Awesome Summer School Holiday Programs for Sydney Kids

Ah, the summer school holidays - it's the best of times, it's the worst of times! As we all know, the summer school holidays are the longest on the calendar, which is great for quality family time but terrible for bored kids. Cue the summer school holiday programs!

Keep your children's minds occupied, their bodies moving and their imaginations stimulated with these awesome summer school holiday programs and workshops to see you right into 2022!

The Best Summer School Holiday Programs for Sydney Kids

1. Australian Theatre For Young People (ATYP) Holiday Workshops

The Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) is here to help fill the school holidays with a brilliant line-up of drama workshops created to engage performers of all ages. Kids from Kindergarten up to Year 12 can spend a week of their holidays in age-specific workshops making new friends, learning acting skills and creating a show-stopping performance for family and friends at the end of the workshop.

Their Summer School Holiday Program includes classes on comedy, improvisation, storytelling, screen acting, movement, monologue masterclasses, musical theatre and for their littlest participants, amazing imagination stretching.

Where:     Various venues across Sydney CBD 
When:       4 to 21 January 2022
Cost:        See website for costs

2. NIDA Short Courses

Reignite your creativity this summer with short courses for grades K–12 presented by the National Institute of Dramatic Art! 

NIDA's Short Courses are the ideal summer stimulation for children and young adults to reconnect to their creativity and make the most of an otherwise boring holiday period.  The short courses, which are led by expert NIDA teaching artists, include disciplines such as drama, acting, screen acting, TV presenting, filmmaking, writing and design. Courses will be run from a variety of locations.

Where:    Courses run at NIDA Kensington and at venues in Belrose, Campbelltown, Carriageworks, Chatswood, Mosman and Taronga Zoo and Wollongong.
When:     4 to 21 January 2022
Cost:       Book now and save! Book your summer holiday course four weeks in advance and save 10% with the early bird discount. 

3. Vaucluse Sailing Club School Holiday Camps

 

Vaucluse Amateur 12 Foot Sailing Club is running kids learn to sail camps during the summer school holidays. The club curates the syllabus based on the experience of the kids participating in each camp and each child can join for either three, four or five days. The camps are designed for children aged seven to 16 years and each child must be able to swim and tread water.

Where:     Club House, Wharf Road, Vaucluse
When:      6 Dec 2021 - 21 Jan 2022  
Cost:        From $300*

*Active Kids vouchers are accepted, so make sure you use your Active Kids Voucher if you haven't already! 

4. City of Sydney Learn to Swim Programs

 

Whether you're after a structured swim program for your child or just a visit to one of their iconic city-based pools, the City of Sydney Pools have world-class swimming pools across Sydney: Prince Alfred Park Pool in Surry Hills, Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre in Ultimo, Andrew Boy Charlton Pool at The Domain, Victoria Park Pool in Camperdown, Cook + Phillip Park Pool in Sydney City, and Gunyama Park in Zetland.

These world-class aquatic leisure centres offer quality and affordable swimming lessons for children from six months old. Their classes are fun, informative, and will establish a great foundation for little swimmers. 

Where:   Locations across the city
When:   Throughout school holidays and beyond
Cost:     Various

5. The Australian Museum: Summer School Holiday Fun

The Australian Museum are delivering the fun and educational goods these summer school holidays! Sydney kids can enjoy a whole host of school holiday programs and activities including theatre workshops, nature photography workshops, exciting exhibitions, becoming a scientist for a day, prehistoric playground adventures and more.

Where:   1 William Street, Sydney
When:    Throughout the school holidays and beyond
Cost:      Various

6. Speaking Schools Australasia - Summer Holiday Program

 

Speaking Schools Australasia are thrilled to be continuing with online classes as well as physical classes during the January school holidays! 

Their exceptional school holiday programs will help students build their confidence in debating and public speaking over the summer break. All holiday programs run over two or three days, with staggered start and finish times between around 9 am and 3 pm for in-person workshops (you can find the precise times for each workshop on the website). 

Where:    Physical classes will be run at three Sydney locations (a fourth location to be announced soon): Sydney Boys High School, Moore Park, on 13 & 14 January 2021; Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga, from 17 to 20 January 2022 (NEW!); Southern Cross Vocational College, Burwood, on 17 to 21 January 2022. 
When:     From 13 January 2022
Cost:       Various

7. Sydney Hills Horse Riding

Sydney Hills Horse Riding is the place to be for all horse fans during the summer holidays. With over 25 years of experience teaching all aspects of horse riding to kids of all ages (in a stunning location to boot!), Sydney Hills Horse Riding provides a safe, fun and nurturing environment for all horse lovers.   

Sydney Hills Horse Riding's school holiday programs include two rides per day plus lunch. Children will be divided up according to their abilities and age and instructed by one of the experienced coaches with the junior coaches assisting.

Where:   66 Kenthurst Rd, Dural
When:    Throughout the school holidays and beyond
Cost:      Various

8. The Y NSW School Holiday Programs

Summer is not the time to become a couch potato! Get the kids out of the house to enjoy the amazing roster of school holiday programs on offer at The Y. From swimming to gymnastics, basketball and more, The Y has loads of workshops and activities on offer at loads of locations across Sydney.  

Where:   Various locations across Sydney - check their website.
When:    Throughout the school holidays and beyond
Cost:      Various

9. Aerialize Summer School Holiday Workshops

Aerialize offers fun summer holiday workshops throughout January that are bursting with thrilling circus activities! Kids of all levels of ability can join Circus Dayz and learn the essential skills they need to become an acrobatic star. They will have a ball learning trapeze, tissu, lyra, hula hoops, juggling, acrobatics, mini-tramp and more. Young performers are invited to come to play for anything from a half-day to a full week.

Serious circus stars can also join the Performance Studio - a week-long course that covers essential circus and aerial skills, as well as performance skills training and ensemble building, as they work towards a mini-showcase at the end of the week!

Where:   7-9 Close St, Canterbury
When:    10 - 21 January 2022
Cost:      From $45 to $380

10. Sydney Olympic Park

Sydney Olympic Park will be a hive of activity this summer with loads of action-packed programs for budding athletes! Dive right into Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre these school holidays to practice diving using the springboard and three-metre platforms, learn the basic skills of water polo and enjoy an all-day Aquatic Sports Camp with Olympians. Young Archers and Sharp Shooters can aim for fun and learn to shoot arrows at Sydney Olympic Park Archery Centre. Professional staff will teach them the safety tips and skills they need to hit the bullseye. Plus, kids can will love the action of the outdoor battlefield with laser tag! They'll hide behind blockade bunkers and walls and plot with their teammates to defeat their rivals in thrilling battles.

The Quaycentre will also be abuzz with a range of fun holiday sports programs where fun is the aim of the game. Netball, volleyball, soccer, basketball, hockey and cricket are all on the schedule with some of Sydney’s best coaches and professional athletes.

Where:   Sydney Olympic Park
When:    4 - 27 January 2022
Cost:      Starting from $10

11. Kids Love To Cook

Get your kids in the kitchen whipping up a storm at the Kids Love To Cook Christmas and Summer Cooking Classes these school holidays! Little foodies can experiment with different ingredients and learn to make delicious creations in a range of cooking classes designed especially for young epicureans. Online cooking classes are a fun holiday experience to do as a family or gather some friends.

Follow the class online in real-time mastering tasty treats like gingerbread people, meringue trees, oreo truffles, reindeer bark, Peri Peri Chicken, Choc Peppermint Slice and Choc Tiramisu!

Where:   Online
When:    17-25 December 2021
Cost:      From $19.95 per class

12. National Art School Summer Holiday Program

Get the new year off to a vibrant start with school holiday workshops at the National Art School. During their summer program, young artists and makers between 6 and 15 will join small group classes focused on creativity, fun and experimentation. The diverse schedule includes Comic Book Mania, Experimental Watercolour Painting and Digital Photography for Teens.

Led by expert artist-lecturers with a deep and practical knowledge of the endless possibilities of art, all classes take place in a creative studio environment where students are inspired to explore self-expression through visual arts. There are also specialist classes for high school students designed to extend their learning beyond the classroom. 

Where:  National Art School, Darlinghurst
When:   10-21 January 2022
Cost:     From $50. Check the NAS website for individual program costs.

12. Become a Zookeeper For A Day At Australian Wildlife Parks

Australian Wildlife Parks are hosting the experience of a lifetime at the some of NSW's best and most beaitiful animal sanctuaries. Your child's summer school holidays will rise to a whole new level as they go behind the scenes at Mogo Wildlife Park, Hunter Valley Wildlife Park and Featherdale Wildlife Park with their immersive Zookeeper for a Day program. Animal enthusiasts will have the chance to try their dream job, accompanied by passionate zookeepers, with hands-on acess to a range of activities around the park.

Your little animal lover will make friends with a variety of creatures and learn all about their specific diets, the parks' enrichment programs to educate and engage their animals and the important projects in place across a variety of key species. All budding zookeepers receive a zookeeper for a day shirt or jumper, a gift bag, free entry for their next and a Certificate of Completion at the conclusion of the day.

Where:  Hunter Valley Wildlife Park, Nulkaba
              Featherdale Wildlife Park, Doonside
              MOGO Wildlife Park, Mogo
When:   January School Holidays
Cost:     From $195 per child per day

More Summer Fun

Best Parks For Summer Barbecues In Sydney
Amazingly Fun Water Slides In Sydney
Sydney's Best Kid's Indoor Play Centres for Rainy Days and Summer Heat

 

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