Making plans for the upcoming school holidays is easy with these top activities that will keep the kids entertained.
School holidays. They're what just about every kid dreams of all term long, and it's up to you AKA the parent, to find the best activities to meet their energy levels.
If you're wondering if there's enough to keep them quiet and busy, take heart, because there are plenty of things to do during the break that fit the bill.
Let's get started.
Top things to do with your kids in Sydney
Whether you're taking a trip to the nation’s biggest city or heading into town for the sights and sounds, these iconic Sydney experiences cannot be missed.
13 discounted school holiday activities in Sydney:
RedBalloon
Extra 10% off your order
Get extra 10% off on orders like sightseeing cruises, abseiling, dining, jet boating, hot air ballooning, quadbiking, scuba diving, snorkelling, scenic flights, high tea, helicopter rides, flying lessons, classic car hire, whale watching, driving and rally car experiences and more. T&Cs apply.
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Indoor play centry entry from just $8 from Groupon
Let your kids run wild all day on a three-level maze play structure while you enjoy a coffee at the café while little ones blow off steam.
- Duration: Flexible
- Location: Revesby, New South Wales
- Price is good for one adult and one child
Up to 46% off two-hour trampoline centre pass from Groupon
Jump, leap and bound on 1400 square metres of wall-to-wall trampolines, practice tricks in the foam pit with two Olympic trampolines.
- Duration: 2 hours
- Location: Prestons, New South Wales
50% off Blue Mountains abseiling adventure from Scoopon
Experience an incredible guided abseiling adventure tour in the majestic Blue Mountains.
- Duration: 4 hours
- Location: Glenbrook, New South Wales
SCG Stadium tour from RedBalloon
Step into the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground and Allianz Stadium in a 90-minute guided tour.
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Location: Moore Park, Sydney
- Price is for two people
$30
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High ropes climbing course from RedBalloon
An adventure to an eco-friendly park for the whole family and move from tree to tree on suspension bridges and jump from 20m up in the forest.
- Duration: 3.5 hours
- Location: Abbotsbury, Western Sydney, NSW
- Price is per person
$48
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Luna Park rides pass from RedBalloon
A day of fun and adventure at Luna Park with the whole family
- Duration: 1 day
- Location: Milsons Point, Sydney
- Price is per person
$22
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Sydney Harbour cruise with Taronga Zoo entry from RedBalloon
A whole-day tour with cruise, Sky Safari cable car ride and entry to Taronga Zoo for a perfect day out for all the family
- Duration: 1 day
- Location: Circular Quay, NSW
- Price is per person
$63
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Jet boat ride from RedBalloon
A 30 minute ride with amazing experience of 360 degree spins, power-slides and wave-jumps
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Location: Sydney Harbour
- Price is per person
$79
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Featherdale Wildlife Park entry from RedBalloon
Have an interactive wildlife experience at Featherdale Wildlife Park and get up close to all your most wanted Australian native animals.
- Duration: Full day entry
- Location: Featherdale Wildlife Park, Doonside
- Price is per person
$32
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Haunted Sydney ghost tour from finder.com.au
Venture back to historic Sydney. A time when prisoners were the law, public executions were commonplace and the Rocks Push ruled the street. Enter a haunted site not open to the public.
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Location: Sydney, NSW
- Price is per person
$36
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Sydney flexi attractions pass from finder.com.au
Explore the best of what Sydney has to offer. Your choice of entry to 3, or 5 top attractions in and around Sydney. It provides you with incredible savings of up to 40% off general admission fee.
- Duration: 4 hours
- Location: Sydney, NSW
- Price is per person
$109
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Jenolan cave and Blue mountains day tour from finder.com.au
Visit the Blue Mountains and travel to the amazing Jenolan Caves – Australia’s largest and most popular underground limestone cave system where you will enjoy a guided cave inspection.
- Duration: 11 hours
- Location: Circular Quay, NSW
- Price is per person
$140
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Blue mountains tour from finder.com.au
Includes free city hotel pick-up, Sydney 2000 Olympic site tour, lunch and more.
- Duration: 1 day
- Loaction: Sydney
- Price is per person
$125
View details16 events in Sydney during the winter school holidays
- Winterfest: Get ready for a fun day out on the ice as Luna Park plays host to an ice-rink, complete with snow machines and delicious winter food. 6-23 July
- Video Game Making Camps for Kids: Give your kids a leg up in the digital age with CodeSpace Education where they can learn to create video games, Minecraft mods, program Lego robots and much more. 28 June-20 July
- Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic: Re-visit the magic of Disney through a music and dance extravaganza with a recreation of over 14 Disney favourites including Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Frozen. 18-23 July
- Winterfest Sydney Medieval Fair: Step back in time to a simpler life where knights, vikings, unicorns and orcs rule the lands. Experience the Full Flight Birds of Prey show, friendly re-enactments and the exciting Winterfest Jousting Tournament. 7-8 July
- Alphabetical Sydney: Creative Lab: Let your imagination run wild in a colourful, fun-filled, interactive experience. Showcased in a bright, creative laboratory, the city of Sydney is brought to life for you and the little ones through a series of creative activities which will capture your imagination. Until 12 August
- Kids on Deck: The Australian National Maritime Museum will host under-the-sea-themed workshops and activities where you can investigate maritime archaeology, craft a deep-sea explorer vessel, make sea creatures and try your hand at printmaking and animation. 9-22 July
- Bushrangers Behind Bars: Will you play the judge or the accused in this mock trial? Kids can choose to play a notorious bushranger or put their debate skills to the test as a magistrate in this mock trial at the Justice and Police Museum. 7-22 July
- Deep Sea Sensorium: Dive into cavernous ocean trenches at this interactive performance. You’ll be part of the crew exploring the deepest parts of the ocean, with illuminated creatures lighting the way alongside puppets, circus performers and percussion. 9-22 July
- Bondi Winter Magic: Experience Australia's only beachside ice rink where you can skate in the sunshine or under the stars at night. Beginners can take skating lessons or sit back and watch the experts in regular ice shows and ice hockey performances. 28 June-22 July
- Kinderling House Party: Kinderling House Party transforms City Recital Hall into a funhouse for the day, with music and activities for the whole family to enjoy. 7 July
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Winner of 5 Tony Awards, this acclaimed production follows 15-year-old Christopher Boone who has an extraordinary brain but is ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When Christopher falls under suspicion for killing his neighbour’s dog, his detective work to identify the true culprit takes him on a journey that overturns his world. 4-22 July
- Kid/Dub: Music-loving mums and dads, and kids who just love to move, absolutely can’t miss out on this immersive, stimulating and educational experience. Kid/Dub introduces little people to history’s timeless ‘big people’s’ songs’ for the first time. The friendly and fun music format is accompanied by live visuals on screen and is packed with special effects and tactile surprises. 7 July
- House of Magic: How did they do that? Witness some of the most mystifying and head-scratching illusions and magic during a night with 3 illusionists and magicians. 7 July
- Hamlet: Prince of Skidmark: Enjoy a night at the theatre with the kids in this very cheeky riff on Hamlet made especially for children. Shakespeare’s classic has been pulled apart and glued back together with hilarious costumes, loads of silliness and plenty of interactivity. 7-22 July
- Sydney Dance Company school holiday workshops: Join in the fun and develop skills in a range of dance styles. Classes for the beginner to the more experienced dancer to learn routines and improve their dance technique. 9-20 July
- Kids Veggie Patch: Where does food comes from? Let your kids explore the Royal Botanic Garden for edible plants, learn to make warming winter tea from freshly harvested garden ingredients and take home their own veggie seedlings to start growing food at home. 9-20 July
8 ideas for free school holidays activities in Sydney
- Wander around Royal Botanic Gardens and find the perfect spot for a sunny picnic.
- Explore Cockatoo Island and join one of the free events like the Convict Clues Challenge or the Ship Shape Challenge (both recommended for children 7-12 years old).
- Hit up a local beach like Manly, Bondi, Balmoral or Clovelly.
- Go for a bike ride or bush walk along the harbour, or through some inner-city parklands like Centennial Park or Sydney Park.
- Get active at Sydney Olympic Park, where Kids in The Park offers a range of free and low-priced activities for children including segway rides, drama workshops, disc golf and The Amazing Chase.
- Bushwalk in Sydney Harbour National Park, where there's plenty of tracks to choose from varying in length and difficulty.
- Have a blast at Luna Park. While you do have to pay for rides and games, entrance to the park is free and there's often events on during peak times..
- Explore the Art Gallery of New South Wales or the MCA's free exhibits.
Coupon codes and discounts for Sydney attractions and activities
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