From pizza making to zoo adventures: winter school holidays sorted for every kind of kid
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Don’t let brain freeze get the best of you these winter school holidays – there are plenty of things happening in Canberra to keep the kids entertained.
School might be out, but with this list, you can fill their days with activities that range from pizza making to a winter celebration at the zoo. Designed with all personalities in mind, read on!
For the future foodie…
Have a budding chef or food influencer on your hands? Fear not – these activities will satisfy their hunger (and protect your kitchen).
For just $35 per child, Kids Pizza Making at Bicicletta is the perfect way to treat your bambini to a fun and delicious experience in the heart of NewActon. Along with a welcome mocktail on arrival, they’ll keep busy with a pizza making session (with toppings that include cheese, Napoli sauce, pepperoni, ham, pineapple, and greens), fill their stomach with ice-cream (with their choice of topping) and take home a chef’s apron so they can show their new skills!
Looking for something you can do as a family? The Forage is back as part of Winter in The City on Saturday 19 July, so you can eat your way through some of Canberra’s best street food. Plus, there will be fire shows, pyrotechnics and live entertainment! Just make sure to go hungry.
For the theatre lover…
Whether they’re an aspiring performer or just love a show (who doesn’t?), these school holidays, there’s plenty happening on the stage. For those working with a budget, Smurfs Take the Stage at Canberra Outlet (Wednesday 9 until Monday 13 July) offers free live entertainment. Papa Smurf and Smurfette will delight families with performances twice daily (11 am and 1 pm, with a meet and greet 12 pm), creating the perfect opportunity for nostalgic parents and excited kids to enjoy beloved characters together.
The Nutcracker In July (Friday 11 until Sunday 20 July) is another one to add to your diary – the magical ballet performance is suitable for families, and the matinee shows include kids’ activities, colouring competitions, selfie stations, dress-up opportunities and meet-and-greets with principal dancers!
Finally, it’s iconic for a reason, so booking tickets to Play School LIVE: Once Upon a Time is a no brainer. Taking families on an enchanting journey through classic nursery rhymes, with each turn of the storybook revealing new adventures filled with stories, songs and dance, you’ll see Australia’s cherished Play School presenters alongside iconic toys Big Ted, Little Ted, Jemima, Humpty and Kiya performing timeless favourites. They’re here from Saturday 12 until Monday 14 July, so be quick to make sure you don’t miss out!
For the creative soul…
With an abundance of art workshops on these school holidays, there’s plenty keep little hands busy. The MEGAfauna Makers Art Workshop (Tuesday 8, Thursday 10, Tuesday 15 and Thursday 17 July) will see children become palaeontologists and artists, sculpting magnificent megafauna using natural materials like native leaves, seeds, sticks and clay with artist Tom Buckland, while the Botanical Gel Prints Workshop (Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 July) will see children aged eight and over create vibrant textured prints using natural materials and gel plates.
The Canberra Glassworks School Holiday Program (Wednesday 9 until Sunday 20 July) offers hands-on workshops in Australia’s largest dedicated studio glass facility, with options for blowing tumblers, fusing bowls or crafting holiday tiles. Meanwhile, the Animation Storytelling Workshop (Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 July) is designed to teach kids aged eight to 16 stop-motion techniques with paper cut-out animation, creating backgrounds, and props along with editing films.
And for those who love to write, the Creative writing and drawing workshop with Ronojoy Ghosh (Wednesday 9 July) is designed for ages six to 10 and will see them co-creating stories and characters while exploring personal artistic style.
For the nature lover…
It might be cold outside, but that doesn’t mean your kid wants to hibernate. So why not embrace winter with these outdoor activities?
Bundle them up for the return of ZooFest, Canberra’s wildest winter celebration at the National Zoo & Aquarium where they’ll meet mischievous mascots and special animal guests. Taking place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 July, they’ll also warm up with hot chocolates, enjoy live music, dance in silent discos, take place in craft activities, and play games!
In MEGAfauna: Look Alike (until Thursday 31 July) at the Botanic Gardens, they’ll dive into Australia’s Ice Age megafauna with trails, presentations by children’s author Bronwyn Saunders, and art workshops. For those who have energy to burn Family Orienteering at the National Arboretum (Saturday 5 until Sunday 20 July) is a drop-in botanical puzzle adventure using maps and clue sheets to explore forests and gardens. And don’t miss out on Kite Making on Tuesday 8 July where they’ll create and decorate a kite to fly!
And for something a little bit different…
Think there’s nothing in this list that will keep your little one entertained? Think again.
Take them along to Mr Squiggle and Friends: The Creative World of Norman Hetherington at the National Museum of Australia to introduce them to the beloved puppet Mr Squiggle (and other iconic characters) in a free exhibition exploring 40 years of Australian children’s TV history and creative magic.
Have a Harry Potter fan in the house? These school holidays, book them into a Wand-Making Class (Wednesday 2 until Sunday 20 July) at Quizzic Alley to craft magical wands, followed by scrumptious “butterscotchy” QBrew beverages. The Warehouse Circus School Holiday Program (Monday 7 July) will see them learning acrobatics, balance, juggling and aerial skills in an inclusive environment with friendly trainers. The Canberra Centre is being transformed with the Jurassic World Rebirth Adventure Zone (Monday 7 until Sunday 20 July) where kids can meet life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, crack open fossil eggs to uncover prehistoric treasures, and explore augmented reality zones that bring the Jurassic era roaring to life.
And finally, the Geek Markets are sure to be a hit. Taking place on Saturday 19 July, this is a free pop-culture extravaganza featuring comic book guests, cosplay competitions, tabletop games, trading card tournaments and stallholders selling handmade items, art and collectibles. It’s the biggest free pop-culture comic con event in Canberra!
