Winter School Holidays in Canberra

Here’s a roundup of all the 2025 winter school holidays activities included in past issues of Canberra Digest. Some events may be booked out.

📚 ACT Libraries Winter Holiday Program:

Looking for free activities these school holidays? ACT Libraries have released their winter school holiday program, with activities for all ages, including teens. Details here.

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🦖 Jurassic World Rebirth

There’s a pop-up “adventure zone” at Canberra Centre with animatronic dinosaurs, an AR experience and fossil hunting. Details here.

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🏀 Basketball World

The Hyperdome is running Basketball World these school holidays. There are shows from freestyle performer Basketball Man, a reflex reaction wall, basketball connect four and other games. Details here.

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🪙 The Mint

The Mint is running a range of activities for children of all ages. In Mini Minties, kids aged 3–5 can explore the unusual shapes and colours of coins through craft and storytelling. Mintventures, for ages 6–12, is all about coins, codes and spies. There’s also a coin swap where kids can trade a used coin for a brand-new one of the same value. Details here.

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🌿 Botanic Gardens

MEGAfauna is returning to the Botanic Gardens. All through July, encounter the massive megafauna that once roamed Australia. Compare today’s animals with their extinct ancestors, investigate fossil evidence, and follow the MEGAfauna statue trail. Details here.

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🧘 Yoga & Book Illustration

The Museum of Australian Democracy is running two activities these school holidays—a book illustration workshop for kids aged 5–12 with children’s book creator Max Hamilton and a yoga and mindfulness class, especially for children. Details here.

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🐨 Peculiar Parents

Join children’s book author Stephanie Owen Reeder and illustrator Ingrid Bartkowiak at the National Library as they uncover the perfectly peculiar world of Australian animal families in their new book Peculiar Parents. Hear all about eye-catching animal antics, bountiful burrows, magnificent mums and doting dads—followed by a hands-on craft activity. There’ll also be a special meet-and-greet with animals from the Canberra Reptile Zoo. Details here.

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🧪 Quizzic Alley

Canberra’s Harry Potter shop, Quizzic Alley, is running wand-making and potions classes during the holidays. Details here.

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🍳 Kids Cooking Classes

Nutrition Australia is running cooking classes for kids aged 8–12. Students will build kitchen skills and confidence while making a main and a dessert. Details here.

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🪁 National Arboretum

In the Kite Making workshop, kids will design, decorate, and fly their very own kite in one of Canberra's most picturesque outdoor locations. Details here.

In the Botanical Printing Magic workshop for 8–14 year olds, they'll roll, press, and print enchanting botanical art. Details here.

And for young children up to 5 years old, there will be a Winter Play Day on July 11. Details here.

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🎨 Canberra Museum and Gallery

CMAG is running three workshops these school holidays.

In Wearable Whimsy, kids will design colourful accessories. Details here.

In Make a Layered Lyrebird Drawing, they'll explore textures and patterns through collage. Details here.

And in Mask Making, they'll craft imaginative masks with artist Tom Buckland. Details here. All workshops are inspired by the Sidney Nolan Lyrebird currently on display.

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🚂 National Archives

Inspired by their latest exhibition, Camel trains to steel wheels: life on the Trans-Australian Railway, kids will explore how the circus once travelled by rail from Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie. Then, they'll unleash their inner circus performer with juggling balls, costumes and more. Details here.

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✍️ National Library Workshops

There are two workshops for young creatives at the National Library:

For teens (13–17), there's a creative writing and drawing workshop with youth advocate and media personality Brooke Blurton and author and academic Melanie Saward. Details here.

For younger children (6–10), there's a hands-on, creative workshop with picture book creator Ronojoy Ghosh. Details here.

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🐝 National Museum

There's lots happening at the NMA, including the new Mr Squiggle exhibition opening on July 4:

In Marionette Makers, children (10–15) will learn the art of marionettes with puppeteer and artist Marianne Mettes and build their own puppets. Details here.

In Make, move, perform! children (6–10) will take on the role of puppeteer in this hands-on workshop. Details here.

And in Shadow House and the stories inside, children (5–10) will craft their own characters and props with Wiradjuri–Irish artist Bria McCarthy before stepping into the shadow tent to tell stories. Details here.

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🧺 Parliament House

Led by Ronnie Jordan, a Pitta Pitta Wangkamahdla woman, this special NAIDOC Week workshop invites kids to weave with natural fibres including wool, raffia and straw. It's free! Details here.

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❄️ Winter Nature Play

The National Arboretum is hosting a Winter Nature Play day this Friday for young children up to 5. Details here.

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