Get ready to rug up and explore Canberra with the kids this winter!

From building moon bases with LEGO to meeting animatronic dinosaurs, zooming down Questacon’s epic slide, exploring magical mini villages, and catching The Gruffalo’s Child live on stage—ACT’s packed school holiday line-up is all about hands-on fun, big adventures, and sneaky learning.

Whether you’ve got tiny tots or curious tweens, there’s something cool (and cosy) for everyone.

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🚀 School Holidays Workshop – Mission Moon

“Mission Moon” is a STEM-focused, full-day LEGO®‑based workshop where kids step into the shoes of astronauts tasked with designing machines and tools to prepare the Moon for future missions. Participants will plan, build, and test creations in a supportive, collaborative environment led by friendly instructors.

Location: Carlton Public School
Dates & Times: 9 July 2025 | 9 AM

Ticket Information: $107.19

Highlights:

• • LEGO‑based workshop focusing on engineering, creativity, and problem-solving — build, test, iterate!
  • Hands-on learning experience guided by instructors who foster creativity and team collaboration.
    
  • Theme: making the Moon habitable, exploring real-world STEM challenges in a fun, dynamic format.
    

Plan Your Visit:

• • Drop-off & pick-up at Carlton Public School; parents not required to stay.
  • What to bring: snack, lunch, water bottle, and hat.
    
  • Refunds available up to 7 days before the event; Eventbrite fees non-refundable.
    

Insider Tips:

• • Pay early and apply the Creative Kids voucher quickly — seats are limited!
  • Ideal for spark­ing STEM enthusiasm — engineering and robotics fun blended with teamwork.
    
  • Great solo activity—kids are grouped by age, parents free to drop off and head out.

Don’t miss this out-of-this-world, STEM‑powered school holiday experience—it’s all about designing, building, experimenting, and having a blast while exploring lunar possibility!

🎟️ Grab tickets here

🔬 Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre

Australia’s premier interactive science centre, featuring over 200 hands-on exhibits across 8 themed galleries—including MiniQ (0–6 yrs), Awesome Earth, Excite@Q (with free-fall slides and Tesla coils), Moon Gallery, Q Lab, and more. There’s also live science theatre by the “Excited Particles” team and an outdoor Science Garden with the NKRYPT installation.

Location: King Edward Terrace, Parkes, ACT
Dates & Times: Open daily from 9 AM – 5 PM

Ticket Information: Child - Under 4 years FREE

Highlights:

• • Excite@Q: experience the 6.7 m free-fall slide, four-way air hockey (BATAK), and light/magnet explorations.
  • Awesome Earth: feel earthquakes, watch lightning discharges, learn about natural forces.
    
  • MiniQ: a splash zone filled with tactile science for younger kids.

Plan Your Visit:

• • Allow 2–4 hours depending on interest—longer if attending shows or live demos.
  • Arrive 15 minutes before your timed entry to avoid delays.
    
  • Facilities include: Atomic Catering café, gift shop, lockers, first aid, parents’ room.
    

Insider Tips:

• • Pre-book early, especially for holiday mornings—sessions fill fast.
  • Use the Canberra Mega Pass for bundled entry with attractions like the AIS and Zoo at a discount.
    
  • Member access is unlimited—great for multiple visits during holidays.

Don’t miss Questacon—a high-energy, hands-on science playground perfect for curious families. It’s all about playful discoveries, epic demos, and inspiring both little and big minds. Plan, play, learn—and ignite the next spark of curiosity!

🎟️ Grab tickets here

🦖 National Dinosaur Museum

Home to one of Australia’s largest permanent collections of dinosaur and prehistoric fossils, this award-winning museum offers over 50 full dinosaur skeletons, more than 300 fossil exhibits, lifelike animatronic dinosaurs, and a sprawling outdoor Dinosaur Garden with moving models.

Location: 6 Gold Creek Road (corner Barton Highway), Nicholls ACT 2913
Dates & Times: Open daily | 10 AM – 5 PM

Ticket Information: Child - Under 4 years FREE

Highlights:

• • Interactive fossil-dig pit—kids use real tools to unearth replica fossils.
  • Animatronic dinosaurs—roaring, blinking models including a towering T-Rex.
    
  • AR dinosaur stations—walk alongside virtual giants via tablet interaction.
    

Plan Your Visit:

• • Allow 2–4 hours depending on exhibit interest and tour participation.
  • Bus 24 stops nearby; drive-ins get free parking.
    
  • On-site facilities include café/snack bar, gift shop with fossils/minerals, toilets (with accessibility), water fountains, and picnic lawns.
    

Insider Tips:

• • Pre-book tours—the Night Tour and Junior Paleo workshops fill quickly.
  • Afternoon visits are generally quieter and ideal for hands-on activities.
    
  • Combine a visit with nearby Cockington Green Gardens or Canberra Reptile Zoo under a Gold Creek Adventure ticket.

Don’t miss this hands-on prehistoric journey just outside Canberra—where fossils, roaring dinosaurs, backyard digs, and family-friendly learning come to life in an engaging, adventurous setting!

🎟️ More info + tickets here

🏡 Cockington Green Gardens

A charming miniature village park set in beautiful landscaped gardens. Since 1979, this family-run attraction has featured finely crafted scale models of buildings from over 30 countries, complete with tiny figures, animals, and even a miniature steam train ride.

Location: 11 Gold Creek Road, Nicholls ACT 2913 (Gold Creek Village)
Dates & Times: Open daily | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Ticket Information: Child - Under 4 years FREE

Highlights:

• • Intricate miniatures of global landmarks (Stonehenge, Bræmer Castle) nestled in gardens with 35,000 seasonal blooms.
  • Ride the mini steam train—a scaled Fowler Cane locomotive winding through the gardens.
    
  • Indoors, explore the Rose Room featuring a 34-room dollhouse.
    

Plan Your Visit:

• • Allow 1.5–2 hours to fully enjoy displays and train ride.
  • Paths are wheelchair/pram accessible, wheelchairs & mobility scooters available for hire.
    
  • New miniature train expected in 2025—great reason for a revisit.
    

Insider Tips:

• • Free BBQ and picnic areas—bring your own or buy from the café.
  • Book guided school/coach tours in advance—excellent for educational visits.
    
  • Amenities include first-aid, parents’ room, toilets, and accessible parking.

Experience a magical miniature world where global architecture meets blossoming gardens and playful detail. Perfect for curious kids and nostalgic adults—a peaceful, whimsical adventure just outside Canberra.

🎟️ Book here

🏛️ National Museum of Australia – Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre

An immersive play-and-learn space for children aged birth to 6 and their carers, where early-learning meets storytelling. Themed zones bring to life five Australian tales—like Chris the sheep and the bunyip—via climbing pods, dress-up areas, sensory environments, and interactive elements.

Location: National Museum of Australia, Acton Peninsula
Dates & Times: Sunday, 8 June 2025 | 9:15 AM–4:45 PM

Ticket Information: Regular fees: $10 per child

Highlights:

• • Mini Makers corner: ongoing, hands‑on art/science activities.
  • Story Time: 15-minute sessions Tuesdays & Thursdays at 10:30 AM.
    
  • Quiet-hours session: reduced sensory input first Tuesday, 3:30–4:45 PM.
    

Plan Your Visit:

• • Arrive 10–15 min early to settle into chosen session.
  • Remove shoes in play area; socks welcome; lockers and parents’ room available.
    
  • Consume food/drink only outside the play space—in foyer or café.
    

Insider Tips:

• • Book early—slots fill fast, especially for free-day & weekends.
  • On free days, expect higher attendance—arrive ahead to secure places.
    
  • For sensory needs, quiet-hours or noise-cancelling headphones are advised.

Don’t miss this joy-filled, sensory-rich early learning adventure—it’s all about playful Australian stories, inclusive design, and family connection in a central Canberra space. The Free Community Day on 8 June is a great chance to experience it at no cost—just book ahead!

🎟️ More info + book here

🏛️ PlayUP at the Museum of Australian Democracy

PlayUP is a hands-on exhibition rooted in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, designed to nurture imagination, inclusion, collaboration, and empowerment. Children and adults alike can enjoy craft-making, storytime, roleplay, a fuzzy felt wall, kindness café, listening pods, and more.

Location: Main Floor, Old Parliament House (Museum of Australian Democracy)
Dates & Times: Open daily 9:00 AM–4:30 PM

Ticket Information: Museum entry is free daily

Highlights:

• • Cozy Stories Room with beanbags, felt toys, listening pods, and natural materials—a calm retreat for quieter play.
  • Kindness Café invites children to create and share positive messages via felt walls and interactive crafts.
    

Plan Your Visit:

• • No bookings needed for families.
  • Preschool/childcare groups should contact MoAD Reception ahead.
    
  • Accessibility: wheelchair/pram friendly, AUSLAN screenings, baby‑change facilities, all‑gender toilets, and seating throughout.
    

Insider Tips:

• • Arrive between 10:30–12:30 to take part in craft sessions—kids love the guided activities!
  • Parking near the museum is limited; accessible options exist at the front, but it can get busy—early arrival is wise.
    
  • Quiet zones are available—ideal for children needing a sensory retreat.

PlayUP is a joyful, inclusive space where creativity, care, and play intersect—ideal for young families, sensory-sensitive children, or anyone seeking a welcoming environment to explore imagination, storytelling, and children's rights in a historic setting.

🎟️ More info

🦊 The Gruffalo’s Child

This charming musical adaptation brings to life Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler's beloved sequel, following the inquisitive Gruffalo’s daughter as she ventures into the Deep Dark Wood in search of the mythical Big Bad Mouse. This latest West-End production combines captivating puppetry, physical theatre, and music—delightful for kids aged 3+.

Location: Canberra Theatre Centre
Dates & Times: Thursday, 31 July 2025 | 10 AM

Ticket Information: From AUD 40–45

Highlights:

• • Family-friendly, interactive performance with audience participation.
  • No interval, suitable for younger attention spans.
    
  • Included strobe lighting and haze effects—check suitability for sensitive youngsters.
    

Plan Your Visit:

• • Arrive 30–45 minutes early to find parking, collect tickets, and settle in.
  • On-site amenities: bar, public toilets, and accessible facilities.
    
  • Parking: Civic Square carpark; limited street parking nearby.
    

Insider Tips:

• • Book early—school-morning and evening shows often sell out fast.
  • School groups should book directly for group discounts and seating accommodations.
    
  • Parking & transport: Public transport (bus/train) to City; arrive early for best parking options.

Don’t miss this whimsical, adventurous follow-up to The Gruffalo—packed with spine‑tingling fun, music, puppetry, and plenty of laughs. A perfect winter stage treat for little explorers and their families.

🎟️ Grab tickets here

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☀️ Quick Links

• School Holidays Workshop – Mission Moon
• Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre
• National Dinosaur Museum
• Cockington Green Gardens
• National Museum of Australia – Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre
  
• PlayUP at the Museum of Australian Democracy
• The Gruffalo’s Child

💡 Pro Parent Tip: Bookmark this page, screenshot your faves, and get in early—these events sell out fast!

Need the perfect gift for the day out or the car ride home? 🛍️ Shop Young Bondi’s top picks