Kids on rides at Sydney Royal Easter Show
Photograph: RAS of NSW
Photograph: RAS of NSW

The best Easter school holiday activities in Sydney

Here is the ultimate school holiday guide for the best way to keep the kids entertained this Easter hols

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Believe it or not, another school holiday is just about to begin in NSW. And if the thought of keeping the kiddos entertained for the next two weeks sends you into a spiral, we have you covered –  with the ultimate round-up of activities and experiences happening in Sydney for kids and families this Easter. 

There’s something here for the explorers, the budding scientists, the mini-athletes, the musical prodigies and just about everyone in between.

Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.

Looking for somewhere affordable to eat out with the kids? Check out our guide to the best cheap eats in Sydney.

Or visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Things to do during the school holidays in Sydney

It wouldn't be Easter in Sydney without a visit to the Easter Show. Showbags, woodchopping contests, baby animals, roller coasters, stunt cars, showbags, fruit and veg displays, cake decorating comps, fireworks... did we mention showbags? Yep, the Sydney Royal Easter Show is back at Sydney Showground from April 11-22 2025 with all the old-time favourites – and plenty of new offerings as well.

  • Sport and fitness
  • Sydney Olympic Park

The new Urbnsurf Sydney is a good place to let kids blow off some steam in the autumn sunshine. The "Bays" offer safe, gentle, rolling green and whitewater waves perfect for those who are learning to play in the waves. To use The Bays, it's just $39 per kid. You can also do a Boog in the Bays session, which are a great way for kids to build confidence on a bodyboard while developing the basic, fundamental skills. Keen? You can book over here.

Alice Ellis
Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Australia
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  • Museums
  • Darling Harbour

The Australian National Maritime Museum knows exactly how to cater to enquiring minds – deep diving into the fascinating science and history of our oceans and ocean-going vessels. There are free educational trails all around the museum and the Kids on Deck section will be open all holidays with a heap of interactive activties. There's also a fascinating Ocean Photography exhibition live right now to keep the parents entertained. You can check out the full program here.

Caitlyn Todoroski
Caitlyn Todoroski
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  • Museums
  • Milsons Point

A full 90 years since its famous smile first lit up the Harbour, Luna Park is still Sydney's favourite vintage attraction. You'll be greeted by Martin Sharp's iconic clown face at the entrance, and get the chance to check out the park's new immsersive experiences as well as oldschool faves – including the Wild Mouse rollercoaster, which is back in action after a multi-million dollar restoration project.

Winnie Stubbs
Winnie Stubbs
Lifestyle Writer
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  • Things to do
  • Fairs and festivals
  • Moore Park

This affordable family affair returns to the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park this autumn, set to put the little – and not-so-little – ones in the Easter spirit without costing you a pretty penny. The jam-packed program features everything from high-energy motorcycle and bike stunt shows to adorable little daschund meet and greets, carnival-style games and a carousel the whole family can enjoy.

Caitlyn Todoroski
Caitlyn Todoroski
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  • Sport and fitness
  • Campbelltown

Kingpin locations across Sydney are serving up a wildly affordable deal this school holidays. Priced at just $55 per person (but worth over $100!), their limited-time Ultimate Holiday Pass will score you two actvities (choice of bowling, darts, laser tag, an escape room or karaoke), a $20 food and drink voucher and a $40 voucher to spend in the arcade. Keen? Book here – valid until April 27.

Winnie Stubbs
Winnie Stubbs
Lifestyle Writer
  • Sport and fitness
  • Surfing, wakeboarding and water skiing
  • Manly

Manly Surf School runs lessons across Collaroy, Long Reef, Palm Beach, and, of course, Manly Beach – with daily dunks in the ocean to keep the kids entertained and active in the great outdoors. You can either book your kid into a single or multiple (group) sessions, or into a school holiday program. You can even take a lesson along with them, if you're keen to upskill too.

Winnie Stubbs
Winnie Stubbs
Lifestyle Writer
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  • Things to do
  • Centennial Park

Hidden deep (well, kind of deep) within the heart of Centennial Park is a playground like no other. Fit out with a wild tree house, bamboo forest, a fancy water-play area, banksia tunnels, turtle mounds and dry creek beds, this ‘wild play’ locale is full of wonderful nooks and crannies that keep kids fresh, entertained and connected to the big outdoors, all from within the controlled paradise of Centennial Park. 

Maya Skidmore
Maya Skidmore
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  • Sport and fitness
  • South Granville

Ninja Parc South Granville is a perfect stop for kids wanting to burn off some steam while simultaneously finessing their parkour skills. Featuring rope climbs, bouldering challengers, vertical and horizontal doors, a sea of poles and, the ever-classic ‘warped wall’, this gym-meets-play extravaganza is totally equipped to obliterate every last vestige of school holiday boredom. 

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Maya Skidmore
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  • Dawes Point

Enrol the little dancer of the house into one of Sydney's most established dance school's school holiday workshops. The classes dabble in everything from jazz, to contemporary, to hip-hop, to theatre. The classes target both beginners and kids who have been dancing since they could walk, so hit up the timetable to find something that suits. Learn from some of the best including performers from Grease The Arena Spectacular, the Moulin Rouge in Paris and Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby. The multi-day workshops will take place at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.

Caitlyn Todoroski
Caitlyn Todoroski
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  • Kids
  • Neutral Bay
  • price 1 of 4

The work of the late May Gibbs has given Australian children wondrous fantasies for years, with The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie enduring as an essential component in our collective childhood memory. Nutcote is where Gibbs wrote her books and long-running cartoon strip Bib and Bub. Reminisce about Gumnut babies and Banksia men in that childhood fantasy world when you visit the museum, learn about Gibbs and her characters, and then relax in the gardens.

Alice Ellis
Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Australia
  • Film
  • Darling Harbour
  • price 1 of 4

IMAX Sydney closed for a rebuild back in 2016, and after a longggg wait, it finally relaunched in October 2023, better than ever, in the W Sydney buildingWhen we say this is huge news, we mean it. IMAX Sydney’s new movie screen is the third largest in the world, spanning a staggering 693 square metres. If you're looking to get the title of coolest parent ever, a seat in one of IMAX's private pods or recliner chairs might just bring you one step closer. You can book tickets for IMAX Darling Harbour over here.

 

Alice Ellis
Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Australia
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  • Attractions
  • Farms
  • Sydney

Spend hours cooing over a barnyard of baby animals: chicks, lambs, calfs, kids, ducklings and rabbits, you name it. The almost-too-adorable experiences at Golden Ridge Animal Farm are largely aimed at human kids wanting to learn about the 500 furry and feathered farm residents – but grown-ups can tag along too.

  • Things to do
  • Penrith

Would you believe kids as young as three can do indoor skydiving at iFLY in Penrith? It’s all about the "look mum, look dad" here, as the indoor skydiving takes place behind glass in the middle of the venue – so even being a spectator is fun. They also have a camera taking pictures throughout your ‘dive’ so you can purchase your most impressive pose – complete with g-force cheeks.

Alice Ellis
Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Australia
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  • Things to do
  • Games and hobbies
  • Darling Harbour

Game on, Sydney. In early 2024, Australia’s very first interactive gaming rooms opened in Darling Harbour, offering full-scale, immersive versions of Squid Game, Angry Birds, Ghostbusters and a whole lot more. Little ones aged five and up can come for the adventure, too, with light-hearted games featuring beloved characters from Paw Patrol and Shaun the Sheep. You can find Immersive Gamebox next door to Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, with sessions running daily from 10am until 7pm Sundays through Thursdays, and until 8pm on Friday and Saturday nights. 

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Melissa Woodley
Travel & News Editor, Time Out Australia
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  • Things to do
  • Mosman

If you’ve ever wanted to get seriously close to tigers (without there being a terrible ethical or safety problem in the way), this is your chance. Tiger Trek is an entertaining but also hugely educational experience that helps you make better supermarket choices to help protect the endangered Sumatran tiger's habitat. The Tiger Trek is included in your ticket to Taronga, so it's free to zoo attendees.

Maya Skidmore
Maya Skidmore
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  • Things to do
  • Games and hobbies
  • Alexandria

This little pocket of Alexandria is the perfect place to hide out on a rainy day. You’ve got 9 Degrees for indoor climbing, Hijinx Hotel for group challenges (more info below), Holey Moley mini golf, boozing for the grown-ups at Rocks Brewing Co – plus an arcade of retro games, bowling and laser tag at Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq. Inside, there are bowling lanes, an interactive 3D theatre ride (our pick of the whole venue), a laser tag zone for kids, the tightest dodgem track you’ll ever come across, and a whole lot of arcade games.

  • Kids
  • Active events

It's time for the imagination to run wild at the Botanic Gardens. The school holiday program is jam packed with whimsical garden tours, live theatre, interactive workshops and First Nations-led 'tea time' sessions, where kids will learn how indigenous plants are used to make tea, all while learning about their nutritional and medicinal benefits (and creating tea bags to take home). The program also extends from the Royal Botanic Garden right through to Australia's largest botanic garden at Mount Annan so you can have floral fun all over Sydney. Book yourself and the little ones in for fun that is equally cultural and exciting as it is botanical. 

Caitlyn Todoroski
Caitlyn Todoroski
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  • Attractions
  • Theme parks
  • Alexandria

Swim in a giant cereal bowl ball pit, tip-toe around a floor of lava, or enter a neon polka dot universe or an old-timey carnival in this incredible challenge rooms 'hotel' where no two rooms are the same. You’ll have just four minutes in each room to earn as many points as you can – it's a fun, high-energy vibe for the whole family.

Alice Ellis
Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Australia
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Want your kid to get benefit out of their screen time? Children aged 5-13 can develop valuable computer skills at a two- to three-day Code Camp. There are 121 Code Camp locations around Australia, though they can also join in online. Choose a camp based on their interests – there are themes such as Roblox Legends Camp (where they'll learn to code their own Roblox game), Drone Camp (program and code a drone), YouTube Creators camp (for budding content creators), and even a DJ Camp.

Alice Ellis
Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Australia
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  • Museums
  • History

Sydney is home to some pretty fascinating museums – some that you may not have even heard about. Places where you can learn about nature, science, design, ships, time, military history, society, the police force and more. Rain or shine, head out on a journey of discovery at these all-weather-friendly houses of knowledge.

Alannah Le Cross
Alannah Le Cross
Arts and Culture Editor, Time Out Sydney
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  • Travel
  • getaways

If you're keen to get the kids away from their screens and into the great outdoors, camping is an excellent option. Camping sites near Sydney are not only plentiful, but they're also one of the most affordable ways to enjoy a mini-break. We've tried and tested some of our favourite campgrounds, located in New South Wales’ most breathtaking and secluded spots.

Winnie Stubbs
Winnie Stubbs
Lifestyle Writer
  • Kids
  • Active events

Sydney Olympic Park has you covered with an action-packed program of autumn holiday activities. Their school holiday fortnight of fun is designed for kids of all ages and abilities. Choose from $22 archery sessions, beginner diving lessons and ball game clinics led by sports stars, or opt for the full experience with all-day recreational and aquatic camps. Plan ahead and book your spots before they sell out.

Alice Ellis
Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Australia
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  • Attractions
  • Parks and gardens

In Sydney, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to pristine stretches of protected wilderness that are just a stone’s throw from the heart of the city. Whether you and your kids like chasing waterfalls ot discovering stunning unspoilled beaches, NSW is home to an abundance of incredible national parks. We’ve rounded up our eight favourite ones that are within 100 kilometres of the CBD.

Winnie Stubbs
Winnie Stubbs
Lifestyle Writer
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  • Travel
  • Sydney

The Fullerton is a hotel partly housed in what used to be the Sydney General Post Office (GPO), a heritage building that was built back in 1887. It was Sydney's first major development, and regarded as a building that would come to symbolise Sydney in the way the Houses of Parliament in Westminster represent London, and the Eiffel Tower, Paris. You can discover the rich history of the building and the Post Office on the 90-minute GPO Heritage Tour. Their resident guide will take you on a journey through time, sharing the tales and legends of the city’s iconic Grand Dame. Book here.

Alice Ellis
Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Australia
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