The Best Winter School Holiday Activities In Sydney 2018

By: Melissa Fine, ellaslist 

And just like that - the winter school holidays are here. Get your diary out and lock some of these day trips, activities, workshops and programs in the for the kids - a sure way to keep them active and engaged over the break, all while having fun and making new friends. 

Centennial Park's Winter School Holiday Activities

You and the kids are invited to WILD PLAY (pictured above), a cosy campfire experience at Centennial Park where you can learn how to make fire from scratch! There'll also be a Pizza Party in the Bush, Theatre for Kids, and for little thrill seekers, Become a Bike Pro. School holiday program details here. 

Animal Encounters At Featherdale Wildlife Park

The school holidays are the perfect time for a family day trip to Featherdale, home to over 2,200 Australian animals from over 330 species. Cuddle up with a koala, hand-feed the kangaroos, wallabies and emus, pat your favourite fluffy animals at the Farmyard Nursery and meet Ngukhur, the 4.5 metre saltwater crocodile! 

MCA Family Fun 

Celebrate the art and language of master bark painter John Mawurndjul at the MCA's John Mawurndjul Family Day on Sunday 8 July, as part of the opening weekend of John Mawurndjul: I am the old and the new. Meet musical sensations Microwave Jenny, learn to count in Kuninjku - northern Australia's Aboriginal language - then grab a cushion and settle in for a story in the galleries. The Contemporary Kids School Holiday Program will also be running over the July school holidays, where the kids can drop in to make their own mobile inspired by a place that's special to them. See the full program here. 

Observatory Maker At The Sydney Observatory

Little astronomers will love making their own sun dial and woven star constellation, and learning all about the cosmos at the FREE daily drop-in school holiday activites running at Australia's oldest (160-year old!) operating observatory.

Outdoor Fun At The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

From the Indigenous Olympics with Aboriginal educators and immersive theatre with the City Slickers, to the Botanic Beats Garden Disco and the Kids Veggie Patch and Create And Play under the shady trees, you're sure to find a school holiday activity that's perfect for your little one at The Royal Botanic Garden. 

A Day at Calmsley Hill City Farm

Located just 40 minutes out of Sydney in Abbotsbury, the whole family will love getting up close to the countless native and farmyard animals at Calmsley Hill City Farm. Make sure to milk a cow, feed a kangaroo and hop on a tractor ride while you're here, and don't miss the sheep shearing and stock whip shows. 

Trees Adventure

Australia's biggest tree ropes course, Trees Adventure along the banks of the pristine Grose River is a must for warming up little monkeys this July school holidays. With over 110 challenging obstacles including 20+ ziplines, treetop obstacles and flying foxes, this really is true eco-adventure through the beautiful Blue Gum canopy. 

Shopping Centre Fun

Shopping centres are keen to get mums in their doors and know the best way to do this is to keep the kids happy by way of FREE entertainment! Seven Hills Plaza are doing two weeks of educational activities including science experiments and arty fun like drawing on the collaborative artwork wall. Rhodes Waterside are doing a Waste Warriors Program where kids can learn how to turn recycled materials into their very own masterpiece. Westfield Miranda are celebrating NAIDOC Week with didgeridoo performances and storytelling, kids will also learn about Indigenous artefacts, weaponry and bush survival. At Broadway Shopping Centre, Grill'd are doing hands-on cooking classes for kids which are sure to turn them into burger making experts. Classes are $10 per child, which includes a burger, chips and a drink. 

Wizard Of Oz Adventure Show

Sing, dance and clap down the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion in an interactive re-telling of Baum’s classic story. Actually walk through Munchkinland, Cornfield, Forest & Wizard's Throne Room as the story magically unfolds around you. Kids can rap with the Tinman, roar like a Lion, wake up sleepy Scarecrow and dance with Dorothy in an Adventure Show that not only entertains but spreads a message of hope, self-esteem and mateship to the young. On At Oz Funland Play Centre in the Macarthur region. July 10, two shows. Tickets are $15pp. 

Kid Couture at Powerhouse Museum

Have a ball creating your own unique costume, complete with a crown and a cape, and add your own special touches with the tools, fabrics and paper on-hand at this activity exclusive to the school holidays. Entry is included with museum admission, which is FREE for kids 16 and under. Kids under 5 can also be kept entertained at the tactile texture zone, so bring all the kids! 

Explore Sydney Living Museums

Join a family-friendly tour, free with Museum entry over the school holidays, and uncover the secrets of the four historic Sydney Living Museums: Elizabeth Farm, Meroogal, Vaucluse House and Elizabeth Bay House. Other activity highlights include Earn Your Tucker, Convict Kids and Make a Story, Tell a Story. Check out the full SLM school holiday activity schedule.

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