Winter school holiday survival guide
With the winter holidays around the corner, it's time to start thinking about how you'll keep the kids busy until they head back to school. We've done some research for you, providing a few ideas across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
New South Wales
Sydney Cooking School: If your child is an aspiring culinary whiz, a cooking class might be right up their alley! Sydney Cooking School is located in Neutral Bay and runs school holiday programs catering for kids aged six all the way through to 18.
When: Each school holiday period
Trees Adventure: For those who love adventure, Trees Adventure (with locations in North Nowra and Yarramundi) features exciting and challenging courses high up in the tree canopy that will have the whole family swinging, leaping, climbing and flying through the forest. Expect flying foxes, cargo nets, rope bridges and even an airborne skateboard. Bookings are essential and can be made online. Kids must be aged four or over.
When: All year
Parramatta Winterlight: Get ready to master new ice skating tricks at Parramatta's Winterlight festival, held at Price Alfred Square from 10 am til late every day. Tickets can be purchased online and there are plenty of activities on offer for children, as well as an assortment of food outlets serving up everyone's favourite winter treats.
When: 25 June to 12 July
Queensland
Australia Zoo Khaki Discovery: Australia Zoo's Khaki Discovery program caters for ages seven to 10, providing hands-on experience with wildlife and what it's like be a ˜Zoo Keeper for a Day'. Kids get the chance to meet animals, chat to zoo keepers and help with meal time, then catch all the action of the Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors show.
When: Currently taking bookings between 13 June and 9 October
QAGOMA Children's Arts Centre: The children's centre at Brisbane's Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) offers a range of free activities and exhibitions for kids, including Art on the Wild Side an exhibition that gives kids the chance to discover the wonderful world of animals. Art on the Wild Side runs from 23 May to 11 October 2015.
When: Open all year
Brisbane Arts Theatre: Brisbane Arts Theatre has a busy calendar of children's shows in 2015, with a musical rendition of Sleeping Beauty running over the holiday period. Scheduled later in the year are Jack and the Beanstalk and James and the Giant Peach.
When: 6 June to 15 August
Victoria
Melbourne Zoo Kids Go Wild: Melbourne Zoo's Kids Go Wild program runs every school holiday period, providing kids aged five to 12 with an action-packed day allowing them to check out secret areas of the zoo, meet the animals up close, chat with zoo keepers, and keep busy with games and craft.
When: Each school holiday period
Music Theatre Boot Camp: Based at Brunswick School of Dance in Northcote, Music Theatre Boot Camp is a fun and inclusive school holiday program focused on musical theatre. It runs for five days and caters to primary school students interested in music, drama, dance and general performance.
When: 22 to 26 June, 29 June to 3 July, and 6 to 10 July
Winterlude Ballarat Winter Festival: Ballarat's Winterlude provides a range of fun winter activities for young and old. Get ready to lace up your skates, try out tobogganing, attempt a winter cooking class and explore the cultural wonders of Ballarat.
When: 27 June to 2 August
National
Disney on Ice: For kids of all ages, the Disney on Ice Dare to Dream show celebrates 75 years of Disney Princess stories, including Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White and Tiana from The Princess and the Frog.
When: Newcastle ”19 June to 21 June; Brisbane 27 June to 29 June; Melbourne 2 July to 6 July; Sydney 8 July to 12 July. The show will also visit Adelaide and Perth.
Farm stays: For those living in the city, a farm stay is an ideal winter getaway. Farm stays provide accommodation on a working farm, giving the kids some insight into what it's like to live in a regional area and how farms operate. You can find information about farm stays through your state or territory's tourism body website or via accommodation services such as Airbnb.
Head to the snow: If you need some time away from the city (or are lucky enough to live in one of the warmer states), consider taking a trip to the snowfields. Try Hotham, Falls Creek and Mount Buller in Victoria, or Thredbo, Charlotte Pass and Perisher Blue in New South Wales.
Further information
Don't forget to see what's on offer at your child's school or through the local council. You may also find useful information in the following articles:
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