Mini worlds just one of many things to explore these holidays

Happy spring! The weather is finally warming up, the flowers are blooming and there are plenty of fun things for kids across the country to do these school holidays! Here are our top picks from across the capitals.

SYDNEY
The Art Gallery of NSW has several exhibitions and activities to keep young artists feeling creative over the break.

Drop-in workshop: Double bird in flight
This workshop designed by Peruvian-Australian artist Madeleine Kelly will show you how to use collaged paper textures to decorate a double bird shape. You can even suspend it with string to make it “fly”.

All materials and instructions are provided, with participants welcome to join the workshop at any time during the listed hours.

Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult at all times.

When: 26 September – 11 October 2026
Daily, 10am – 5pm
Wednesdays until 9pm

Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Naala Badu building
Lower level 1, Learning Studio

Cost: Free, no bookings required

Drop-in workshop: Woven tortoises
In this workshop inspired by artist Desmond Lazaro, you will learn how to weave a tortoise shell in order to create a mini “tortoise protector to bring you peace, wisdom and longevity.”

The activity was inspired by Desmond Lazaro’s Avatar: Forms of Vishnu exhibition, currently showing at the gallery, with the tortoise being the second avatar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Hindu mythology.

Kids can drop in to the workshop, which is suited to all ages and abilities, at any time during the listed hours and materials and instructions are provided. Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult at all times.

When: Daily, 11am – 3.30pm
26 September – 11 October 2026

Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Naala Badu building
Lower level 2

Cost: Free, no bookings required

Guided tour for kids: Yiribana Gallery

Those wanting a good dose of art appreciation will love the dynamic tour on offer of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander First Nations art collection in the Yiribana Gallery.

Led by a First Nations educator, children and families will have the opportunity to get a deep dive into many of the artworks in this 45 minute tour.

Meet at the entry of the Yiribana Gallery in the Naala Badu building.

When: Wednesdays 30 September, 7 October 2026
1pm 

Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Naala Badu building
Ground level, Yiribana Gallery

Cost: Free, no bookings required

BRISBANE

QAGOMA – The Sock Puppet Studio/ Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company exhibition
Check out the magical world of Muppets creator Jim Henson and learn how to make a sock puppet while you are there.

Who doesn’t love sock puppets? Well, now you have the chance to make one at QAGOMA, creating your own character using socks, pipe cleaners and yarn.

Then you can bring it to life and record a lip-synch performance with a little know-how from The Jim Henson Company.

Leave your puppet behind but take your recorded performance with you so that materials can be reused by others for endless hours of fun.

The experience is designed for all ages and skill levels, with no experience necessary, and is offered as part of the Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company exhibition.

Only people who have paid to see the Jim Henson exhibition can take part in the sock puppet making studio.

When: Drop-in between 10.00am – 3.30pm daily during Queensland state school holidays (excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day & Good Friday).

Where: Gallery of Modern Art, River Room (Sue and Brian King River Room)

MELBOURNE

Scienceworks: Glow Show, Questacon Colour exhibition and Planetarium shows
Head on over to Melbourne’s Scienceworks this spring and check out the Glow Show, where you can discover the science behind fluorescence, luminosity, and things that glow. Make sure you stay to watch the giant Tesla Coil, which lights up the room with two million volts of electricity.

The Glow Show runs daily, with four sessions hourly from 12pm during school holidays.

Scienceworks also has an interactive science exhibition from Questacon, Colour: See The World In A New Light, aimed at kids up to 14 and running until January.

Kids can explore and experiment across 21 exhibits that reveal how colour is created, changed, and perceived.

And space lovers will be captivated by the Planetarium and its many shows. Solar System Adventures: The Planets takes kids on a journey through space, visiting our celestial neighbours from the inner rocky worlds (including red Mars) out to the faraway gas giants.

Where: Scienceworks, 2 Booker Street, Spotswood

When and cost: For more details on running times and prices check the Scienceworks website: museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/

ADELAIDE

Adelaide Planetarium is running immersive day time sessions throughout the school holidays. Check the Adelaide University website for details.

Science Club – Spooky Science
What better science than the spooky kind? Especially since Halloween is just around the corner.

This school holidays the Adelaide Library Science Club team are inviting young scientists to join them in doing some spooky experiments – you may even make some GHOULISH new friends!

Recommended for ages 8-12. Adult supervision required for kids under 12. Tickets are not required for attending adults. All materials provided.

Contact Details: City of Adelaide Libraries
(08) 8203 7203
library@cityofadelaide.com.au

City Libraries
Adelaide and North Adelaide SA 5000 and 5006
(08) 8203 7203

When and where:
Thursday 1 October at Hutt Street from 10:30am to 12:00pm,
Wednesday 7 October at Tynte Street from 10:00am to 11:30am,
and Friday 9 October at North Terrace, from 10:30am to 12:00pm

Cost: free

CANBERRA

Canberra Museum + Gallery – RELICS: A New World Rises
Calling all LEGO® fans – here is your chance to get up close and personal with the astounding creations from LEGO® Masters winners Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler.

RELICS: A New World Rises is a mind boggling exhibition where old objects have become homes for intricate miniature worlds built from LEGO® bricks.

Look inside an old refrigerator and you may find a cryogenic wellness resort. Inside a grandfather clock there exists a time machine. The clever concept across more than 15 large-scale installations, is that tiny civilisations have adapted to the objects left behind by humans. And each one is full of interesting little stories to tell.

There is also a school holiday workshop that shows you how to create your own relic as well as a talk with a LEGO® builder.

When: 19 Sep 2026—31 Jan 2027

Where: Cnr London Circuit and Civic Square, Canberra City

Cost: Price varies depending on age

SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOP: Make your own RELIC
When: Tuesday 29 September, Wednesday 30 September and Thursday 1 October

10:30am – 11:15am and 11:45am – 12:30pm

Cost: General Admission $10 (+ booking fees)

Age: Designed for ages 5 – 13

TALK WITH A LEGO® BUILDER: A Normal Day at Jurassic Park
When: Thursday 1 October

12:30pm

Cost: Pay What You Want (+ booking fees)

Ages: All ages

Join young Canberran LEGO® enthusiast Eric Wanigasekara as he takes you behind the scenes of his award-winning creation, A Normal Day at Jurassic Park.

Floriade
Spring is here – what better way to celebrate than to immerse yourself in a field of flowers?

If you are lucky enough to be in Canberra, why not head down to the annual Floriade festival and celebrate this year’s theme, Feast of Flowers? There are more than one million flowers to admire, as well as entertainment, music and food, plus exhibits, workshops and more.

When: 18 September to 11 October

Where: Commonwealth Park, Canberra

Cost: Free.

DARWIN/TOP END

MAGNT – MAGNT After Dark | Insect Investigations
If you like the idea of staying in a museum after dark and learning all about creepy-crawlies, this one is for you.

In this excursion, kids will explore the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory by torchlight and examine invertebrates in the Tiny Territory exhibition, as well as learn how to set insect traps outside. You will also get to use digital microscopes for some detailed investigations.

Suitable for ages 10-15 (accompanying adults required).

Where: Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Darwin City, NT

When: Friday, October 2, 5 PM – 9 PM

Cost: Free – book online magnt.net.au/whatsondarwin

The City of Darwin also has a range of free holiday programs, including ones tailored to older kids. Get That Job! White Card gives young people 15-25 the chance to earn accreditation to work in the construction industry.

It’s a free course held on the 30 Sep at 8.30am-2.30pm at Casuarina Aquatic and Leisure Centre Community Room.

There are also free movie screenings, such as The Legend of Ochi at Nightcliff Library on Tue, Sep 29 2026, 10am – 11:30am for all ages, and Spider-Man (2002) at Deckchair Cinema in Darwin city on Tue, Sep 29 2026, 7pm – 10pm for ages 12 – 25 (people outside the 12-25 age bracket can attend but must pay for a ticket).

PERTH

Perth Royal Show
The Perth Royal Show is back for another year, featuring rides, exhibitions, activities such as egg decorating, and animals of all shapes and sizes.

While you’re there, don’t forget to watch the cat show and show horses – and make sure you check out Critters Up Close (if you dare).

When: 26 Sept – 3 Oct 2026

Where: Claremont Showground, 1 Graylands Rd

Cost: Prices vary depending on age with family bundles available. Your parents can visit raswa.org.au/perth-royal-show to purchase online

HOBART
It may not be exclusively for kids, but teen and tween crafters out there in Hobart will be sure to get excited for Craft Alive when it comes to Hobart for three days.

The massive craft fair is chock-a-block full of kits, supplies and equipment, while featuring some exceptional teachers who can show you their tried and tested techniques in a range of different craft mediums.

Entry tickets can be purchased online with classes updated daily. Ask your folks to follow Craft Alive on Facebook for updates and further announcements.

When: 8 – 10 October 2026

Where: MAC 02, 18 Hunter St, Hobart TAS 7000

Cost: Entry tickets vary in price depending on age with kids under 14 free. Individual classes come at an additional price and vary.

Check Craft Alive website for details: craftalive.com.au/events/hobart-2/

WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE RELICS EXHIBITION IN CANBERRA