Ages, dates and prices vary. More info 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.

programs

  • 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.

  • Northern Beaches Council. Kids on the Coast School Holiday Activities. A Jam-packed Coastal Environment Centre program offers kids the chance to explore the world of science, try their hand at cooking some tasty treats, be a marine biologist for the day and so much more. Ages 6 to 12 years. $61 per day. More info here.

  • Northern Beaches Council. Other events. Checkout various activities taking place these holidays at Northern Beaches libraries, vacation care programs, kids on the coast holiday program, Glen Street Theatre and Manly Art Gallery & Museum. More info here.

shopping centres

  • St Ives shopping Village. FREE – Marian Street Theatre For Young People presents THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF live show Monday 15th – Thursday 18th April. FREE – Kids Art Class Tuesday 23rd April, Wednesday 24th April & Friday 26th April. Sand Art with Sandtastic Monday 15th – Saturday 27th April. More info here.

  • Warringah Mall. Fall down the rabbit hole for a time to remember with whimsical immersive experiences inspired by Louis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Join us for two weeks of entertainment, activities and lots of fun! Enchanted garden maze Monday 15 April to Sunday 28 April. Easter bunny & craft Saturday 20 April. Mad Hatters Tea Party Tuesday 23 April. More info here.

zoos - aquariums - farms and more!

  • Illawara Fly. Fairy Magic returns to Illawarra Fly. It’s time to pull out the fairy dust - Fairy Magic is BACK at Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures these April school holidays for some more magical fairy wonderland fun! Children from all across the land are called to help their new little fairy and elf friends find their treetop homes, with all guests to Illawarra Fly this school holiday receiving a magical fairy card which will set them off on a trail to discover each of the homes and un-jumble the magic word. After completing the 500 metre-long, 25 metre-high Treetop Walk over the rainforest floor, those hoping to be their own flying fairy can upgrade to the the attraction’s high-flying Zipline Tour - a truly exhilarating experience as you soar through the canopy, perfect for any little fairy or elf wanting to gain their wings! Sunday 7th April to Sunday 21st April. Hours: Open daily 9:00am – 5:00pm. Last entry to Treetop Walk is at 4:00pm. Cost: Included in price of admission. Adults from $22.50. Children from $13.50. Zipline Tour (includes Treetop Walk): Adults from $60. Children from $36. More info here.

  • Madame Tussauds Sydney. ‘LIGHTS, CAMERA, BOLLYWOOD!’ at Madame Tussauds Sydney these school holidays! Become a Bollywood superstar at Madame Tussauds Sydney with ‘LIGHTS, CAMERA, BOLLYWOOD!’, the brand new, permanent experience at the iconic Darling Harbour attraction. The all-new interactive cultural experience features the brand-new wax figure of former Bollywood Superstar and Hollywood A-Lister Priyanka Chopra Jonas, as well as Iconic Bollywood Royalty Shah Rukh Khan. Permanent experience from Thursday April 4. Hours: Open daily from 10am-6pm (last entry at 5pm). Cost: Included in price of admission. Adults from $35.00 Children from $24.60. Book online and save. More info here.

  • Sea Life Sydney 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 Monday 1st April to Tuesday 28th 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 fun runs from Monday 1 April to Tuesday 30 April. Meet and greets from Saturday 13th to Sunday 28th April. Included in admission costs. Adults from $36.80 Children from $26.40. Book online and save. More info here.

  • Wildlife Sydney Zoo - Join Peppa Pig on an Outback Adventure at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo. Peppa is also popping in at Wildlife Sydney Zoo to celebrate ‘15 years of muddy puddles’. Peppa Pig activities will run through the whole month with Peppa herself exploring the zoo for daily meet and greets from Sunday 13th – 28th April. Peppa Pig merchandise will be available from the WILD LIFE Sydney gift shop to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the beloved cartoon character. Peppa Pig fun runs from Monday 1 April to Tuesday 30 April. Meet and greets from Saturday 13th to Sunday 28th April. Hours: Open daily from 10am-5pm (last entry at 4pm). Cost: Included in price of admission. Adults from $35.00 Children from $24.60. Book online and save. More info 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. Our review 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.

  • Sydney Tower Eye. Endless Lights at Sydney Tower Eye. These school holidays, Sydney Tower Eye will be an Instagrammer’s paradise with the launch of Endless Lights, a unique, mesmerising light installation offering the ultimate illusions and photo opportunities for guests. Available for a limited time only from March 1, the experience was inspired by the alluring, vast Sydney skyline as seen from the Observation Deck of the Sydney Tower Eye which offers unrivalled views of the harbour city. The light installation features mirrored walls and a custom-built Perspex base which creates the optical illusion of height, making the guest feel like they are floating above an endless floor. From Friday 1 March for a limited time only. Hours: Open 9am-9pm daily (last entry 8pm). Cost: Included in price of admission. More info 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.

  • 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! Read our Hornsby review 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.