School holiday activities
The Victorian School Holidays will start on 28 June - are you ready to entertain your children? Below are a range of activities you might consider to entertain them with over the school holiday period.
Arts Centre Melbourne - Kids and Families
- Instant Rockstar - It's your time to shine! 3 & 5 July 2013.
Arts, Crafts & Mixed
ArtPlay - The ArtPlay schools program offers a range of workshops covering a variety of art-forms for you and your students to explore.
Bindu Creative Dance - Creative movement/art sessions for primary school aged kids.
Blanc Canvas Studios - range of art lessons and classes for children aged 4 and up.
Gasworks - Gasworks' Summer Kids Holiday program will kick off with an exciting and innovative workshop program and will come to a memorable finale with the featured performance Squaring the Wheel!
GlazeIt Studio - Pottery Painting at GlazeIt Studio is a unique, fun and creative activity for all ages and occasions, which involves decorating ready-to-paint ceramics into beautiful and usable pottery pieces.
Music Theatre Boot Camp - Music Theatre Boot Camp is a fun and inclusive school holiday program exploring the skills of music theatre. The 5 day program is for primary aged students working with the three disciplines of music, drama and dance. Check website for dates and locations.
PrimeSCI! School Holiday Program - Attention young scientists! It's time for eggstraordinary eggsperiments and to learn about science in the kitchen!
Stonnington City Council - Teenage Holiday Program - suitable for young people aged 10-15, in Year 6 to Year 9.
Thread Den - During the school holidays, Thread Den offers a great range of sewing classes for kids aged 6 years and up. Develop skills with textiles, add to your folio, or just make something completely unique. Classes are run in Thread Den's light filled sewing lounges and are led by industry professionals and friendly instructors.
Tree Sparrow Treasures - Jewellery making workshops, workshops are aimed at 5+ age group and 10+ age group.
Wyreena Community Arts Centre - Wyreena Community Arts Centre offers a School Holiday Program several times throughout the year.
Cooking
Ladro Kids Pizza Making Classes - Famous for their stellar pizza offering, Ladro will teach kids how to make the pizza base dough, roll it out and top it with some delicious and wholesome ingredients.
Exhibitions
Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures - A remarkable exhibition of stunning artefacts revealing Afghanistan's rich culture. 22 March-28 July 2013.
Australian Impressionists in France - For the first time, the story of the Australian artists who lived in France during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is presented in an exhibition of over 130 stunning works of art. 15 June-6 October 2013.
Carnival of Science - Explore the science behind the carnival. Until 13 October 2013.
Hollywood Costume - Direct from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Hollywood Costume explores the central role costume design plays in cinema storytelling. 24 April-18 August 2013.
Megawatt - It's electrifying! Until 25 August 2013.
Monet's Garden: The Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris - Monet's Garden is a stunning exhibition devoted to Claude Monet's iconic garden at Giverny. 10 May-8 September 2013.
- Workshop: Mini Monet gardens - 3-5 July 2013
- Kids on Tour: Round and round Monet's Garden - 1 & 11 July 2013
- Workshop: How does your garden picture grow? - 2 July 2013
Films
Kids' Flicks - ACMI - Smart films for smart kids. Our fun-filled Kids' Flicks program is guaranteed to delight and captivate the imagination of children and grown-ups alike.
Galleries
Heide Museum of Modern Art
- Kids & Families - Heide offers a range of activities for kids and families including artist-led workshops that draw on Heide's exhibitions, history and gardens.
- School Holiday Activities - These hands-on activities, guided by art educators, provide children with opportunities to engage with contemporary artists and art practices. Children are shown a variety of art making techniques and encouraged to use their imagination in activities appropriate to their age group.
NGV Kids Space - NGV Kids Space: An Excellent Adventure will invite children on a journey inspired by a time when sailing ships explored the seven seas.
NGV Schools Programs - NGV Schools Programs are educational sessions for students and teachers in the Gallery that are led by an Educator. We advise groups (led or self-staffed) to book well in advance to reduce waiting times and ensure access.
Museums
Museum Victoria
- Immigration Museum - Winter School Holiday Program - Details coming soon.
- Melbourne Museum - Winter School Holiday Program - Details coming soon.
- Scienceworks - Winter School Holiday Program - Details coming soon.
State Library of Victoria - School Holiday Programs
Nature and Wildlife
City of Melbourne Junior Rangers. Join the City of Melbourne Park Rangers in Melbourne's beautiful and historic parks and gardens for summer fun and adventure. Suitable for children aged 5 - 12 years, this environmental program incorporates art and craft, guided walks and story telling.
Collingwood Children's Farm - Open every day of the year.
Cooks' Cottage - How does YOUR garden grow? Come and visit Cooks Cottage during the spring school holidays and enjoy innovative activities where children can learn and have fun at the same time. The How Does YOUR Garden Grow? holiday program includes a fun workshop session where kids make their very own grass buddy.
Fitzroy Gardens - Visit the Tudor Village.
Gumbuya Park - Gumbuya Park has a variety of activities ranging from our Wildlife Sanctuary, Aboriginal Centre to a selection of rides. Wildlife tours available. All at a very affordable price. Free BBQ areas can be prebooked or a cafe is available to purchase from. Park is open daily 10am - 5pm.
Junior Rangers - Parks Victoria - Kids who have an interest in nature, animals and the outdoors have the opportunity this summer holiday to join a park ranger for fun activities. For more information, or to find a park near you visit www.juniorrangers.com.au or call Parks Victoria on 13 1963.
Marine Discovery Centre - The Marine Discovery Centre conducts special programs for adults and children throughout the year during school holidays and on weekends. These programs aim to provide people with the opportunity to experience the wonders of the marine environment.
Melbourne Aquarium - Wander through glass tunnels and see thousands of creatures, including sharks and stingrays, that live in the Southern Ocean.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne - Explore 363 hectares of untouched heathlands, wetlands and woodlands, and see bird and animal life, including several rare and endangered species.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne - Children's Garden
Zoos Victoria - School holidays - During the school holidays we also offer full day educator-led holiday program's for kids and teenagers.
- Healesville Sanctuary - Keeper for a Day - Go behind the scenes with some of our most precious and endangered Australian animals. 2-3, 9-10 July 2013.
- Healesville Sanctuary - Vet for a Day - Come and work alongside our vets on real life cases involving Healesville Sanctuary's animals, including endangered species, as well as injured wildlife brought to the hospital. 3-4, 10-11 July 2013.
- Melbourne Zoo - Kids Go Wild - Melbourne Zoo's school holiday program is back and bigger than ever! 1-12 July 2013.
- Werribee Open Range Zoo Keeper for a Day - Are you interested in working with animals? 1,4, 8 & 10 July 2013.
- Wild Nights - Each night from Saturday 29 June - Saturday 13 July inclusive, Werribee Open Range Zoo is letting you and your family in for a wild and dark evening of adventure.
Out and About
Chill On Ice Lounge and Ski Lodge - provides an integrated experience of a winter wonderland.
Federation Square - School Holiday Program - With a little planning a day out in the city doesn't have to be expensive. Throughout the school holidays Fed Square has a jam-packed program of free and affordable activities to delight visitors of all ages.
Highpoint's Easter Holiday Program
Luna Park - Ride all day or get your skates on and push, glide or swing-roll into Luna Freeze.
Puffing Billy - Get on board Puffing Billy.
Queen Victoria Market - School Holidays are bigger at Queen Victoria Market! Let the kids have some fun at one of the most exciting and colourful destinations in Melbourne with a range of FREE activities for kids to enjoy in a secure and safe environment!
Quest Skills for Life School Holiday Camps - School Holiday Camps in Victoria every school holidays. The journey based programs have a strong focus on Leadership and Development.
Sovereign Hill - Pan for gold or chat with the storekeepers and miners at Sovereign Hill.
SkyHigh - Enjoy the stunning views, an exquisite English garden, Adventurous SkyHigh Maze and links to trail walks in the Dandenong Ranges National Park.
Steam Train - All aboard for family fun.
V/Line:
Visit Melbourne - There is so much to see and do in Melbourne and with V/Line you can enjoy discounted entry at some of the best attractions.
Visit regional Victoria - There's something for everyone to enjoy in regional Victoria. Check out the special events and some of our favourite attractions.
Performance
The Barber of Seville - In a hilarious tale of love at first sight, Rossini's The Barber of Seville is one of the most popular and funniest operas ever written. This 50-minute version is devised especially for families by Opera Australia's Oz Opera, and brings this delightful opera to life with its smash hit arias and instantly recognisable overture. 8 July 2013.
Sports and Active
Ice Skating - Icehouse offers two Olympic-sized rinks, roving entertainers during the holidays, live DJ'd skating sessions for late afternoon/early evening for older kids and teens, a tiny tots area for the non-skaters, plus lessons.
Kids & Teens Yoga - Join us for some Yoga fun especially designed for children.
Skateboarding at Riverslide Skate Park - in the Alexandra Gardens, is a five-minute skate from Flinders Street Railway Station.
SoccerWise - Bialik College, Hawthorn East. Limited places - bookings essential. Soccer school holiday program for boys & girls 4 to 12 years of age!
Sport Camp, AllSportz - Suited to children between 2-10 years old, our unique school holiday program will immerse every child in to a world of sports, fun and excitement.
Strike Bowling - Got your school holiday battle plan ready?! School Holidays discounts for both student's and their accompanying parents for Bowling, Laser Tag, Karaoke and pool.
Swimming
Visit your local council website for pools and activities in your area.
Further information
Event not listed? - Email infovic@dbi.vic.gov.au and tell us about your school holiday event.
Disclaimer - We reserve the right to not publish all events.