School Holidays in Sydney: Summer 2025-26

Need some fresh ideas for the October school holidays? As a Sydney mum and now grandma who’s spent years exploring this city with kids in tow, I’ve put together this guide to help you survive without breaking the bank. From free activities to special events, here’s the best of what’s happening around Sydney these holidays.

The summer school holidays are  22 December to Monday 27 January 2026

I’ve carefully selected activities that offer genuine value for families, avoiding tourist traps and focusing on experiences that both parents and kids will enjoy. From creative workshops to special holiday shows, there’s something for every interest and energy level. I’ve balanced indoor and outdoor options to help you plan around autumn weather, which can be unpredictable in Sydney.

The weather is warming up so it’s time to get outdoors exploring gardens, and taking national park walks.

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Special Holiday Wildlife Events

For a complete guide to Sydney’s wildlife experiences, check out our detailed article on Sydney’s zoos and wildlife parks.

Here are the special holiday events you won’t want to miss:

Adventures at Taronga Zoo

Taronga Zoo is offering an incredible spring program featuring new animal babies, special experiences, and an exciting after-dark event. There’s enough here to fill a full day – or evening – of family fun.

• Meet the newest arrivals: newborn lambs and twin goat kids in the Backyard to Bush farmyard
• Spot the Rufous bettong joey in Nura Diya Australia
• Watch for the emerging koala joey making its first appearances
• Daily keeper talks and wildlife experiences
• Ride the Wildlife Express around the zoo ($5 per ride, free for Zoo Friends)
• Try the Wild Ropes treetop adventure course (from $27)

When: Open 9:30am-4:30pm daily
Where: Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman
Cost: Save 20% by booking online – Adults $45.90, Kids (4-15) $27, Under 4s free

Hot tip: Consider a Zoo Friends Annual Membership from $99 – it works out to just 65c per day and includes both Taronga zoos plus discounts on experiences and accommodation.

Sydney Zoo – Ice Age

Step into a frozen prehistoric wonderland at Sydney Zoo! This incredible exhibition features life-sized, moving creatures from Earth’s Ice Age, including:

• Towering woolly mammoths
• Roaring sabre-toothed tigers
• Massive megalodon sharks
• Dire wolves
• Ancient elks
• Woolly rhinos
• Prehistoric polar bears

This unique exhibition connects past with present – watch for fascinating similarities between these ancient beasts and Sydney Zoo’s modern-day residents in how they move, hunt, and care for their young.

When: Open every day from 9am – 5pm
Cost: $40* adults, $19.99 kids 3-15 yrs (gate prices are approximately $5 more per ticket)
Location: Sydney Zoo, Eastern Creek Book online to save and skip the queue!

Buy your pass now and skip the queue.

*Dinosaur Safari is included free with regular zoo admission or yearly pass.

Journey to the Antarctic at SEA LIFE

Get up close with penguins in SEA LIFE’s special holiday program. Book a penguin encounter for a more personal experience with these charismatic birds.

Wildlife Sydney Zoo offers the chance to get up close to some of the less well-known Aussie animals, like a quokka and a numbat. You can also meet Kofi the tree kangaroo.

When: 7 days, 10am-5pm (last entry 4pm)
Where: Lime Street Darling Harbour
Cost: Single entry or multi passes available. Check for offers.

Hot tip: Grab a combo pass that includes both SEA LIFE and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo – you’ll save a packet!

Museums and Galleries

For a bit of learning mixed with fun, these exhibitions and workshops will get the kids thinking without realizing they’re being educated.

The Australian Maritime Museum

The Australian National Maritime Museum has crafted an exciting spring program featuring hands-on workshops, special exhibitions, and interactive experiences that combine creativity with maritime discovery.

Daily Highlights (included with entry):

• Kids on Deck (10:30am-4pm): Create watercraft, conduct experiments, and explore marine science through hands-on activities
• My Museum Sketch Trail: Complete an adventure through the galleries to win prizes
• Splashing Science Circus: Interactive water science and circus shows (12:30pm & 2pm)
• Cabinet of Curiosities: Explore fascinating maritime objects and create celestial-inspired art (10:30am & 2pm)
• Weaving Zagal and Paper Florilegium: Create woven angelfish and multi-layered paper flowers inspired by artist Brian Robinson’s incredible artwork
  

Check the website for daily program updates and workshop availability

When: Daily throughout school holidays
Where: 58 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont
Cost: Various – many activities free with museum entry
Bookings: Required for special workshops – book early to avoid disappointment

History Kids at Elizabeth Farm and Vaucluse House

Step back in time with hands-on historical adventures at two of Sydney’s most significant heritage properties. Perfect for young history enthusiasts who love getting their hands dirty!

Where: Elizabeth Farm and Vaucluse House
Ages: School-age children
Bookings: Essential – adult supervision required

Hot tip: Members get 20% off and early booking access. Gluten-free options available for refreshments.

Convict Trail at Hyde Park Barracks

If you have not visited Hyde Park Barracks since it reopened a few years ago, now is a perfect time.

A special audio guide suitable for children aged 5-10 years will keep the kids entertained while they explore Sydney’s past. As they move through the collection, they solve puzzles using a number of clues.

Where: Macquarie Street Sydney
When: Open Thursday to Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm, closed Christmas Day and Australia Day

Active fun

Got energetic kids? Here are some special holiday activities that will keep them moving and having fun:

Family Fun Challenge by AmazingCo.

Turn Sydney into your playground with AmazingCo’s family mystery picnics. Follow clues, solve puzzles, and discover hidden gems around the city while enjoying quality family time. Perfect for kids who love solving mysteries!

AmazingCo Family Adventure Days

Transform your school holidays with these unique family quests, each combining activities, food, and exploration:

• Marrickville: Build robots from recycled materials and follow a scavenger hunt trail (ages 4-10, 3 hours)
• Arcadia: Meet farm animals, collect eggs, and enjoy lunch at a farmgate cafe (ages 3-10, 3 hours)
• Cockatoo Island: Take a ferry ride for a spooky ghost-themed quest with harbor views (ages 5-10, 4-5 hours)

Tip: All adventures include a rain check guarantee and optional at-home activities to extend the fun.

Cost: Varies by adventure
Bookings: Essential via AmazingCo website

AmazingCo. also offers family mystery picnics and family date nights.

Holiday Pony Camps at Centennial Equestrian

Give your young horse enthusiasts an unforgettable holiday experience at Centennial Equestrian’s comprehensive pony camps. Each full day includes two riding lessons, horse care activities, and supervised games.

Program includes:

• Professional riding instruction
• Hands-on horse care education
• Fun and games with other horse lovers
• Supervised lunch break

Where: Centennial Equestrian Centre
Ages: 5+ years
Cost: From $370 per day, multi-day packages available.

Urban Grow at The Coal Loader

The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability is offering free hands-on workshops where kids can discover the magic of gardening and learn about local wildlife.

When: various dates across January
Where: The Coal Loader, 2 Balls Head Drive, Waverton
Cost: Free – Bookings: Essential
Ages: 5-10 years

Hot tip: Book early as free workshops fill up quickly. Wear clothes that can get dirty!

Sunset Spotlight Tour

Bundle up for an evening adventure through the Gardens! This twilight tour visits biodiversity hotspots where you might spot nocturnal animals, from flying foxes to resident possums. Perfect for young wildlife enthusiasts.

When: TBC
Where: Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Cost: $23 Kids, $49 adults l Ages: All ages welcome – Book here

SPOTLIGHT PROWL FOR FAMILIES

Experience the magic of twilight wildlife at Centennial Parklands. As evening falls, the park becomes a haven for nocturnal animals, including a large population of grey-headed flying-foxes, along with brushtail possums, microbats, and tawny frogmouths.

Embark on an enlightening spotlight walk guided by expert Rangers. This adventure gives you a rare glimpse into the nighttime world of these fascinating creatures, showing a different, more mysterious side of the park as darkness descends.

When: TBC
Where: Robertson Road Gates, Centennial Park
Cost: $26.50 per ticket

Performance & Theatre for kids

Sydney’s stages come alive these holidays with an exciting mix of international and local performances. From classic stories to innovative puppetry, these shows promise to keep even the most fidgety kids engaged.

Free Things to do during the School Holidays

School holidays don’t have to break the bank! Along with the featured activities below, check your local library and shopping centre programs—they often host free workshops, storytelling sessions, and craft activities during the school breaks.

Many local councils also run free events that don’t make it into citywide guides, so it’s worth checking their websites or Facebook pages. To get you started here are some of our favorite free activities happening around Sydney these holidays:

Darling Square

Darling Square transforms into a winter wonderland these school holidays with free craft workshops and activities for kids, plus warming winter menus at over 50 eateries. It’s the perfect combination of creative fun for the kids and cozy treats for the whole family.

When: TBC
Where: Darling Square l Cost: Free

Darling Harbour Playground

Kids of all ages will enjoy a visit to Darling Harbour’s epic playground. With a massive climbing frame, a 21-metre flying fox and a bunch of swings suitable for all ages. If you have not visited for a while you will find a lot of new installations to explore.

There are cafes and family-friendly food options surrounding the playground, making it easy to spend several hours here.

Have questions about things to see and do in Sydney?
Head over and join our Facebook Group and we will be happy to help.

Day Trips for the School Holidays

Sometimes you need to get out of the city, and these day trips are worth the drive or train ride. We have a bunch of fun day trips you can do on the train, but here are a couple of our favourite ideas.

Summer in the Blue Mountains

The mountains are a great day out for active kids. You can take the train or drive. Either way, there is plenty to do when you get there from easy bushwalks to family-friendly picnic spots.

The Blue Mountains Explorer Bus is a great way to explore the mountains without worrying about parking! We have written a detailed guide to the bus here.

If you decide to spend the night, take the Katoomba Falls Night-Lit Walk. Another unique experience is a nighttime visit to Scenic World.

You can even see how many of these lookouts you can squeeze into one day.

Bundeena

A train ride to Cronulla, a quick jaunt across Port Hacking on the little green and yellow ferry and a short stroll from the wharf and you will arrive at the Jibbon Aboriginal Carvings at Bundeena.

This is a fun day out for school age kids with some easy bushwalking. If you fancy a longer bushwalk, check out our guide to the walks in the Royal National Park.

Australian Reptile Park

Is your child crazy for reptiles? Head to the Australian Reptile Park on the Central Coast this school holidays! Learn all about the incredible ‘superpowers’ that these animals have.

Where: Somersby, Central Coast (30 minutes’ drive from Wahroonga)
Cost: $48 adults, $30 kids, $135 families (2 adults, 2 kids)

School Holiday Dates in New South Wales

Below is a list of the holiday dates for this year and next so you can start planning. Please note many schools have school development days on the first day of each term. Private schools may have a week longer than these public school dates.