The Christmas school holidays are the most exciting time for the kids and the most stressful for parents. With all the extra costs that come with the season and not being able to afford a Christmas holiday, keeping them entertained in your hometown can feel like a drain on your wallet. Swoosh has you covered with our list of cheap school holiday activities—so you can stress less about the cost without the need for a Christmas loan.
Overview
Cheap school holiday activities nationwide
Fun and cheap school holiday activities in Sydney
Affordable school holiday activities in Brisbane
Budget-friendly school holiday activities in Melbourne
Exciting low-cost school holiday activities in Perth
School holiday activities for kids and working parents
For the days that you have available, there are plenty of free activities for kids during the Christmas school holidays. You can get creative and hang out at home or venture out to free events and locations!
If you’d rather use your precious annual leave on a holiday, there are some great cheap Christmas holiday destinations.
Cheap school holiday activities nationwide
1. Council Holiday Programs
Local councils across Australia offer affordable school holiday programs for children and teenagers, aged 5–17 years. These programs provide fun, educational and recreational activities while supporting working families during school holidays.
Activities may include:
- Sports and outdoor adventures
- Creative workshops
- Cooking classes
- Social activities to encourage friendship and teamwork
To find out what is available in your area, visit your local council’s website or community centre. Be sure to check the costs, eligibility for subsidised places, age requirements, and dates before registering.
2. Check out the public libraries
Public council libraries
Some local council programs are run in partnership with public libraries, which also offer a variety of school holiday activities for children and teenagers. These may include reading sessions, arts and crafts workshops, storytelling and book clubs.
Public libraries also provide quiet reading and study spaces, allowing parents to work remotely while their children explore new books and enjoy engaging activities in a welcoming environment.
Street libraries
If you want to pick up some new books, go on an adventure, or donate some books, why not check out the Street Libraries in your area?
Street libraries are a wonderful community initiative that encourages people to share books they no longer need while discovering something new to read. Community members can take a book, leave a book, or do both. These little libraries help promote literacy, encourage book sharing, reduce waste, and bring people together through a shared love of reading.
3. Hardware store DIY workshops
Check out your local Bunnings and hardware stores for some school holiday workshops.
Bunnings is always running DIY kids’ activities, including gardening, woodwork, and painting. They also have online DIY videos and guides that you can recreate with the kids at home. Find out what your local Bunnings is hosting this week – bookings are essential, as numbers are limited.
Fun and cheap school holiday activities in Sydney
1. Visit a wildlife park
Parks are a classic cheap school holiday activity—and you can make a whole day of it. It’s the perfect opportunity for fun while keeping the kids learning over the holidays.
Here are some places to visit:
- Taronga Zoo Sydney: $29.70 per child (family pass options available), free for infants, and $51.30 per adult
- Australian Reptile Park: $36.99 per child or $72.99 for annual pass (family pass options available)
- Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park: $29 per child or $90 for annual pass
- Sydney Zoo: $23 per child or $59 for annual pass
- WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium: $57 per child for both attractions or $119 for an annual pass for both attractions
2. Explore the Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains, just one and a half hours away from Sydney, is chock-a-block with things to do and stuff to see. When the kids get bored over the holidays, drive out to one of these spots:
- Blue Mountains Cultural Centre: learn about the geography and history of the area and experience current exhibitions
- Zig Zag Railway: jump on a heritage steam train and travel through stunning scenery
- Scenic World: descend on the cableway, walk through the rainforest and even hang out with some dinosaurs
3. Join a dance class workshop
Sydney Dance Company holds school holiday dance workshops for a range of dance styles and experience levels. Prices start as low as $38 for short classes to $385 for three-day long workshops.
While the prices aren’t as cheap as the other school holiday activities on this list, these workshops are perfect for when the grandparents are in charge of the kids.
Affordable school holiday activities in Brisbane
1. See the Christmas Lights
Not sure what to do this December? While Christmas Lights and house decorating became less popular after the pandemic, many Brisbane residents are still keeping the tradition alive. You can search for display locations on the Christmas Lights Map and plan your family night out.
2. Take the family on a picnic
When it comes to picnic destinations, Brisbane residents are spoilt for choice. From the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast, there are plenty of options for a relaxing day out for you while the kids burn off some of that famous kid-energy. You can picnic at our endless beaches, bushland, parks, waterfalls and even mountains.
Here are a few of our favourite picnic locations:
Brisbane:
- Mt Coo-tha Botanic Gardens
- Roma St Parklands
- Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre
- New Farm Park
Gold Coast
- Burleigh Heads
- Home of the Arts (HOTA) Parklands
- Currumbin Rock Pools
- Cedar Creek Falls
Sunshine Coast
- Glasshouse Mountains
- Point Cartwright Lighthouse and Beach
- Bokarina Boulevard Park
- Coolum Beach
3. Book an experience at an entertainment venue
There are always new activities for the family popping up around Brisbane, with the flexibility to book during the day or night. Places as simple as these can make up the best Christmas experience for the kids.
Check out these entertainment venues:
There are usually cheap school holiday deals, so keep an eye out for offers.
little girl picking up bowling ball at bowling alley for cheap school holiday activity | swoosh finance
Budget-friendly school holiday activities in Melbourne
1. Venture to Melbourne Zoo
The best things in life are free! That’s right, a children’s ticket at Melbourne Zoo is free during school holidays. That means you just need to pay $58 for an adult ticket, making it a relatively cheap school holiday activity. If you have extra funds in your Christmas budget, you can upgrade your ticket with an Animal Experience—including the “Roar ‘n’ Snore” Overnight Camp.
If you want to road trip and explore Victoria a little more, you can get a Zoos Victoria membership for unlimited access to all four of their locations (Melbourne, Werribee, Healesville and Kyabram).
2. Visit Collingwood Children’s Farm
At only $10 per child or $40 for an annual pass, Collingwood Children’s Farm is great for when the grandparents want to take a group of kids out for cheap school holiday activities. There are fun activities every day, like meeting guinea pigs, tactile play, tractor photos, a produce stall, and more. If the kids like bees, the apiary is open on the second and fourth Sunday of every month.
toddler reaching towards goat through fence at children’s farm | swoosh finance
3. Go fruit picking
Melbourne and its surrounds are a hub for berry picking in the summer months, so timing is perfect for Christmas school holiday activities. Spend some time out in the sun while munching on some healthy snacks.
Entry costs to farms range from free to around $20 for adults. Some farms offer all-you-can-eat berries while you’re in the orchard, while others will be between $5 and $25 depending on the fruit or vegetable. There are also other activities, including meeting farm animals, cafes, and artisanal products.
Here are just a few farms to visit:
- Blue Hills Berries and Cherries (Silvan): cherries, strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, blueberries and more
- The Bramble Farm (Langwarrin): brambleberries and raspberries
- Tuckerberry Hill Blueberries (Drysdale): blueberries and strawberries
- Payne’s Orchard (Bacchus Marsh): cherries, berries, peaches and apricots
- Each fruit has a different season they are available for picking, so make sure to check the farm’s website in advance.
Exciting low-cost school holiday activities In Perth
1. Play at BHP Billiton Water Park
If you feel like you can’t afford Christmas, a family day out to the park can be quite special. BHP Water Park, located in Elizabeth Quay, is a welcoming free community space for Perth families and visitors to enjoy. The major attraction is an interactive water feature that uses jets and misters to create fun and exciting water choreography. Go at night to see the fountains light up, adding a cool visual to the experience.
There are also plenty more activities for the school holidays at Elizabeth Quay, including a Venetian carousel and a huge playground called “The Island.”
2. Explore Whiteman Park
Whiteman Park is a massive recreation and conservation reserve with enough to keep the family entertained for days. Explore the local environment at the Caversham Wildlife Park, Children’s Forest or Woodland Reserve, or take a guided tour of the park—there’s even a nighttime option!
If the kids love trains, you can visit the Motor Museum of WA or take a ride in a vintage train. Make a day of it and make use of the park’s barbecues, playgrounds and more.
3. Cruise on the Pirate Ship Mandurah
Do the kids love to play pretend? Take their imagination to the next level with a cruise on the Pirate Ship Mandurah. Ticket prices start from $22 for an interactive pirate experience where you can shoot water cannons and spot some bottlenose dolphins. You can even book a cruise to watch the Christmas Lights from the canals.
Need some help these school holidays?
We know the Christmas school holidays can be a hectic and expensive time of year for a lot of families. If you need a little extra to get through the festive season, a Christmas loan could be an option. Our loans are 100% online, with simple eligibility criteria and no hidden fees. Apply online today and get the ball rolling!
School Holiday Activities FAQs
What are some Christmas-themed school holiday activities?
Some stand-out Christmas-themed school holiday activities include:
- Visiting Santa Claus at your local shopping centre
- Driving around and look at Christmas lights
- Christmas movie marathon
- Making Christmas snacks in the kitchen
- Gingerbread house building
- Christmas markets
- DIY Christmas ornaments
What are the most popular holiday activities?
The most popular school holiday activities in Australia are water recreation and outdoor adventures, including parks, hiking, and visiting wildlife enclosures.
What can you do on the school holidays at home?
Here are some fun home activities to do while on school holidays:
- Build a fort in the lounge room or underneath the dining table
- Read a new book
- Use a camera and film home videos for the family to watch
- Learn a new hobby
- Play pretend and make some costumes using your parents’ wardrobe
What to do when bored in the summer holidays?
In Australia, the Christmas holidays are also the hottest time of the year. To not get bored over the summer holidays, here are some things to keep the school holidays cool:
- Create a water slide in the backyard
- Go to the beach
- Learn how to make slushies
- Ride your bikes
