Winter School Holidays Sorted.
The winter school holidays are coming in hot — or, more accurately, cold, chaotic and full of small people asking what we’re doing today before you’ve even had coffee.
NSW winter school holidays run from Monday 6 July to Friday 17 July 2026, which gives parents and carers two full weeks to fill. Luckily, families in Sydney’s East and South East have plenty to choose from before committing to a full-blown road trip.
Think Bondi ice skating, football clinics, giant inflatables, circus-cabaret, cartoon workshops, horse riding, ferry rides, koalas, snow play and enough indoor options to survive a wet week.
School Holiday Picks Worth Booking
A couple of standout activities to lock in early before the best sessions disappear.
Sydney FC Holiday Clinics
Three days of football fun these winter school holidays.
For boys and girls aged 5–12, Sydney FC Holiday Clinics are led by qualified coaches and help kids build skills, confidence and friendships in a fun, supportive environment.
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
Circus-cabaret chaos for ages 5 to 105.
The Grand Electric transforms into Wonderland for a wildly entertaining show packed with acrobatics, comedy, juggling, hula-hooping and audience participation.
Winter School Holiday Activities Locals Will Love
The fun ones first. From Bondi ice skating and giant inflatables to cartooning, horse riding and rainy-day skating, these are the winter school holiday activities Sydney families will actually use.
Bondi Festival
Best for: A proper winter school holiday moment without leaving the east.
Activity details: Bondi Festival returns from 3–19 July 2026, turning Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Park and the beachfront into a winter playground. Expect the crowd-favourite ice rink, the Bondi Vista Ferris Wheel, live performances, comedy, theatre, public art, food, music and family-friendly festival energy by the beach.
Monster Jump
Best for: Kids with too much energy and parents who need a school holiday sanity saver.
Activity details: Monster Jump returns to the Entertainment Quarter Showring from 4–19 July 2026, running daily from 10am–4pm. Expect Sydney’s biggest inflatable adventure, with a massive 280-metre obstacle course, more than 30 challenges, climbing walls, tunnels, slides and bounce zones.
Ice Zoo
Best for: Ice skating without battling Bondi crowds.
Activity details: Ice Zoo is Sydney’s home of ice skating, with public skating sessions, Learn to Skate classes, ice hockey, parties, live DJ nights and a café. It’s open seven days and is a handy indoor option when Sydney winter turns wet.
Tuff Nutterz
Best for: Burning school holiday energy fast.
Activity details: Tuff Nutterz returns to Centennial Park from 9–19 July 2026, open daily from 9am–4.45pm. The event features Australia’s biggest inflatable obstacle course, with climbing walls, slides, crawling sections, a mini obstacle course, Tuff Slide and food and drinks available on site.
Eastside Riding Academy
Best for: Animal-loving kids who want something genuinely memorable.
Activity details: Eastside Riding Academy runs winter school holiday horse-riding camps in Centennial Park for kids aged 5 and over. Junior Jockey Camp suits ages 5–7, while the full-day camp is for ages 7+, with riding sessions, pony care, stable chores, grooming and scenic Centennial Park rides. Safety comes first, with qualified coaches and experienced volunteers supervising every session. Multi-day discounts are available.
Toon Creations
Best for: Creative kids who would rather draw, colour and invent characters than run around outside.
Activity details: Toon Creations runs Bondi Studio cartooning workshops across the winter school holidays, giving kids a fun, hands-on way to learn drawing techniques, create characters and build confidence with cartoons, comics and storytelling. It’s a great indoor option for arty kids, rainy days or anyone who needs a quieter school holiday activity.
Public Transport Adventures Kids Will Actually Remember
Sometimes the transport is half the activity. Sometimes it is the only part they talk about later.
Luna Park Sydney
Best for: A classic Sydney school holiday day out that is exactly what Luna Park is made for — fun.
Activity details: Luna Park Sydney is at Milsons Point, right on the harbour, with rides, sideshow games, sweet treats, harbour views and big kid energy from the moment you walk through the famous face. Catch the light rail or bus into Circular Quay, then jump on the ferry across to Milsons Point and make a day of absolute fun.
Harry Potter: The Exhibition
Best for: Wizarding World fans, tweens, teens and families who want a big-ticket indoor school holiday outing.
Activity details: Harry Potter: The Exhibition is now open at Paddington Pavilion, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. The immersive exhibition brings together authentic props, costumes, characters, magical creatures and interactive moments from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
School Holiday Adventures Worth The Drive
These are not quick local pop-ins. These are the “charge the iPad, bring spare socks, load the snacks and leave before everyone changes their mind” outings.
Koala Park Sanctuary
Best for: Old-school Sydney nostalgia and younger animal lovers.
Activity details: Koala Park Sanctuary has proper childhood day-trip energy, with koalas, kangaroos, wombats, dingoes, emus, wallabies, reptiles, farm animals and Australian birds.
Area 51
Best for: High-energy kids and rainy-day chaos.
Activity details: Area 51 Castle Hill is a huge indoor play centre for kids up to 12, with multi-storey soft play, slides, climbing zones, trampolines and adventure areas. It is one of those out-of-area trips that makes sense when everyone needs to run, bounce and climb.
Macquarie Ice Rink
Best for: Kids who want a classic indoor skate session.
Activity details: Macquarie Ice Rink runs public and disco skating sessions with skate hire included in family passes. There are no online or pre-bookings for general sessions, so families are encouraged to line up 15–30 minutes before the session starts.
Taronga Zoo
Best for: Animal kids and families who want a full zoo day.
Activity details: Taronga Zoo is one of Sydney’s classic family days out, with harbour views, animal trails, keeper talks, wildlife encounters and plenty of room to turn a winter school holiday day into a proper outing.
Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park
Best for: Wildlife kids and visiting relatives.
Activity details: Featherdale is a classic western Sydney wildlife outing, with native animals, close-up encounters and plenty of Australian wildlife moments for kids.
Symbio Wildlife Park
Best for: A wildlife day out with animals, gardens, play space and enough variety to justify the drive.
Activity details: Symbio Wildlife Park is a south-coast family favourite with animals, landscaped gardens, picnic areas, an adventure playground and plenty of space to roam.
Scenic World
Best for: A big Blue Mountains adventure with epic views, rainforest walks and rides the kids will actually remember.
Activity details: Scenic World is around 90 minutes from Sydney and makes a brilliant winter school holiday day trip. The Unlimited Discovery Pass includes unlimited rides on the Scenic Railway, Scenic Cableway and Scenic Skyway, plus access to the Scenic Walkway through ancient rainforest. Families can explore at their own pace, leave to visit the National Park, then return on the same day.
Hunter Valley Gardens Snow Time
Best for: Families who want snow-style fun without heading all the way to the snowfields.
Activity details: Snow Time in the Garden runs through the winter school holidays with snow play, ice skating, a giant ice toboggan, winter rides, roving characters and food. It’s a bigger day trip from Sydney, but a fun one if you want to make the holidays feel like a proper winter adventure.
Free and Low-Cost Ideas for When the Budget Needs a Breather
Not every school holiday outing needs to be a production. These are not the headline acts, but they are useful when the weather is miserable, the budget needs mercy or everyone needs out of the house for an hour.
Randwick City Library
Best for: Free backup plans, not your main-character outing.
Activity details: Randwick City Library’s winter school holiday program includes kids and youth activities across local branches, with science, art, craft and creative sessions. Handy for when the weather is miserable or the budget needs a breather.
Woollahra Libraries
Best for: A calm, free indoor option.
Activity details: Woollahra Libraries’ winter school holiday program includes creative sessions, craft, comic art and activities across its branches. Many activities are listed as free.
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