The school holidays are almost here! Running from Friday 29 March until Sunday 14 April, you’ll need plenty of things to do to keep the kids entertained. And when you’re not Easter egg hunting, or going on a road trip, have some fun with a variety of kid-friendly activities available during the school holidays. From thrilling experiences to family-friendly shows, here’s our list of fun activities to try in Melbourne and beyond during the school holidays.
1. Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience
This magical light walk, opening at The Briar’s Community Forest on 6 April 2024, will be your entry into the Wizarding World for an evening. With the use of professional theatre designers and lighting experts, see the forest come to life with magical creatures. Forest sounds will flit through the trees, and the characters from the Fantastic Beasts™ and Harry Potter™ movies await amongst the foliage. Don’t miss this ultimate magical adventure suitable for all ages.
2. Unko Museum
After amusing visitors in Japan, the adorable Unko Museum: The Kawaii Poop Experience is coming to Melbourne! Embrace the cuteness of poop in this playful experience, filled with multiple themed zones, games and photo opportunities. Find it at 360 Bourke St, Melbourne from January 17. Get your tickets here.
3. Dinos Alive
Take a journey back in time, and see over 80 life-sized moving dinosaurs at Dinos Alive. Come face-to-face with these prehistoric giants, then dive into the virtual aquarium and discover more marine creatures. Find it at the Fever Exhibition and Experience Centre in Brunswick from Wednesdays to Mondays. Get your tickets here.
4. Chaos Lab
Located in Wharf Street Melbourne, Chaos Lab is a lab-themed playground that offers a variety of activities that are tailored towards children between the ages of 4-9 years old.
The experience is filled with fun activities that will keep your kids entertained while also teaching them about science. These activities are designed to engage participants in creative thinking, problem-solving, and sensory play. Kids can look forward to a giant ball pit, a mirror maze and making their own ooey-gooey slime at the slime station. What more could a kid want?
5. Bounce over to The NBA Exhibition
Get your head in the game at The NBA Exhibition. Explore over 20 themed sections, see cool memorabilia, play arcade basketball games, check out the VR zone and more. This fun experience will open at The District Docklands on April 3. Get your tickets here.
6. NGV International
Dive into an underwater world in the children’s gallery at NGV International. The RIFIFI: Jean Jullien for Kids installation has plenty of playful spaces for your kids to explore, and activities for them to try. It’s free to attend and is on until April 14.
7. KABOOM!
See mad scientist Magnus Danger Magnus with his explosive show, KABOOM! at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. This 60 minute show is stacked with experiments, explosions and more. See it at Fairfax Theatre in Arts Centre Melbourne on select days from March 29 to April 14. See more here.
8. Melbourne Museum
Visit Melbourne Museum and check out some fun and exciting exhibitions with the kids. Current exhibitions include Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs and Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition. See what’s happening over the school holidays here.
9. Scienceworks
Visit Scienceworks over the school holidays, and have heaps of fun with the return of the Air Playground exhibit. Then, check out live science shows, go out-of-this-world in a Planetarium and more. See what’s on here.
10. Grazeland
Grazeland in Melbourne’s west is celebrating the school holidays with plenty of chocolate and festivities. Starting from Good Friday, there will be plenty of chocolatey treats to try, including chocolate crepe brûlée, chocolate covered strawberries and Biscoff chocolate Dutch pancakes. On Saturday April 13, there will be a Latin Fiesta, complete with live music, dancing and a churro eating competition. Throughout the holidays, the little ones can have fun in the Jungle Hangout, enjoy face painting and check out the expanded Gamesland zone.
11. Zoos Victoria
12. Monopoly Dreams
Head to Melbourne Central and immerse yourself in the Monopoly Dreams attraction. The kids will have plenty of fun, with a 4DX cinema, interactive games, photo opportunities and more. See more here.
13. Wicked The Musical
Based on the novel Wicked by Gregory Maquire, this story is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It tells the story of the talented girl with emerald skin, Elphaba, and the blonde and popular Glinda. They become rivals, then friends, until the world decides to call one ‘good’ and the other one ‘wicked’. Wicked is now showing at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne. Don’t miss it, or you’ll be green with envy!
14. SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
Visit the Oceanarium at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium and admire sharks, rays, turtles and more. Check out the exhibit, Night on the Reef, which features a digital bioluminescent beach and an array of marine life.
15. Fed Square
Fed Square will have plenty of fun for the whole family during the school holidays. From April 10 to 11, there will be a Little Food Festival, teaching kids all about food with activities, workshops and performances. Throughout the school holidays, this corner of Melbourne will also have film screenings, interactive theatre experiences, dance parties and more. See what’s on here.
16. Saboteurs
Head to The District Docklands and go on a space adventure at Saboteurs. Set inside converted shipping containers, this Among Us-style game is perfect for school holiday activities in Melbourne. Kids can run around in this immersive environment, complete fun tasks and eject any suspicious imposters. Learn more here.
17. ArtVo Immersive Gallery Experience
The first in Australia of its kind, ArtVo is an immersive art or ‘trick art’ gallery. Journey through 1400 square meters of illusionary art pieces, and have fun taking pictures in weird and wonderful situations! There are nine themed zones to explore with over eighty hand-painted immersive installations. Explore the ocean, polar ice caps, space, and the forest throughout the various themed rooms.
This is a great activity to do as a family, and you’ll be able to create many fun family photos that will provide you with lasting memories. See more here.
18. House Down Under
Flip your perspective at House Down Under. Head to Docklands and enter an inverted house that looks like it dropped straight from the sky! Walk in and take heaps of fun photos, while exploring the upside-down rooms. See more here.
19. Metartworld
Metartworld is a metal art gallery showcasing unique artworks from international artists. The space in Port Melbourne is filled with incredible metal art statues, each handmade from scrap metal and recycled material. You will be able to view over 200 metal sculptures ranging from metal tankard mugs to larger-than-life dinosaurs and superhero sculptures.
There is also a a “starry sky” exhibition on the second floor which displays a perfect combination of advanced technology with the world of light and shadows. There’s different themed spaces, an immersive 360° tunnel and more. This is an incredible experience that is great for groups of all ages and sizes.
20. Virtual Room Melbourne
If your kids enjoy computer or video games, they will love this virtual reality experience in Melbourne. This award winning VR experience at Virtual Room Melbourne blends elements of an escape room with a 3D cinematic experience. Played in groups of 2, 3 or 4 the game allows players to fully immerse themselves in a virtual world, where they will be able to talk to each other, walk around, bend, throw objects
Players can choose between one of 4 themed games, ranging from alien invasions to a zombie apocalypse, and will have to work together with their teammates in order to complete their missions.
21. Pentridge Prison
Try out the Prison Break Explorers tour at Pentridge Prison. In this tour for all ages, children are invited to become young detectives and thwart a prison escape. Along the way, your tour guide will visit key spots around the prison, share stories about some notable characters, and teach you about what life was like on the inside. This tour will run every day during the school holidays. Learn more here.
22. Como House
Step back in time at Como House over the school holidays. Children are welcome to play old-fashioned games, have tea parties on the lawn and go on scavenger hunts through the grounds. There’s a simulated archaeological site for them to dig into, as well as costumed facilitators to tell them about life back in the 19th and 20th centuries. Learn more here.
23. URBNSURF
Ride the waves at URBNSURF during the school holidays. This surf park near Melbourne Airport has family-friendly options, so that your child can safely explore the water and learn to surf. There’s sessions like bodyboarding or learning to surf in The Bays, a gentle environment with rolling waves close to shore. Explore their website here.
24. Puffing Billy
Journey through lush forests and across trestle bridges on the famous Puffing Billy. Let your legs dangle from the carriage sill, and admire dreamy views from this iconic steam train. Perfect for all ages, this experience in the Dandenong Ranges is a great way to spend the school holidays. See more here.
25. Tesselaar KaBloom Festival of Flowers
Take the kids for an adventure in the Dandenong Ranges at the enchanting Tesselaar KaBloom Festival of Flowers. On top of the pretty blooms, there’s circus performers, tractor rides, garden games and lots of fun stuff for the kids. Check it out from March 23 to April 21.
26. Blue Lotus Water Garden
Escape to Blue Lotus Water Garden, and delight your senses with dreamy water lilies, lotus flowers, scenic trails and calm lakes. There’s also a fairy garden for the little ones, a family fun space, a dragon walking trail and more. This garden paradise is open from now until April 14.
27. Funfields Theme Park
Just because summer is over doesn’t mean the fun has to stop! Funfields Theme Park is open with rides, attractions and more until Sunday April 7. There’s plenty of food and drink available for purchase on-site, or you can bring your own food to enjoy in the picnic areas. Funfields is roughly one hour’s drive north of Melbourne. See more here.
28. Treetops Adventure
Escape to the Otways and soar through native Australian forest at Treetops Adventure in Yeodene Park. There’s different ropes courses for you to choose from, with aerial activities, ziplines and freefall drops. There’s also two junior ropes courses for the little ones, as well as high monkey bars and a pegasus you can ride. Get your tickets here.
29. The Gruffalo At Kryal Castle
This Easter school holiday kids can experience the exciting world of The Gruffalo through augmented reality. From Friday March 29 to Sunday April 21, families can download the free Gruffalo Spotter 2 App, before setting off on an adventure through Kryal Castle to spot their favourite storybook characters. There will also be a live stage show, arts and crafts, face painting and more.
30. Eastern barred bandicoot at Churchill Island
See the endangered Eastern barred bandicoot forage and move around on a special wildlife tour. This nocturnal experience will take place on Churchill Island over the Easter weekend, from March 29 to 31.
Additional words by Monro Grier.