School Holiday Programs in Sydney

Summer 2026-27 holiday dates for NSW, and real holiday programs with dates, ages and prices, each checked on the provider's own site.

NSW summer school holidays 2026-27

Friday 18 December 2026 to Tuesday 2 February 2027

Government schools finish Term 4 on Thursday 17 December 2026 and students go back on Wednesday 3 February 2027. Eastern division. Staff development days Thu 28 Jan to Tue 2 Feb 2027. Western division students return Wed 10 Feb 2027. Independent and Catholic schools can differ, so check your school's calendar.

Source: NSW Department of Education, checked October 2026.

Holiday programs in Sydney (18)

Every program here has published dates and was checked on the provider's own page. Where a provider has not published a price or age range, the entry says so rather than guessing.

Nature, animals and outdoors (10)

Beyond the Bell GIRLS DAY OUT Holiday Camp Friday 18th December 2026 (Balmain): Fri 18 Dec 2026. Ages 7 to 13. 1 Day: $145. A one-day Girls Out and About excursion: a ferry trip to Watsons Bay with pick-up from Balmain Wharf or additional wharves at Neutral Bay, Rose Bay and Greenwich Point. Children need their own topped-up Opal card. Drop-off format, 8am to 4.30pm. Single day, 8am to 4.30pm. Checked October 2026 on provider site
BALMAIN Beyond the Bell Holiday Camp: Mon 21st - Wednesday 23rd December 2026 (Balmain): Mon 21 Dec to Wed 23 Dec 2026. Ages 5 to 12. 3 Day: $340; 2 Day: $250; 1 Day: $140. A screen-free, outdoor school holiday program run from Balmain Rowing Club. Kids do fishing, sailing, scavenger hunts, team challenges, park soccer and cricket, explore Balmain, Birchgrove and Mort Bay foreshores and swim at Dawn Fraser Baths. Full-day drop-off format from 8am to 4.30pm; kids bring their own morning tea and lunch, and pre-booked extended care runs from 7am to 6pm. Mon to Wed, 8am. Checked October 2026 on provider site
Sydney Camp January 2027 (Waverley): Mon 4 Jan to Fri 15 Jan 2027. Ages 9 and up. $750.00 AUD (SYDNEY CAMP January 2027 Week 1 / Week 2). A week-long vet-themed holiday camp for kids aged 9 to 17 held at Waverley College, Waverley, where children explore animals described as furry, fuzzy, four legged, creepy, crawly, feathery or scaly. Two weeks are offered in January 2027 and registrations opened on 8 September 2026 with limited spots. Each week is priced at $750. Two Mon to Fri weeks: 4 to 8 Jan and 11 to 15 Jan; times not stated. Checked October 2026 on provider site
Junior Animal Carer (8-11 years) Summer 2027 (Yagoona): Wed 6 Jan to Wed 20 Jan 2027. Ages 8 to 11. General Admission ticket $125.00 + $3.63 fee. A full-day program at the RSPCA NSW Adoption and Education Centre in Yagoona. Kids do hands-on workshops such as preparing enrichment for shelter animals, take a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the adoption shelter, meet a rescue animal (not guaranteed) and learn how to be animal advocates. Drop-off format: parents cannot accompany children, kids bring a water bottle, morning tea and lunch, and. Checked October 2026 on provider site
Mini Animal Carer (5-7 years) Summer 2027 (Yagoona): Fri 8 Jan to Thu 21 Jan 2027. Ages 5 to 7. General Admission ticket $80.00 + $2.50 fee. A half-day program at the RSPCA NSW Sydney Shelter in Yagoona for 5 to 7 year olds. Kids prepare enrichment for dogs and cats, tour the cattery and kittery including behind-the-scenes areas, and meet a rescue dog while learning how to interact safely. Children are in the care of staff (parents do not accompany them); they bring a water bottle and morning tea and take home a gift bag and. Checked October 2026 on provider site
Camp Blue Manly - Summer 2027 (Manly): Mon 11 Jan to Fri 22 Jan 2027. Ages 5 to 15. Standard Regular Day: $108 per day; Standard Super Day: $152 per day. A day camp at Stella Maris College, Manly, for Kindy to Year 9. Each day starts with a Hub group activity followed by four activity periods chosen from sports, arts and crafts, media, drama and dance, makerspace, cooking, chess and board games, beach activities and seasonal extras like surfing; Teen Adventure (Years 7 to 9) starts each day with an off-site excursion. Regular Day runs 9am to 3.15pm. Checked October 2026 on provider site
Camp Blue Stanmore - Summer 2027 (Stanmore): Mon 11 Jan to Fri 15 Jan 2027. Ages 5 to 14. Standard Regular Day: $108 per day; Standard Super Day: $142 per day. A day camp at Newington College, Stanmore, for Kindy to Year 8. The day has 4 to 5 activity periods across sports (basketball, touch rugby, soccer, cricket, pickleball, street hockey), media, drama and dance, makerspace upcycling projects and arts and crafts, with a morning energizer, Hub Club age-group time, lunch, free play and an all-camp activity. Regular Day 9am to 3pm, Super Day 8am to 6pm. Checked October 2026 on provider site
JETs Summer Camp 2027 (grade 4-7) (Galston): Tue 12 Jan to Sun 17 Jan 2027. Ages 9 to 13. $385. A six-day sleepaway camp at Crosslands Convention Centre, Galston, run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sydney. Activities listed include archery, canoeing and paddleboards, Master Chef, craft, high ropes, flying fox, Legomania, mountain biking, waterskiing and Nerf games; the camp includes worship times under the theme The Incredible Race. The $385 fee covers activities, accommodation. Checked October 2026 on provider site
KIRRIBILLI Beyond the Bell Holiday Camp: Multiple Dates January 2027 (Kirribilli): Mon 18 Jan to Fri 29 Jan 2027. Ages 5 to 12. 4 Day: $450; 3 Day: $340; 2 Day: $250; 1 Day: $140. A screen-free school holiday program run from Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre. Activities include team challenges, Beyond The Bell Bingo, scavenger hunts, harbour walks, ferry trips, free play, swimming at North Sydney Pool and picnics under the Harbour Bridge. Full-day drop-off format with arrival 8am to 9am and pick-up 3.30pm to 4.30pm; kids bring their own snacks and lunch, and optional. Checked October 2026 on provider site
Teen Summer Camp 2027 (grade 8-12) (Galston): Tue 19 Jan to Sun 24 Jan 2027. Ages 13 and up. $385. A six-day sleepaway camp for teens at Crosslands Convention Centre, Galston, run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sydney. The 2027 theme is The Incredible Race and the program includes worship times alongside camp activities. The $385 fee covers activities, transport and food; registration is online via Brushfire and spots sell out quickly. Overnight camp, 19 to 24 January. Checked October 2026 on provider site

Arts, craft and performance (4)

Wild Things International Kids Festival (Sydney): Sat 26 Sep to Sun 11 Oct 2026. All ages. Price not published. Sydney Opera House’s school holiday festival brings together ticketed shows, workshops and free outdoor experiences. The program has different age bands, so choose the individual event before booking. Checked September 2026 on provider site
Storytime Ballet: Cinderella (Sydney): Fri 18 Dec 2026 to Sun 3 Jan 2027. Ages 3 and up. Weekday 4pm: A $75, B $70, C $65; Weekday 11am and 2pm: A $79, B $74, C $69; Saturday: A $82, B $77, C $72; Sunday: A $85, B $80, C $75; $8.95 booking fee per transaction. An interactive 55-minute ballet for children aged three and up in the Drama Theatre, choreographed by David McAllister and presented by The Australian Ballet. A narrator leads the Cinderella story and children are encouraged to dress in ballet-inspired outfits and dance in their seats. Multiple sessions daily, including audio described and Auslan interpreted performances; children 18 months and. Checked October 2026 on provider site
The Very Cranky Bear (Sydney): Fri 18 Dec to Wed 23 Dec 2026. Ages 3 and up. Standard: Premium $55.00, A Reserve $45.00, B Reserve $35.00; $8.95 booking fee per transaction. A CDP Kids musical adaptation of Nick Bland's picture book, presented by Sydney Opera House in the Playhouse. A grumpy bear and four friends shelter from a storm in the Jingle Jangle Jungle in a 55-minute show about empathy and friendship. Suitable for ages 3 and up; children aged 3 and older need their own ticket and babies 0 to 2 may sit on a lap. Performances at 10.30am and 12.30pm most days. Checked October 2026 on provider site
Hook's Neverland (Sydney): Sat 9 Jan to Sun 17 Jan 2027. All ages. Starting from: $74.90 + booking fee (C Reserve Sun-Thu $74.90, Fri-Sat $84.90; $8.95 booking fee per transaction). A live family show in the Concert Hall mixing circus, aerial acrobatics, magic and comedy, presented by Sydney Opera House and Caper and Crow. It retells the Peter Pan story from Captain Hook's side with Smee, Tinkerbell and a travelling carnival. Runs 80 minutes with no interval; listed as suitable for all ages, children 15 and under must be accompanied and anyone aged two or older needs a. Checked October 2026 on provider site

Sport and active (2)

January 2027 School Holiday Cricket Clinics (Lindfield): Mon 21 Dec 2026 to Fri 22 Jan 2027. Ages 6 to 16. Price not published. Multi-day cricket clinics for boys and girls aged 6 to 16, booked as All Levels (5 to 10 years) or Experienced Players (10 to 16 years). Kids work on batting, bowling, fielding and wicket keeping using nets, a bowling machine and video analysis, play games like diamond cricket and fielding soccer, finish with a World Cup series of matches and receive an individual coach report. January 2027 venues. Checked October 2026 on provider site
Next Move (Summer Edition) December Sessions (Maroubra): Mon 21 Dec to Tue 22 Dec 2026. Ages 6 to 12. 6–8 years: 1 day $30; both days $55. 9–12 years: 1 day $40; both days $75. Two morning Oztag development sessions at Heffron Park, Maroubra, run by the Next Move coaching team with qualified strength and conditioning coaches. Kids are grouped by age and ability and work on speed, agility, strength, fitness, attack, defence and game play. Sessions go ahead in rain and are cancelled only for unsafe conditions such as lightning; no refunds. Monday 21 and Tuesday 22. Checked October 2026 on provider site

Museums, science and libraries (1)

Junior Science Academy Summer holiday program (Macquarie Park): Fri 18 Dec to Tue 22 Dec 2026. Ages 5 to 12. $150 (per full day). Hands-on STEM and creative-arts holiday classes for children aged 5 to 12 at Macquarie University, 13 Hadenfeld Ave. Classes vary each program and can cover space, dinosaurs, animals and nature, explosions, robotics and coding. Full days run 9.30am to 4pm with supervision from 8.30am and last pick-up 5pm; drop-off parking is in West 4 car park. JSA is not registered for the Child Care Subsidy. Checked October 2026 on provider site

Teen and youth programs (1)

Youth and Animal Program (12-15 years) Summer 2027 (Yagoona): Thu 14 Jan to Tue 19 Jan 2027. Ages 12 to 15. General Admission ticket $125.00 + $3.63 fee. A one-day program for 12 to 15 year olds at the RSPCA NSW Adoption and Education Centre. Participants do hands-on enrichment workshops, take an extended guided tour of the adoption shelter including behind-the-scenes areas, meet a rescue dog and learn how to become animal advocates. Small groups; parents do not accompany participants, who bring a water bottle, morning tea and lunch and receive a. Checked October 2026 on provider site

Questions parents ask

When are the NSW summer school holidays in 2026-27?

NSW government schools finish Term 4 on Thursday 17 December 2026 and students return on Wednesday 3 February 2027, so the holidays run 18 December 2026 to 2 February 2027. Eastern division. Staff development days Thu 28 Jan to Tue 2 Feb 2027. Western division students return Wed 10 Feb 2027. Independent and Catholic schools set their own dates.

How do we choose what goes on this page?

Only programs with published dates for the holidays, read on the provider's own website. Each entry shows the dates, ages and price the provider published, and links to that page. If a provider has not published its summer dates yet, it is not listed.

Do school holiday programs in Sydney need to be booked?

Day camps, workshops and zoo or museum sessions almost always do, and popular weeks sell out. Library and council drop-in sessions often do not. The link on each entry goes to the provider's own page where the current availability is shown.