Summer Fun: The Best School Holiday Activities in Melbourne

Summer holidays are a magical time for kids and families in Melbourne, with the city coming alive with festive cheer and sunny adventures, and with the end of term 4 and Christmas fast approaching, it's time to plan unforgettable experiences for the kids. From catching the latest blockbusters in 3D to seeing Santa at Fed Square and topsy-turvy fun in the Docklands, there's no shortage of fun for curious and creative minds and energetic adventurers. 

Let’s explore the best school holiday activities in Melbourne to make this summer the best one yet!

Check Out the Christmas Lights of Melbourne

There's no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than a drive-by or walk through the streets of Melbourne, houses and buildings lit up with bright lights and dazzling decor - the look of glee on the kids' faces as they take in the magical displays is enough to make any Grinch smile!

The city and the suburbs are filled with jolly streets, from the light projections on iconic buildings throughout the CBD and Christmas Square at Fed Square to the famous Boulevard in Ivanhoe. If you're up for the drive, the Christmas Festival of Lights at Adventure Park in Geelong is spectacular, with over 3 million lights and 1000 light displays and activities for the kids transforming the park into a festival wonderland. 

Check out our guide to the best Christmas lights in Melbourne.

Christmas at Crown

A tradition for many families in Melbourne, Crown goes above and beyond each year to create family-friendly experiences and spark joy for visitors. From a Christmas River Show, magical lights and Santa's sleigh in The Atrium to roving live entertainment and festive feasts at The Conservatory, Gradi and Bistro Guillaume, the precinct buzzes in December.

On the first weekend of December, The Christmas Spectacular is a fabulous evening of carols, circus acts, dance numbers and tributes to the Radio City Rockettes and The Nutcracker.

Christmas at Crown runs from November 25th to December 31st

8 Whiteman Street, Melbourne

Christmas High Tea at The Windsor

A tried and tested classic, High Tea at The Hotel Windsor does not disappoint. This December, take the kids for a special Christmas menu of pastries, canapes, sandwiches and scones with jam and cream. And when it comes to tea, they know their stuff – The Hotel Windsor has been pouring brews since 1883, with 11 specialty teas to sip.

Sitchu tip: choose the kids' menu if you have fussy eaters - they'll love the mini ham and cheese toastie, raspberry macarons and cupcakes with sprinkles.

111 Spring Street, Melbourne 

Carols by Candlelight

A long-standing tradition, Carols by Candlelight sees 10,000 people fill up Sidney Myer Music Bowl every Christmas Eve for an evening of carols and cheer. An iconic evening on Melbourne's Christmas calendar running for 87 years, the event is broadcast live to Channel 9 and raises funds for Vision Australia's children's services.

This year hosts David Campbell and Sarah Abo will welcome a lineup of talent to sing the carols we love, including Bonnie Anderson, Anthony Callea, Marina Prior and David Hobson.

December 24th

Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Kings Domain Gardens, Linlithgow Avenue, Melbourne

Myer Christmas Windows

Every year, Bourke Street Myer transforms its front windows into a themed Christmas display, and this year you can find a diverse wildlife collection and animations for The Irwin Christmas Story. Honouring the dedication and passion the Irwin family holds for wildlife conservation, Creative and Techincal Director John Kerr celebrates Australian wildlife and creatures from around the world with custom-built animatronics, poetry and life-life figures of Terri, Robert and Bindi Irwin. 

Sitchu tip: Check out the 'Pop up Crocoseum' in Myer's Mural Hall, where Australia Zoo's iconic croc show is adapted into a puppet show!

17th November to January 5th

314-336 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Melbourne Christmas Festival

Melbourne is full of Christmas spirit this month! Lighting up the banks of the Birrarung, Christmas Carnival brings a jolly good time to the Alexandra Gardens. With free entry, bring the whole family for an afternoon of carnival rides, games, dodgem cars and a 35m-high spinning sky flyer. Food and drink stalls will keep you hydrated and fed as the little ones run wild.

After the carnival, the kids will love a nighttime stroll through the CBD, checking out the LED lights and bright Christmas decorations that take over the city streets each year from Fed Square to Southbank.

All events running to December 25th 

Alexandra Gardens, 3 Boathouse Drive, Melbourne

Grazeland

Turn up the fun these school holidays at Grazeland! Melbourne’s biggest food precinct will transform this December into a family hotspot packed with entertainment, face painting (Sunday only) and delicious eats.

With over 50 food vendors to satisfy every craving - including rainbow fairy floss and fluffy pancakes that will delight the sugar-obsessed kids, Grazeland in Spotswood is the perfect destination for the family to enjoy a day of sun, fun and food. 

December 7th - 8th

20 Booker Street, Spotswood

Moonlight Cinema

Moonlight Cinema is a summer-only event, where you can bask under the light of a giant outdoor screen and a sea of stars above, on the idyllic lawn at Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens. 

Screening the latest blockbusters, kids' films, Christmas classics and nostalgic flicks, simply pack a picnic for the kids (and perhaps a bottle of wine for the grown-ups) and enjoy a charmed and relaxed evening in Melbourne. 

Christmas favourites are playing from December 8th - 23rd this year, including Elf, How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Home Alone!

Central Lawn, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne

Keep Cool at Melbourne's Adventure Parks

Sure, you could take the kids to the beach or the local pool, but for a day they won't forget (and easily one of the most fun school holiday activities), take them to one of Victoria's theme parks, where hours of adventure await. While you'll struggle to find a giant water funnel in the CBD, you need only drive 90 minutes west, north or east to find a park filled with thrill rides and water slides.

Gumbaya World Theme Park in Tynonng North boasts an entire water park (ideal for the summer heat), wildlife encounters, thrill rides and family-friendly rides, but, Adventure Park Geelong is home to Victoria's biggest water park! To the north of the city, Funfields has water slides, the Mystic Kingdom, Volcano Beach Wave Pool, toboggan rides and go-karts. 

A little closer to home, the big kids will love a lesson at Urbnsrf, with six different wave sessions to learn a new skill in a safe (critter-free) environment.

House Down Under: Where Everything’s Upside Down

Flip your world on its head and let your imagination run wild at House Down Under, the quirky inverted house that seems to have fallen from the sky, Wizard of Oz style! This fun-filled attraction invites you to capture surreal and creative photo memories while enjoying a laugh with family and friends.

Walk (or dance) on the ceilings, explore an upside-down bathroom with a quirky toilet, and wander through inverted rooms like the kids’ space, home office, lounge, bedroom, and kitchen. Your entry ticket gives you unlimited time to snap as many photos as you like!

Open daily, 10 am to 7 pm

Book here

Under the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel, 101 Waterfront Way, Docklands 

Melbourne Museum

Sometimes the best way to escape the heat in Melbourne is to fully immerse yourself in rich and fascinating history, which is exactly what awaits at Melbourne Museum this summer.

An extensive school holiday program means plenty for the little ones to discover. They can explore the Forest Gallery, Dinosaur Walk, Gondwana Garden and a learning lab, while kids under 5 will love the colours and interactive activities in the Children's Gallery.

Noteworthy exhibitions for curious minds include Antopia, shrinking down to experience life in an ant colony and Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs, where those brave enough will come face-to-face with a lifelike triceratops!

Sitchu tip: to make a day of it, head next door to IMAX before or after the museum to check out the latest movies in 3D, including Wicked and Moana 2.

11 Nicholson Street, Carlton

NGV Kids Summer Festival Launch

Celebrating the Cats & Dogs exhibition at the NGV, an exhilarating dog show will be held in the Main Square at Fed Square, a kids workshop, and an evening screening of Best in Show on the big screen for the Kids Summer Festival Launch.

After the kids have enjoyed the dog show, head over to the NGV to catch the exhibition, a display of more than 250 works exploring the connection between humans and domesticated cats and dogs from ancient history to the present day.

January 11th, 2025

Main Square, Fed Square, Flinders Street, Melbourne

SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

A school holiday essential, it's always a good idea to spend an afternoon at the SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium.

A fabulous day out for families, you will walk by fish tanks, pass by sea turtles, and walk through the Reef, filled with marine creatures of all sizes - the sharks being the biggest (and scariest) of all.

With no shortage of experiences, explore a fabulous display of bioluminescence in the ocean at Night on the Reef, gain behind-the-scenes access to the jellyfish lab, or opt for our personal favourite - the Penguin Passport, with 45 minutes inside the icy penguin enclosure getting up close to the Gentoo and King penguins that call the aquarium home. 

Sitchu tip: if the kids are all about animals, visit Melbourne Zoo, too! Animal talks and family-friendly play spaces make it the perfect day out for kids of all ages.

King Street, Melbourne

Beauty and the Beast

Disney's stunning new production of Beauty and the Beast the Musical promises to be one of the best school holiday activities in Melbourne - a feast for the eyes, heart, and soul.

This timeless tale is reimagined on stage in a breathtaking production that will captivate audiences like never before. The original creative team reunites to bring this enchanting musical to life, featuring all the spellbinding songs by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice, including "Belle," "Gaston," "Human Again," and "Be Our Guest." A much-loved classic, this tale as old as time will enchant a new generation, filling hearts with magic and wonder. 

Until February 2025

Book here

Her Majesty's Theatre, 219 Exhibition 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.