School holidays are a mixed blessing. It’s great having that extra time to engage your kids with fun and enriching activities, but it is also a struggle to find things to do.
The Bursar was enthused by the NSW Government’s announcement that it will support families seeking relief from rising cost-of-living pressures, with free school holiday activities that include access to workshops and exhibitions to keep children engaged.
One way families in NSW can take advantage of the government’s initiative is with free general admission to the Australian Museum and Museums of History NSW, enabling families with children to enjoy educational exhibits and events at some of the most iconic cultural institutions across NSW.
Minister for the Arts John Graham said, “NSW families are really feeling the cost-of-living pressures, and the NSW Government is committed to ensuring families continue to have fulfilling experiences through arts and culture”.
Free NSW school holiday activities
Art Gallery of New South Wales Head of Learning and Participation Paschal Daantos Berry told The Bursar, “This school holidays, we’re excited to be offering a wide variety of free activities for kids of all ages, from toddlers to teens. A highlight of the program is Paper, scissors, shadow, a special workshop created by Indonesian artist Jumaadi, where kids aged eight and above can take part in the Indonesian tradition of shadow-puppet theatre. Families and children can also come along to daily free art workshops, adventure around the gallery on a guided art tour, or attend storytime sessions in Australia’s first dedicated art library for children.’
The free NSW school holiday activities begin this week and will include:
- Art Gallery of NSW: Paper, Scissors, Shadow – a free shadow-puppet theatre workshop for kids and families. Kids workshop: Colour rhythm collage – exploring the endless variations of colour tones and the limitless ways they can be combined to create rhythmic compositions, with artist David Sequeira. Make art with us: Polka dot flowers – inspired by Yayoi Kusama’s artwork Flowers that Bloom in the Cosmos (2022). Guided art tours for kids – a roving art-making tour with volunteer guides. Storytime for under 5s – at the new children’s library.
- Australian Museum: Dinosaur Festival – An annual dinosaur festival featuring live science shows, performances, roaming dinosaurs, a T-rex autopsy, and the brand-new Hologram Dinosaurs experience.
- State Library of NSW: Monster Madness – Design your own monster, dress up and scare your grown-ups or design a house for a monster.
- Museums of History NSW: Hyde Park Barracks Kids Audioguide and Trail – an adventure through time at the Hyde Park Barracks with a tailored audio guide and kids’ activity trail.
- Sydney Opera Houselaunch: Draw the House: The Sketchbook Tour – A free monthly walking and drawing tour led by artist Catherine O’Donnell that explores various drawing techniques and perspectives inspired by one of the world’s most iconic buildings.
- Powerhouse Ultimo: Family Minecraft – Intergenerational groups will be guided through Minecraft activities and games.
Read more: The definitive list of Sydney school excursions
A spokesperson for Powerhouse Ultimo told The Bursar, “Powerhouse school holiday programs are always popular with students of all ages, and this spring school holidays we have a wide range of activities on offer including 3D printing, Minecraft, Creative Studio design workshops and Movement Nation’s Strike a pose hip-hop dance workshops”.
Minister Graham said, “This supercharged school holiday program will offer unforgettable experiences with culture and art, and thanks to these free activities, exhibitions and workshops, they’re accessible to all families”.
