The best school holiday activities in Canberra this spring

Step into RELICS: A New World Rises (19 September 2026 - 31 January 2027) an immersive exhibition where forgotten treasures become incredible LEGO® worlds. Packed with surprises, imagination and plenty to discover, you can search for hidden details, discover playful characters and uncover stories around every corner, it's a fun-filled adventure for curious kids and grown-ups too. 

Floriade  (12 September - 11 October) is back for its 39th year with Feast of Flowers theme, transforming Commonwealth Park into a colourful celebration of nature, food, and community spirit. Take a spin on the giant Ferris wheel and spot the stunning blooms from above, enjoy live music and roving entertainers, hop aboard the miniature train for a fun and easy way to explore the park, and treat the family to delicious bites and sweet treats. From little explorers to grown-up flower lovers, there's plenty to keep the whole family entertained Floriade offers a fun-filled day for all ages. 

When the sun goes down, NightFest (1-4 October) takes over and lights up Commonwealth Park. Think glowing gardens, live entertainment, market stalls, roving performers, and plenty of delicious treats under the stars. It’s Floriade after dark, and a magical night out for the whole family. 

Flowers and fun fill out the program at Floriade this year. 

Create a wooden cyanotype bookmark at Lanyon Homestead, learn from the masters behind Majura Valley Farm with a  wander through their kitchen gardens, and get your littlest hands dirty with a Potting Up workshop.  

See full program here.

Budding young artists aged 17 and under are invited to enter a three dimensional design inspired by this year's theme 'Art in Bloom' for Canberra Glassworks annual Kids' Design Competition. The winning design will be brought to life in a public glassmaking demonstration as part of Floriade.

They encourage submissions to consider the glass techniques and materials they might you use. Will it be see-through or opaque, rainbow or clear? Smooth, shiny, bumpy, sparkly, striped, or spotted? Is it a creature, functional object, or sculpture? Hollow or solid?

Are you ready to conjure some magic and make your very own personalised wand? Will you pass the test and be granted an official wand license? For Harry Potter fans, a visit to Quizzic Alley is a must. Alongside the country’s largest range of official merchandise, the store offers wand-making workshops during the school holidays, allowing young wizards to craft their own magical wands.

Celebrate art, culture, and storytelling with Ngunawal artists Jazz and Kristal Matthews from Wilay Designs. During the session, participants will explore the National Library of Australia's 'Wangka Wakanutja' exhibition to be inspired by the Papunya Community's remarkable publishing and artistic output.

From magical potion-making workshops and nature play sensory stations to floral-themed arts and crafts, there will be something to spark every child's imagination on Sundays in Haig Park over the school holidays. Families can enjoy a vibrant market atmosphere, live music, and plenty of delicious food while the little ones explore and create.

Get outside and get creative during the school holidays at Lanyon Homestead.

Across three days, children can take part in a series of playful outdoor workshops using botanical materials gathered from Lanyon’s gardens. Each activity encourages creativity, experimentation and hands on discovery, with expert guidance to help every child create something they can proudly take home.

 A stick is never just a stick. A leaf can be treasure, currency or nature's confetti. A tree can be a meeting place, a pirate ship, a castle or a gateway to a new adventure. Join the National Arboretum Canberra's educators for child-led exploration of the forests in Nature Play. These sessions have been designed to engage children and their carers in the magic of every season. Younger siblings are most welcome to join in.

Animal lovers will enjoy a day at the National Zoo & Aquarium, which is a great way to spend the day with the family, where they can encounter a wide variety of animals, both native and exotic. During the school holidays, the zoo also hosts Zoocation, which offers a unique experience for primary school aged children. Throughout a fun-filled day, children will get up close and personal with many of the zoo’s animals, play games, make toys for the animals, and learn something new along the way.

For a more natural encounter, make your own way to a self-guided adventure through Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve to spot wallabies, emus, koalas, and maybe even a platypus.

The tracks at Power Kart Raceway are sure to get your heart racing. Take the whole family to try racing the world-class electric go-karts on a Formula One style indoor circuit. You’ll also find an indoor glow-in-the-dark mini golf course, virtual escape rooms, and arcade machines to keep everyone entertained.

A short drive away, you’ll find BlocHaus within the Dairy Road precinct. This bouldering centre is perfect for kids to get a taste of rock climbing, with a section of the gym dedicated to families, featuring shorter walls and padded mats below.

For those seeking a little more adventure, Treetops Adventure delivers an exhilarating experience among Majura Pines. Navigate a series of rope courses, ziplines, and aerial challenges set high among the trees—perfect for families, groups, or anyone looking to try something different. Alongside the high ropes courses, the new Networld experience adds another dimension, especially for younger visitors. Suspended netted play zones stretch between the trees, creating a soft, bouncy environment where kids can run, jump and explore freely without harnesses.  

After a day of exploring, Canberra makes refuelling easy. Start at award-winning Space Kitchen, where the Magical Afternoon Tea showcases seven of its most popular sweet creations. More in the mood for savoury? Settle in at Agostinis for fresh pasta, woodfired pizzas and house-made gelato, or head to Tiger Lane at the Canberra Centre, where neon lights and flavours from across Asia make choosing dinner part of the adventure. 

Finally, the Canberra Centre offers a full day of indoor entertainment. Start at Hijinx Hotel , a quirky venue filled with challenge rooms designed to test teamwork and will keep everyone entertained. Next, test your mini-golf skills at Holey Moley, where each hole is uniquely themed. The fun doesn’t stop there – head over to Kingpin for an exciting mix of arcade games, bowling, karaoke, and immersive escape rooms that will keep the whole family engaged for hours.

Pack a picnic or order a grazing box when you book, and head for the water. With no boat licence required, GoBoat and Love Boats make it easy to get out on Lake Burley Griffin. Spend an hour or two cruising past Canberra's iconic landmarks, soaking up the spring sunshine and enjoying front-row views from the lake.  With room for up to eight passengers on a GoBoat and up to 10 on a Love Boat, there's space for the whole crew. 

Make the most of Canberra’s spring sunshine with a pedal boat adventure on the sparkling waters of Lake Burley Griffin. Perfect for families looking to slow down and explore at their own pace, Love Boats’ colourful pedal boats offer a fun and memorable way to see the capital from a different perspective.

Set among the natural beauty of Weston Park on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, Yarralumla Play Station is the perfect destination for a fun-filled family day these school holidays. Explore the winding pathways and surprises of the Canberra Maze, challenge the family to a round of mini golf, meet friendly farm animals and enjoy plenty of space to play outdoors. With lakeside views, tasty treats from the café and activities to keep curious minds entertained for hours, it’s easy to make a day of it. Just minutes from the city centre, Yarralumla Play Station is a Canberra favourite where adventure and family memories go hand in hand.

Megalo’s School Holiday Programs offer creative and engaging workshops tailored for young artists, providing a fun introduction to the world of printmaking. Designed to inspire curiosity and skill development, the program includes hands-on activities in techniques such as relief printing, screen printing, and etching. Clothes, toys, zines and postcards are all fair game in this immersive hands on experience for ages 6-13.