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Winter Fun: The Best School Holiday Activities in Melbourne
Keep the little ones entertained all with the best school holiday activities in Melbourne.
Winter school holidays are a magical time for kids and families in Melbourne, with the city brimming with cosy charm, cultural delights, and frosty fun. As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, it’s the perfect moment to embrace indoor adventures and heartwarming experiences the whole family can enjoy. From catching classic films in Lego form to interactive exhibitions, live shows, and light-filled fun in both the Docklands and Royal Botanic Gardens, there’s no shortage of excitement for curious minds and energetic little ones.
Let’s explore the best school holiday activities in Melbourne to make this winter one to remember!
Lightscape
Lightscape Melbourne has returned to the Royal Botanic Gardens, lighting up winter nights with a spectacular trail of glowing art, colour, and imagination. Perfect for curious kids and their grown-ups, this enchanting after-dark experience invites families to stroll beneath radiant canopies, marvel at immersive installations, and soak up the magic of winter in the city. Running from June 20th to August 10th, it’s a much-loved seasonal event that brings joy, wonder and a whole lot of wow to Melbourne’s chilly evenings.
Sitchu Tip: Coming from out of town or planning a family treat? The Crowne Plaza Winter Light Up package is a brilliant way to make a night of it. You’ll get two Lightscape tickets, plus cosy Crowne Plaza Melbourne beanies and a blanket to snuggle up in. After exploring the sparkling trail, head back to your spacious room, where a comfy King Bed and views over the city skyline or pool await. In the morning, fuel up with a steamy coffee from your in-room pod machine and a buffet breakfast at Ottie’s — the perfect ending to a magical family night out.
Until Sunday, August 10th
Royal Botanic Gardens
Family Museum Sleepovers
Because sleeping under dinosaurs is the dream! Get ready for the ultimate night at the museum — literally. Melbourne Museum is opening its doors after dark for Museum Sleepovers, an unforgettable overnight adventure for families or grown-ups. Expect exclusive behind-the-scenes tours, premium IMAX screenings, and hands-on activities before curling up beneath towering dinos on a plush Ecosa mattress. Wake to a hot brekkie, take home special mementoes, and bask in the bragging rights of having snoozed in one of the coolest places in the city. Spots are limited, so round up your crew and get booking — this one’s for the memory books.
Various dates
Melbourne Museum, Carlton Gardens
Tiny Tours at Melbourne Museum
Big adventures for your littlest explorers. Curious minds, this one’s for you. Tiny Tours at Melbourne Museum are specially designed for kids and their grown-ups to explore, discover, and play together. Each tour has hands-on activities and interactive storytelling, guiding little adventurers through some of nature’s most fascinating tales. It’s a joyful introduction to the museum world — sparking wonder, fuelling imaginations, and making learning feel like the ultimate adventure. Perfect for pint-sized explorers with big questions and even bigger curiosity.
Fridays, various dates
Melbourne Museum, Carlton Gardens
Legoland Discovery Centre
Let the kids loose in a world built entirely for them at LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre at Chadstone. With over two million bricks and 13 immersive zones, it’s part theme park, part creative workshop — and all fun. There’s a 4D cinema, indoor rides, a DUPLO® Farm for littlies, and even a pint-sized replica of Melbourne built from LEGO®. Budding engineers can race their car creations, while future master builders get hands-on in the Creative Workshop. A rainy-day hero or school holiday staple, this is one for the memory books — no stepping on bricks required.
Chadstone Shopping Centre, Level 2/1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone
Winter School Holidays Gardening at Queen Victoria Market
Where little green thumbs get grubby (in the best way). Got a budding gardener in the fam? Head to Queen Vic Market for a hands-on horticultural adventure with Gardening 4 Kids. Tiny tots can plant organic pea seeds in biodegradable pots, then go wild decorating their pot, carry bag and bamboo label — ready to take home and nurture. There’s also the Root Veggie Dig, a joyful dirt-digging quest to unearth the secrets of underground veg. It’s messy, magical, and completely free. Gloves, tools, and seeds? All sorted.
Free event; book your time here
8th to 17th July
C Shed, Queen Victoria Market
Jungle Dance Party
Little party animals, assemble! Hosted by the ever-fabulous Mr Fantastico, this jungle-themed disco at Melbourne Zoo is the ultimate school holiday vibe. Expect dancefloor bangers (both kid-friendly and nostalgic), a live DJ/pianist duo, podium jungle dancers, a giant LED screen, and props galore. With sound levels tailored for tiny ears and a party atmosphere that’s all high-energy fun, it’s the perfect excuse to let loose and bust a move. Roars optional, glitter encouraged. A wild winter boogie the whole fam-a-lam will love these winter school holidays in Melbourne.
Prices dependent
Until 16th July
Melbourne Zoo, Elliott Avenue, Parkville
IMAGINATOR
Feed your imagination in the wildest way possible beneath the glittering eye of the Melbourne Star these school holidays. Part futuristic playground, part meditative dreamscape, IMAGINATOR is an immersive wonderland for all ages. Kids can hunt glowing lanterns, dive from a four-metre ledge, and chase light in the kaleidoscopic Chroma Room, while grown-ups sink into shape rooms and shifting visuals for a bit of colour therapy of their own.
With mind-bending motion graphics, interactive A.I., and a satellite dish ceiling made for stargazing on a giant bean bag, this experience is all about play, pause, and wonder. It’s not just for the kids — it’s for anyone who needs a hit of pure imagination.
Best for ages 5 and above
Until October 5th, 2025
The District Docklands, Docklands Drive, Docklands
Olaf Breuning for Kids at NGV
NGV International is turning art into adventure with Plans for the Planet: Olaf Breuning for Kids. Totally free and wildly fun, this interactive wonderland blends nature, art and sustainability with lava floors, immersive forests, and swipe-card surprises. Designed to spark joy and eco-conscious conversations, kids can draw, reflect, and even see their future visions projected on gallery walls. It’s a tree-mendous way to spend a family day out.
Free
Friday June 6th to Sunday October 5th
Ground Floor, NGV International
Cats & Dogs Exhibition at NGV
Get set for art, animals, and a whole lot of aww. Purring, panting, and posing through history — Cats & Dogs at The Ian Potter Centre commemorates our most iconic furry companions. Featuring over 250 works from the NGV Collection, the exhibition explores how felines and canines have inspired artists across centuries and cultures. With heavyweights like Rembrandt, Dürer, Goya, Hockney, and Koons alongside beloved Aussie names like Atong Atem and Nora Heysen, the show is split (adorably) into cats on one side, dogs on the other. From mythology to fashion, working breeds to pop culture — it’s a tail-wagging, whisker-twitching treat for all ages.
Until 20th July
Ian Potter Centre, Fed Square
Harry Potter™: The Exhibition
Grab your wands and broomsticks — Harry Potter™: The Exhibition has landed in Melbourne! Perfect for little witches, wizards, and big kids who still believe in magic, this immersive adventure brings Hogwarts to life with spellcasting, Quidditch fun, and a peek inside Hagrid’s Hut. See real costumes from the movies, brew potions, and explore enchanted spaces. Whether you’re Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin, this magical experience is sure to delight the whole family.
62 Dawson Street, Brunswick
LEGO® Star Wars™ Exhibition
Get ready to blast off into a galaxy of fun at the LEGO® Star Wars™ Exhibition at Melbourne Museum! Perfect for little jedis and big kids (read: all ages) alike, this epic display features towering LEGO creations like a 4.5m AT-AT and an interactive droid hall. With hands-on build zones and mind-blowing models made from over 8 million bricks, it’s a must-visit for families craving adventure and creativity.
Melbourne Museum
Titanic Exhibition
Take the kids (aged 8+) on an unforgettable journey aboard the legendary Titanic — without ever leaving Melbourne. This immersive VR experience lets you walk the decks, meet fellow passengers, and dive 4,000 metres below the ocean’s surface to explore the wreck. It’s a visually stunning and emotionally rich adventure that blends history with cutting-edge tech.
Perfect for curious minds and budding historians, this is one time-travelling voyage you won’t want to miss!
Level 1, 206 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Now that you are sorted with the best school holiday activities in Melbourne, why not plan a little day trip with the family once you’ve ticked off the city highlights? Take a short road trip to explore everything Phillip Island, the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsula have to offer.
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