Kids in dodgem cars at Gumbuya World
Photograph: Supplied
Photograph: Supplied

The best school holidays activities in Melbourne

Find our picks of the best out activities for kids during the spring school holidays

Liv Condous
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Summer is in full swing, which means the longest school holiday period of the year is upon us. In Victoria, kids get to have a break until late January. So if you don't want bored children on your hands, you'll need a few ideas up your sleeve for how to keep them entertained. But fear not, we've put together a list of the best family friendly things to do right now, so you won't have stir-crazy kids running around the house.

Looking for more things to do? Here’s what’s happening across Melbourne this week

Things to do with kids over the school holidays in Melbourne

  • Kids
  • Play spaces
  • Melbourne

Funfields, located in Whittlesea, opened in 1985 and has since become one of Melbourne's best-loved attractions. Your entry ticket gets you access to 22 rides, including waterslides, plus a water play area for kids and barbecue area. 

  • Film
  • Outdoor cinema
  • Melbourne

It's officially that time of year again when the Moonlight Cinema returns to Melbourne for the summer. There's just something special about snuggling into a bean bag and catching a film under the stars in the Royal Botanic Gardens – with an ice cream or wine in hand, of course. There are plenty of kid-friendly classics on the summer program, which you can view here

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  • Things to do
  • Games and hobbies
  • Tullamarine

Melbourne's two-hectare surfing lagoon has areas customisable for all ages and abilities – so if you're not Layne Beachley just yet, you'll do just fine. The modular wave generator means that there can be different kinds of waves in different sections of the pool. Beginners can attend surfing lessons in the whitewash with friendly and talented surfing coaches while the pros can stick to the back with consistent waves above two metres tall. This school holidays, the kids can hang ten on a surf or boogie board for just $30, or go for a splash in the shallows for $15. Best of all, you can head to Three Blue Ducks afterwards to refuel.

  • Comedy
  • Melbourne

The Australian Shakespeare Company's production of The Wind in the Willows has been playing in the same spot since 1987, and Melburnians who saw it as children are now bringing their own kids along to enjoy the timeless classic. The 2024-25 season marks the 38th time the charming outdoor production will bring the whimsy of Kenneth Grahame’s immortal story to Royal Botanic Gardens, making for a perfect family tradition that can live on through future generations. 

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  • Kids
  • Active events

Gumbuya World is the ideal place for a whole day of summer fun, with a massive water park that features slides, a surfing section and a 300-metre Lazy River. Plus, there's a Wildlife Trail, with more than 50 animal species to see, as well as a petting zoo. Visitors can hand-feed kangaroos, wallabies and emus, and there are also two new young koalas in the park. On top of all of that, there's heaps of rides that cater to all ages. 

  • Things to do
  • Games and hobbies
  • Melbourne

The classic board game that we all have memories of (both the wholesome family fun and table-flipping fights) now has a theme park wonderland in Melbourne, where you can relive all the fun – minus the sibling rivalry. Monopoly Dreams will celebrate the best-selling game with a one-of-a-kind immersive entertainment experience in the heart of the CBD. It's the world's largest Monopoly-themed attraction, and will take you on a nostalgic journey through the world of Mr. Monopoly, where reality and the game become one. The attraction is running special activities just for the school holidays.

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  • Musicals
  • Melbourne
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

From the story’s origins hundreds of years ago, to its transformation into the classic 1991 Disney film, Beauty and the Beast really is a tale as old as time. From the moment the curtain rises, it’s clear this is a large-scale musical with all the belles, whistles and big bucks. Visual splendour is the MO here – think kaleidoscopic costumes, gasp-inducing illusions and spectacular lighting – that will be sure to spark joy for your little ones.

  • Things to do
  • South Yarra

The term 'immersive experience' gets thrown around a lot these days, but a new attraction making its Aussie debut in our city can definitely claim the phrase – because it requires visitors to rely on their own five senses as part of a unique journey. 

Navigate through six themed spaces filled with sensory based challenges that are designed to create a rollercoaster of emotions. From rooms in pitch-black darkness to playful games – and plenty of 'grammable moments – you'll use all your senses to complete a variety of team-based tasks. Yes, even taste! 

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  • Attractions
  • Theme parks
  • Docklands

Sometimes, it helps to look at the world from a different perspective – upside-down, perhaps? At this new photo experience opening underneath the (now defunct) Melbourne Star, you'll certainly be able to see things from a different point of view. The inverted house experience, House Down Under, will bring topsy-turvy fun to Docklands. From the outside, the house appears to have dropped from the sky, Wizard of Oz style, and inside you can capture surreal and creative photos.

  • Things to do
  • Southbank

Having undergone a multi-million dollar redevelopment in 2021, there's no denying this high-altitude attraction remains one of the best ways to discover the city from a dizzying height. Melbourne Skydeck now boasts a massive virtual reality theatre where visitors can embark on an 11-minute immersive journey across the state, and you can get an even closer look at the city with the augmented reality 3D model of Melbourne built to a 1:1100 scale. And of course, the Edge is still terrifying all those who dare to enter this transparent cube that's suspended almost 300 metres above the street.

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  • Things to do
  • Food and drink
  • Spotswood

Need something to do these school hols that will make everyone in your family smile? Grazeland has you covered. Aside from the epic line-up of food and drink vendors that operate at the huge food precict on the reg, from September 21 to October 6 you'll also discover a family-friendly program of performers and activities to dial the fun up a notch. The holidays will be filled with roving entertainers, including dazzling stilt walkers and glowing LED angels. Little ones can also get their faces painted and meet their favourite characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse. 

  • Attractions
  • Theme parks
  • Maidstone

Keeping the kids entertained and occupied throughout the school holidays is a Herculean task, so what better place to keep your sanity than an all-in-one adventure park? The first Australian SuperPark has opened in Melbourne's western suburbs at Highpoint Shopping Centre. Here, kids can run, climb and jump across a whopping 2,300 metres and choose from 17 movement-based activities in the Adventure Area, Games Arena and Freestyle Zone. SuperPark activities include an indoor pedal car track, a ninja track obstacle course, an interactive trampoline game, ten-pin bowling, a digital basketball game and a world-first footy game where kids can test their AFL skills. 

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  • Things to do
  • Games and hobbies
  • Maribyrnong

Put your putt-putt skills to the test on the two-level, 18-hole mini-golf course or head to the old school arcade and grab a joystick, pretend it's 1985 and play classic games like Space Invaders and Pacman. For those uninterested in a blast from the past, there's also a new school arcade boasting an ever-evolving collection of contemporary games and immersive experiences. Sing your favourite song at one of Funderdome's private and spacious box-style karaoke lounges, or head to the Clubhouse for some competitive sports like cornhole, shuffleboard, pool, air hockey, foosball and more.

  • Kids
  • Malvern East

This brick-filled play centre will delight little and big Lego fans. The space is packed with more than two million Lego bricks and features attractions including Miniland Melbourne, where the city's best-known landmarks have been recreated out of thousands of Lego bricks, as well as play zones for the kids and Lego-themed rides. There is also a 4D cinema (it’s a sensory cinematic adventure – the wind will actually blow in your hair) so you can rewatch your favourite Lego movies on the big screen, a Lego factory tour and heaps more. 

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  • Kids
  • Play spaces
  • Geelong

MoPA is a children’s museum, a place where kids can engage with fun, immersive exhibits created in line with childhood education guidelines. While all children develop at different rates, the exhibits at MoPA are designed for tots aged one to nine. Kids can suss out their fine motor skills in the soft play area, build and race in the Zoom Room, climb up to Sunset City for a sweet view of the museum and get creative at the MoPA Art Car.

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Keen for a swing at the playground?

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