Looking for school holiday activities to do with the kids? We give you our best picks of things to do in the holidays from each of the Australian states.
The kids have almost made it to the end of the year. Three terms down, one more to go. It doesn’t matter if you’ll be at home with the children, putting them into vacation care, palming them off to other family members. Our list of fun things to do will ensure the kids have a good time these school holidays.
It doesn’t matter if you’ll be at home with the children, putting them into vacation care, palming them off to other family members. Our list of fun things to do will ensure the kids have a good time these school holidays.
Relevant: School holiday activities: Tips for parents to keep sane
Here are some of the best school holiday activities by state.
Queensland | Victoria | New South Wales | Australian Capital Territory | Western Australia | Northern Territory | South Australia | Tasmania
Queensland things to do in the holidays
Spring is the great time for some school holiday fun with the kids. There’s plenty of cheap school holiday activities but if you’re looking for something a little bit more special:
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
Location: Toowoomba
Cost: free and paid events
Four breathtaking weekends of flowers, flavours and sounds, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers takes over the Southern Queensland city of Toowoomba in the most beautiful of ways each Spring with a program of unique events and experiences including award-winning parks, stunning private gardens, a street parade bursting with floral colour, internationally acclaimed musical acts, some of the best food and wine to be found in Queensland and a multitude of cultural and natural adventures.
Bluey’s World
Location: Brisbane
Cost: from $49.90
Step into Bluey’s World and join Bluey and Bingo on a fun-filled adventure to find Bingo’s favourite toy: Floppy! Explore the living room, girls’ bedroom, playroom, backyard and more. Play your way through fan-favourite games, including Musical Statues, The Floor is Lava, Copycat and Keepy Uppy.
Seussical Jr The Musical
Location: Ipswich
Cost: $28.00
Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat and all of your favourite Dr Seuss characters spring to life onstage in Seussical JR, a fantastical musical extravaganza from Tony-winners, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.
Victoria school holiday ideas
You could spend some quality time with your children exploring the many Melbourne laneways while sipping hot chocolate these spring school holidays. Or you could up the adrenaline with a vigorous game of laser tag. For other things to do in the holidays in Victoria:
Cherryhill Orchards Blossom Festival
Location: Yarra Valley
Cost: kids free on weekdays
This popular annual event offers picture-perfect photo opportunities and a festive atmosphere, creating an idyllic day out in the countryside for family and friends.
LEGO® Star Wars: The exhibition
Location: Melbourne
Cost: from $19.00
Experience the galaxy like never before at the world premiere of LEGO® Star Wars: The Exhibition. Crafted with over 8 million LEGO bricks by renowned LEGO® Certified Professional (LCP), Ryan “Brickman” McNaught and his team, this immersive adventure will take you on a journey through a galaxy far, far away.
Whalebone @ Berninneit
Location: Phillip Island
Cost: $18.00
Physical reality turns virtual and back in this family show about what makes us humans humans, the stories we tell and artificial intelligence knocking at the door. Whalebone stands apart as a wonderful theatrical experience for the whole family.
New South Wales school holiday activities 2025
There’s plenty happening in Sydney and surrounds to ensure plenty of school holiday fun. Spend the day exploring the Sydney harbour area for a cheap school holiday idea. There’s plenty to see around the Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour and the Rocks without breaking the bank.
Other things to do include:
Hello Koalas Festival
Location: Port Macquarie
Cost: free
The world’s first festival celebrating Australia’s best-loved animal, the koala, now in its eighth year. Centred around a four-day treasure hunt, the festival has been inspired by the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail which encompasses 90+ fibreglass one-metre-high koala sculptures, handpainted by local artists, located in 72 locations on the Mid-North Coast.
Monster Jump
Location: Sydney
Cost: from $35
This colossal mobile inflatable obstacle course spans a jaw-dropping 280 metres of non-stop fun and thrills. With over 30 unique obstacle adventures, Monster Jump promises an unforgettable experience for everyone—from kids to adults.
Tuff Nutterz
Location: various NSW locations
Cost: from $25
Tuff Nutterz is a fantastic family-friendly event that promises a day filled with fun and excitement for everyone. The event features Australia’s biggest inflatable obstacle course (300m long) and other inflatable games, which are sure to provide an exhilarating experience for both kids and adults alike.
Things to do in the holidays: ACT 2025
The Australian Capital Territory is the perfect spot for some school holiday fun with the kids. If you’re in Sydney, you could even pop in for a long weekend.
Questacon Presents: ZAP! CLANK! POW!
Location: Canberra
Cost: $73.40 for a family of five
Get hands-on with electricity, simple machines and fundamental forces as you play with pulleys, marvel at magnetic slime and craft flying contraptions in this interactive exhibition.
Floriade
Location: Canberra
Cost: various
Get ready to step into a world of wonder as Floriade celebrates its 38th year with the theme Science and Nature, transforming Canberra’s Commonwealth Park into a dynamic space of discovery and learning, all set amongst one million beautiful blooms.
Museum of Australian Democracy: PlayUP
Location: Parkes, Canberra
Cost: free
PlayUP is the Museum of Australian Democracy’s imaginative family space with activities to educate, excite and challenge young minds. With listening pods and a roleplay Kindness Café, a fuzzy felt wall and facilitated craft activities, PlayUP has a range of exciting and immersive experiences that flip the traditional idea of museums completely on its head.
Western Australia 2025 school holiday ideas
Whether it’s a visit to the local library or a family weekend away, there are plenty of things to do in the holidays in Western Australia.
Dinos Alive: The immersive experience
Location: Perth
Cost: from $19.90
With the help of cutting-edge technologies, scenic installations and realistic reconstructions, the experience invites the audience to walk among the creatures that inhabited our planet millions of years ago and embark on an extraordinary journey, not only visual but emotional, among striking prehistoric scenarios.
Visit Rottnest Island
Location: Rottnest Island
Cost: Varies
Sitting just offshore from Perth, the entire family will love visiting this protected nature reserve, home to the adorable quokka. You can travel to the island by air or water (90 minutes from Perth) and while you could technically make a day trip out of it, why would you with so many things on offer in Western Australia for young kids and old?
Giants of Mandurah
Location: Mandurah
Cost: free
Arguably one of his most ambitious projects to date, the “Giants of Mandurah” is an outdoor exhibition and game of self-discovery that celebrates and champions the protection of the Peel region’s extraordinary natural environment.
Northern Territory school holiday activities
There’s much to do this school holiday in the Northern Territory. With the temperatures still warm, school holiday fun up north will likely involve being in the water (unless there are crocs).
Wave Lagoon
Location: Darwin
Cost: Free
There’s something about the water that practically all kids love. We also approve of the chance to tire the kids out before bedtime. Hanging out at Wave Lagoon is probably one of the best free school holiday activities to do in Darwin. This safe wave and swimming lagoon rolls out different wave patterns and includes a shallow water play area for younger children. Just make sure you know all about water safety for kids.
Fish feeding at Aquascene
Location: Darwin
Cost: $43 for a family pass
Kids can choose to feed the fish from the comfort of the concrete stairs of the viewing platform or wade into the water and have them tickle their feet at this wonderful sanctuary.
Things do to in the holidays in South Australia
There’s plenty on offer over the Adelaide school holidays. The hardest part may be choosing what to do.
Nature Festival
Location: Adelaide
Cost: various
Returning for their sixth year, over 400 nature-inspired events are blooming all across South Australia. They have art, adventure, music, food, wellbeing, and Aboriginal culture, including many free and family-friendly events.
Tree Climb
Location: Adelaide
Cost: from $32
Australia’s first inner-city aerial adventure park built within the natural environment of the Adelaide City Park Lands. There are over 70 obstacles in eight courses to choose from, and this place is open rain, hail or shine. The area also has public BMX bike tracks, a playground, basketball and netball courts, sporting fields, plus an athletics track for your kids to burn off even more energy.
Hahndorf Farm Barn
Location: Hahndorf
Cost: from $48 for a family pass
The Hahndorf Farm Barn is a unique blend of a children’s farmyard and wildlife park. Kids can hold, touch and feed most of their animals, on top of the many other activities they have available that will help them learn more about how a farm works.
Tasmania holiday ideas 2025
Coming up with things to do in the holidays can be a challenge, but here are some of the best things to do in Tasmania with the kids.
Spellbound magic and illusion show
Location: touring Tasmania
Cost: from $49.90
Witness levitations, impossible vanishes, mentalism and a death-defying escape as illusionist Anthony Street pushes the boundaries of reality and distorts your senses. With magic and thrills suitable for all ages, this family-friendly show will leave you wondering: Will you dare to believe your eyes?
Sheffield Steam Train Rides
Location: Sheffield
Cost: from $4
The Redwater Creek Steam and Heritage Society offer a heritage rail experience through the regular operation of a century-old Krauss locomotive. A miniature train and a number of different model gauge trains are also open.
Fascinating Science
Location: Launceston
Cost: free
Questacon’s travelling exhibition Fascinating Science explores everyday scientific principles and problem solving puzzles. Discover interactive experiences to learn about logic, balance, fluids, illusions and mathematical puzzles, exploring three zones in the exhibition.
Unsure when the next school holidays are? Check out our calendar.
