Your 2019 Easter school holidays guide
Keeping your children entertained during the school holidays can prove to be quite a task. To help, we've created a guide to what's on around Australia these Easter school holidays that will hopefully appeal to both you and the kids.
Melbourne
Get the whole family involved in this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival by heading down to The (Very) Big Laugh Out at Federation Square and the Melbourne Museum Plaza. Running from April 5-20, this free showcase will leave the kids (and maybe even you) belly laughing. If you’re after more laughs, consider a trip to the Arts Centre to see ‘Billionaire Boy’, which is based on the best-selling book by David Walliams – the play runs over the beginning of the holidays, with an Auslan-interpreted performance scheduled for April 6. The 2019 AFL season is in full swing, and catching a game at the MCG or the newly-named Marvel Stadium is a great way to treat the kids. Check in with the AFL season fixture to see which teams are due to face off over the holidays.
Sydney
The April school holidays can only mean one thing – Easter! Why not take the kids down to this year’s Royal Easter Show (April 12-23) for a range of spectacles, including everything from woodchopping and BMX performances to showbags and oddly-named rides? If you’d prefer something a little less chaotic, you could witness two Aussie icons combining to tell a timeless national story. The Sydney Opera House plays host to the stage adaption of Mem Fox’s beloved book Possum Magic this April, with standard ticket pricing starting at $29 (booking fee not included). Budding builders will love the interactive How Cities Work exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, which allows visitors to traverse every nook and cranny of the city. Whether your kids find themselves ducking into underground sewers or watching the world from the top of a skyscraper, this exhibition will definitely be a $12 child ticket well spent!
Brisbane
Brisbane Youth Week dominates the first half of school holidays, so it is a great opportunity for older kids to try their hand at slam poetry, silk screen printing, botanical beverage making and rock stacking art. Many of those events are free, with some charging a small fee for transport costs. The Brisbane City Council is also running a host of events over the school holidays, meaning your kids can immerse themselves in a variety of art and STEAM-based activities at a range of locations across the city. Aspiring astronauts should check out the NASA – A Human Adventure exhibition at Queensland Museum, with ticket prices starting at $12 for children and $21 for adults.
Perth
WA Maritime Museum has a range of activities running over the school holidays, ranging from LEGO building sessions to a silent disco and a costume-making session inspired by one of Australia’s national treasures, Kylie Minogue. Spookier types will enjoy the Escape Tours at Fremantle Prison, which combine fun and education as children learn about some of the great escapes that define the Prison’s history. You could also take the kids down to Optus Stadium, home of reigning AFL premiers The West Coast Eagles, for a family-friendly tour of its new, state-of-the-art facilities.
Adelaide
Aladdin the Musical hits the South Australian capital these April holidays, and its breath-taking production is sure to win it many rave reviews. This show is suitable for children aged six years and older, so it provides a great occasion for a whole family outing. Speaking of performance, kids and adults alike will be thrilled by the awesome theatrics on display at Circus Rio, which puts a spin on your typical circus experience with FMX bike tricks and samba dancing. If you’d like to take the kids along to something more subdued, David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef Diver VR at South Australian Museum will allow you to immerse yourself in one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. The best part? Tickets costs up to $16, which is a fraction of the price of an actual trip to the Barrier Reef!
Canberra
The whole family can come together on Easter Sunday to solve riddles for the reward of chocolate at the Museum of Australian Democracy’s Great Easter Egg Trail. You can discover heritage sites and museum exhibitions as you navigate through four different trails, with clues to guide you along the way. Questacon is also a great antidote to school holiday boredom, with its range of science-based activities bound to keep the kids occupied. Those after a more relaxed Easter break may prefer to head down to The Pialligo Estate Glasshouse on Easter Saturday for their Family Fun and Food event. A jumping castle, face painting and Easter-themed activities will be appeal to the younger crowd, while the adults will no doubt enjoy the grown-up beverages available for purchase.
Hobart
The TMAG Children’s Festival at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery coincides with the April school holidays, allowing the kids to immerse themselves in a variety of free events, activities and displays. Another exhibition of interest is Brickman Awesome’s famous interactive display, which is entirely made up of LEGO bricks. Whether it is the tallest LEGO model in the Southern Hemisphere, or the only life-sized LEGO Harley Davidson ever made, there is plenty on offer to amuse both the kids and those who are still young at heart.
Darwin
Prepare for the Easter Bunny’s arrival by taking the kids down to Darwin Waterfront’s celebrations on Saturday 20 April. From a kids’ DJ to a visit by Mr and Mrs Easter Bunny themselves, the whole family will be kept entertained by the range of events on offer. To keep the kids out of mischief these holidays, consider looking into Darwin City Council’s April Holiday Program, which has activities such as Tech Zone, movie sessions and basket weaving on offer during the April break.
