Guide to Spring School Holidays

Springtime in Canberra is undoubtedly a time for fun. From outdoor wonders to indoor interactive fun, there is something for everyone. The nation’s capital is known for its harsh winters, but this just means that springtime is more fun. With a mix of great outdoor, indoor and interactive fun, families can find themselves enjoying new experiences everyday. With so much on offer, working out how to entertain the kids while also getting in some quality family time is as easy as scrolling through our spring school holiday guide. 

Seasonal delights in Canberra

Visiting Canberra in spring has always been popular. As the city is further inland, the colder winters also makes spring more pronounced. From September, the city gets a sudden and dramatic flowering. Generally, it peaks around the end of September and early October, making it a perfect time to enjoy an array of different locations and activities. 

 

Floriade 

There’s no better place to celebrate the turn of the season then Floriade, the largest flower show in the Southern Hemisphere. A much loved fixture on Canberra’s event calendar, it attracted 433,959 people in 2017.

Floriade is free to attend and showcases the best in horticulture, creative landscaping, innovation and design. It hosts an exciting lineup of live entertainment and an after dark extravaganza, Floriade Nightfest. This is an event not to be missed by kids, featuring spectacular lighting designs and installations, pop-up roving entertainment, live comedy and music acts.

 

Parliament House 

See a different side of ‘the people’s house’ and take a tour of the private gardens at Parliament House. The Spring Glory Courtyard tour is a rare opportunity to take in the beauty and serenity of some of the 17 courtyards that are dotted throughout the building. After the tour, relax with the kids by having tea in the courtyards amongst the most exclusive garden in Canberra. 

The home of Australian democracy shines in spring. Make no mistake, Parliament House is the ultimate kid’s playground. Check out the LEGO Parliament House, made from 152,690 bricks. Kids can also catch screenings of some of Australia’s best animated characters like Bluey and Blinky Bill. 

 

Cockington Green

Cockington Green is a meticulously hand-crafted miniature recreation of what started as an English village. Today it incorporates an entire international theme, allowing you to have the world at your feet. Set within beautifully landscaped gardens, kids will love the miniature steam train, 34-room dollhouse, and homemade scones in the Garden Cafe.

 

Outdoor adventure in Canberra 

Outdoor activities in Canberra provide a great mix of fun and education. Kids can let their hair down and run through forests that date back hundreds of years. If that doesn’t take their fancy, perhaps a trip to the wetland habitats will. Even an adventure to Lake Burley Griffin will excite the kids. All these great outdoor locations mean that Canberra really is a kid’s playground, all they have to decide is what kind of fun they want to have on any given day. 

 

National Arboretum 

The National Arboretum features 94 forests of rare, endangered and symbolic trees from Australia and around the world. It’s one of the world’s largest collections of trees. Many are still young but two of the forests are over 100 years old and in springtime, running amongst them is just magic.

The Arboretum also features an award-winning, architect-designed welcome building, with panoramic views over Canberra, a restaurant, cafe, gift shop and information hub. There’s also an unique nature-themed Pod Playground and a Canberra Discovery Garden the kids will love.

 

Jerrabomberra Wetlands 

The Jerrabomberra Wetlands offer a range of outdoor activities. It’s one of the most valuable wetland habitat areas in the ACT and is of national and international importance. Take a stroll and discover a unique array of habitats and learn about the ecology of the place. For kids aged 8-15, they can develop their knowledge and skills in the natural environment with the Young Rangers Holiday Club.

 

Lake Burley Griffin 

Lake Burley Griffin lies in the centre of Canberra and stretches 40km. An artificial lake completed in 1963, it’s the geographic heart of Australia’s Capital. There are bike tracks around the edge and two islands accessible by boat. You can hire bikes if you don’t have them or take a paddle boat, kayak, rowboat, or dragon boat on the lake, making it the perfect place for active families.

 

Play and learn in Canberra 

Canberra plays host to a great range of museums and science centres. While this may not be a child’s first choice of adventure, the combination of fun and learning will have them hooked. After all, letting kids learn in a hands on environment is a great way to keep them informed while also sparking their creative side. 

 

Museum of Australian Democracy 

The Museum of Australian Democracy’s (MOAD) school holiday program is an affordable way to keep kids entertained. Kids can get hands on with craft, games and books, create stories and room installations, and more. There’s always something to do in MOAD’s children’s exhibition space, Play Up.

 

National Library of Australia 

Drop into the National Library of Australia with your literary learner and read, write, illustrate and imagine at WordPlay. There’s a range of activities to help your little one explore the shape, meaning and use of language and so enthralling is Spring Story Time that your kids won’t even know they’re learning!

 

National War Memorial 

The National War Memorial Discovery Zone lets kids dodge sniper fire in a First World War trench, take control of an Iroquois helicopter, peer through the periscope of a Cold War submarine and more. They can climb, jump, crawl, touch, and explore this purpose-built educational space. Kids from aged 5 and up can also take part in one of two holiday activities each day.

 

Questacon 

No one does ‘play and learn’ better than Questacon. Hands-on workshops allow kids aged 10-15 to unleash their inner inventor or designer and make some really cool stuff. There’s spectacular science shows each day, a smart skills initiative program and so much more that can promote a good understanding and awareness of science and technology.  

 

Art, craft and cooking in Canberra 

The select range of arts, crafts and cooking activities in Canberra is borderline genius. Kids can have the time of their lives using their hands to make delicious pastries or glass masterpieces. Yet, they’re learning great skills that will hold them in good stead for the future. The best part? They’ll be having so much fun they won’t even realise they’re being taught valuable life skills. 

 

Cooking classes

Pialligo Estate’s Academy is set on a rural farm with magical views of the Capital. It embraces a quality paddock-to-plate philosophy and makes the most of its orchard, vineyard, olive grove, smokehouse, market and herb gardens. During the holidays the Academy goes miniature, with baking, pastries, pies and decorating just some of the two-hour cooking classes kids can take. 

Alternatively, enrol your budding chefs in a class at Kids Pantry in Deakin, where they can learn to make a pie, pannacotta, croissants, lasagna, fried rice and more.

 

Market2Market

The Market-2-Market market day experience is for young people aged 10-17 who love to make things. If your child has a vision of starting their own creative business, this is an experience not to miss. 

Market2Market sees participants learn and develop a range of business skills over three days. These skills include:

• Developing a logo and prototype

• Getting to know the steps to take their product to market

• Product costing and financial literacy 

• Merchandising and customer service/sales

Participants can even take part in a real market day to test their products with real customers at Old Bus Depot Markets.

 

Canberra Glassworks 

Canberra Glassworks education program engages kids through glass, an important material in everyday life and a great artistic medium. Kids can work with talented artists to:

• Paint or etch a design onto glass to create a sparkly pendant or brooch

• Collect pine cones, plants and seed pods to make patterns and marks in a clay paperweight

• Cast treasured toys in glass to keep forever

• Learn the basics of cutting and fusing glass

 

Animal magic in Canberra 

It’s no secret that kids love animals. It’s something about the creatures that simply intrigues kids. With this in mind, why not treat your kids with a trip to the zoo or aquarium? That way kids can feed their natural curiosity about animals while also learning about natural habitats and the likes. 

 

National Zoo & Aquarium 

The zoo and aquarium bring two animal encounter experiences together to offer a great day out for kids of all ages. There’s a wide variety of both native and exotic animals, as well as the largest inland saltwater tank in Australia. There’s also a range of tours and personalised encounters you can embark on. Additionally, the Jamala Wildlife Lodge proves to be the ultimate overnight safari.

 

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve 

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve offers self-guided activities and organised activities throughout the school holidays. From boomerang throwing and damper making to billy tea drinking and platypus spotting, there’s something for every age. Search for koalas in the canopy while you’re there and roam the bush trails to find emus, kangaroos, echidnas and possums.

 

Other things to do 

Other activities you might like to try include:

 

• Tasting the best of Canberra’s spring produce at the Capital Region Farmers Market. Packed with produce stall from across the region, it provides the perfect start to a day of picnicking and barbecuing.  

• You can always come and shop at The Marketplace Gungahlin too, home to an eclectic mix of retailers and dining options from across the globe. 

 

Marketplace Gungahlin offers an extensive school holiday program for kids that is sure to get their creative juices flowing. It’s also a great way for kids to make new friends. There’s something new every day of the holidays, and better yet, it’s free! From artsy food fun to back to school crafts, check out the program with our What’s On news resource.