50+ Things to Do with Kids During Brisbane School Holidays: Workshops, Events, and Camps

Are you looking for something fun for the kids to do during the Brisbane school holidays?

Each time the school holidays roll around, I search for new, fun, and unique ideas to keep the kids busy. This year, I finally decided to write it all down! Instead of trying to remember places, here is a list of all the places that have had special events for kids during Brisbane’s school holidays.

Every year, it seems many places do not publish their school holiday event calendar until right before the break, so if you don’t see anything yet, check back. The best thing to do is to follow the places you are most interested in on social media as that is usually where I first see when the school holiday workshops are available.

Whether you are interested in drop-off day camps, half-day workshops, hour-long classes, or events that parents participate in, there are quite a few options during Brisbane’s school holidays.

Keep reading to find art classes, cooking classes, theatre workshops, technology camps, zoo camps, book shop workshops, sports camps, and many more things to do with kids during the Brisbane School holidays.

Art Classes and Workshops

Rose Soiree

Rose Soiree offers splatter paint workshops during the Brisbane school holidays.

While kids 5+ are always welcome to join in on a splatter paint workshop year-round at Rose Soiree, they have additional workshops for a reduced price during the school holidays.

Kids can make a mess that you don’t need to clean up, plus they get to take home their canvas art at the end.

Rose Soiree also hosts paint classes for kids during the Brisbane school holidays at their Bulimba location.

This is probably the most fun I have ever had at a kid-friendly workshop over the Brisbane school holidays. Usually, they are focused entirely on the kids, but I got to stay and make my own splatter paint art, which is now on our wall by the kids artwork.

Playtopia

Held at Roma Street Parklands, Playtopia, formally Kids Collective, offers events and workshops including art classes, sports workshops, and STEM workshops.

Sessions are free and you do not need a booking. The drop-in classes are aimed at kids 5-12 and are held between 9 am and 1 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Creative Kids

An outdoor studio in West End offers art workshops for kids year-round. Though most participants tend to be younger than my kids, the projects are fun for kids up to at least 10.

Creative Kids West End releases a schedule of workshops each month. Each day has a different theme and the kids may be working with clay, mosaics, paint, and more.

While Creative Kids used to offer free classes, they are now ticketed.

Find more things to do in West End.

Flying Fox Studios

In Everton Park, Flying Fox Studios offers workshops for kids over the Brisbane school holidays.

In addition to painting workshops, there are engineering, science, and design workshops.

Each workshop at Flying Fox Studios is 1.5 hours long. Workshops are geared towards kids ages 4-17.

Brush and Barrel

Kids can join in on a sip and paint event at Brush and Barrel in Newstead over the Brisbane school holidays.

Kids Art Fun

Both painting and arts and crafts lessons are offered during school holidays with Kids Art Fun in Chapel Hill.

Art classes also take place during school terms, though the locations vary.

Find more art workshops for kids through Class Bento.

Cooking Classes

Come and Cook

Come and Cook, a cooking school in The Gap has classes year-round and special workshops for kids during the school holidays.

Kids’ cooking workshops at Come and Cook are for kids ages 7-11 or 11-16. Classes are drop-off and hands-on.

For those with kids younger than 7 who want to participate, parents can stay and help at some of the workshops, but 2 tickets need to be purchased.

Kids Kitchen

School holiday workshops are held at Kids Kitchen in Indooroopilly.

New Farm Confectionary

New Farm Confectionary is a chocolate shop in Newstead with workshops year-round. During the Brisbane school holidays, New Farm Confectionary usually offers workshops for kids 10+.

The New Farm Confectionary workshops for kids are for kids only. Adults can watch through a viewing window in the shop.

Book Shop Camps and Workshops

Where the Wild Things Are Bookshop

A bookshop for kids in West End, Where the Wild Things Are hosts book clubs, story times, and author visits year-round. During the school holidays, Where the Wild Things Are hosts parties, workshops, and other fun events for kids.

My kids attended the Wolf Girl 7 Release Party with parent attendance optional. They played trivia and received a copy of the book.

In addition to book events (which usually include a copy of the book), they have writing workshops including comic book writing.

Most of the events at Where the Wild Things Are can be purchased separately or the kids can join in on a whole day of fun at a reduced price. They break up the workshops into 2-hour events and run up to 4 a day.

Quick Brown Fox Bookshop

Located in Grange, the Quick Brown Fox Bookshop offers art workshops and book clubs for kids during the school holidays and throughout the year.

During the summer school holidays, they have a reading challenge and workshops on starting the school year on a positive note.

For younger kids, story time is held at Quick Brown Fox Bookshop twice weekly.

Bright and Early Books

Bright and Early Books in Ascot holds art workshops and author visits during the school holidays.

They also have holiday tutoring sessions and reading workshops.

Book Clubs are held at Bright and Early Books throughout the year.

Mad Hatter’s Bookshop

Located in Manly, the Mad Hatter’s Bookshop hosts art workshops and story time for kids throughout the school holidays and the year.

My kids met the author of Jawsome and got to make a beach-inspired craft at Mad Hatter’s Bookshop over the Brisbane school holidays.

Brisbane Library Workshops

Be sure to check out the workshops at any of the Brisbane Libraries and sign up in advance for the school holiday options.

In addition to story time, there are art classes, STEM workshops, and book-themed events.

Find the Best Brisbane Library Children’s Area

Sports and Active Camps and Workshops

Riverlife

Kids 8-16 can kayak, abseil, rock climb, and play laser tag at a full-day school camp at Riverlife. 6-hour sessions (with additional time available for a fee) run 4 days a week.

Meals and snacks are included.

Find more things to do in Kangaroo Point.

Bounce

During Brisbane’s school holidays, Bounce offers 3 different holiday camps. Bounce Squad is for kids ages 5-7, Flight Squad is for kids 8+, and Ninja Squad is for kids 8+.

Each camp is a 2-hour session, 5 days a week, with a 1-hour lesson and 1 hour to practice their skills.

Urban X-Treme

Choose between a full-day school holiday program, a 5-day adventure sports camp, or 2-hour workshops at Urban X-treme during the school holidays.

The workshops at Urban X-treme include an hour of instruction and an hour of free play. Options include Xtreme Ninja, rock climbing, skiing, parkour, laser tag, and ultimate chase tag.

Most of the camps and workshops at Urban X-treme are for kids ages 6-12 with a couple for kids up to 14. Ultimate Chase Tag is for kids 12+.

Victoria Park Golf Camp

Victoria Park offers daily workshops for 4 days with PGA professionals for kids ages 4-14. Kids can sign up for all 4 days or just a day at a time.

Victoria Park also has a putt-putt course.  Find more fun places to play putt-putt in Brisbane.

YMCA Gymnastics Programs

Various YMCAs around Brisbane offer camps, classes, and workshops over the school holidays.

Brisbane Bullets

Have a basketball enthusiast? Sign them up for a holiday program with the Brisbane Bullets.

Kids ages 5-11 can participate in this school holiday camp, and there is a separate session just for girls.

Choose between a 1-day and 2-day camp option.

The Brisbane Bullets basketball program is offered in different locations on both the southside and the northside of Brisbane.

Netball Australia

No experience is needed to join in on a school holiday camp with Netball Australia.

Kids are split into 2 groups by age and those ages 5-14 can participate.

Tennis for Kids

Held at schools around Brisbane, Tennis for Kids hosts school holiday workshops and private training sessions.

Multi-day camps are held for kids ages 4-15.

Queensland Tennis

Kids 5+ can join a half-day or full-day camp with Queensland Tennis.

The Juniors Holiday Program groups kids by skill and prior knowledge is not required to join. Workshops are available for kids 5-teens.

Roller Skating

Extra skate sessions are added during the Brisbane school holidays. Kids can join in on both daytime and evening skate sessions at Skateaway in Bundama or Albany Creek.

Ice Skating

Kids can ice skate at Ice World in Boondall or Acacia Ridge.

Public ice skating sessions are held during the school holidays.

Park Play

Park Play offers free workshops for kids at Victoria Park during the school holidays.

Centering around STEM, Park Play is held between 9 am and 1 pm on a few days during Brisbane’s school holidays. Park Play is geared towards kids ages 3-12.

Playtopia

Held at Roma Street Parklands, Playtopia, formally Kids Collective, offers a variety of events including sports classes such as rugby and soccer.

The Kids Collective workshops at Roma Street Parklands do not usually require a booking. Most of the events take place throughout the day and restart each hour.

Find More Free Things to Do With Kids in Brisbane

Theatre Camps and Workshops

Speak Up Studio

A drama studio, Speak Up Studio has multiple locations around Brisbane.

During the Brisbane school holidays, kids can join a half-day or full-day camp at Speak Up.

Kids in Prep to Year 2 can join the Little Experts, a half-day program. Full-day programs, Play in a Day, are available for kids in years 3-6.

A full-week program with a performance at the end is available for kids in grades 3-12.

Fame Performing Arts

Fame Performing Arts in Woolloongabba offers week-long school holiday camps for kids in Brisbane.

Auditions take place before the school holidays so the kids can practice during the workshops. After a week, there are performances on the weekend.

Shake and Stir

Shake and Stir hosts school holiday theater workshops at QPAC for primary school-aged kids.

QPAC

Queensland Performing Arts Center, better known as QPAC, often has kid-friendly shows during the school holidays. Check out their schedule to see what will be on.

Brisbane Arts Theatre

A small theatre in Petrie Terrace, Brisbane Arts Theatre usually has kid-friendly shows during the school holidays.

We saw Garfield at Brisbane Arts Theatre, and they have also had performances including Peter Pan, Shrek, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Beauty & the Beast, and The Little Mermaid.

QUT Gardens Theatre

Another option for theatre is QUT Gardens Theatre, where you can usually view kid-friendly shows during Brisbane’s school holidays.

My kids and I saw Mr. Stink there, based on the book by David Walliams.

Other kid-friendly shows that have taken place at QUT Gardens Theatre include Dog Man the Musical, Ratburger, The Gruffalo, and Snail & the Whale.

While you are at QUT, check out The Cube.

More Fun Things to Do with Kids in Brisbane

Brisbane Powerhouse

Brisbane Powerhouse tends to have a lineup of kid-friendly shows and events during the school holidays. Some of the events are free and some are ticketed. Usually, they all need to be signed up for in advance.

Pink Flamingo Brisbane

Kid’s shows take place weekly at the Pink Flamingo, in Hamilton, and they add shows over the school holidays.

A kid-friendly show, the Circus Fun House is filled with circus acts, music, dancing, and comedy.

Lord Mayor’s Children’s Programs at City Hall

Free kid’s shows take place at Brisbane’s City Hall during the school holidays.

Tickets need to be booked, but ours have never been checked. We have been to a couple of shows at City Hall including Fizz! and I Like to Movie Movie.

After the show, check out the Museum of Brisbane, located in the same building, and don’t forget to sign up for a free 10-minute tour of the clock tower.

Indoor Things to Do with Kids in Brisbane

Animal Workshops

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Kids 5-12 can participate in a Junior Keeper for the Day workshop at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. They are split into 2 groups with kids ages 5-8 in the Junior Joey group and kids ages 9-12 in the Senior Serpent group.

Junior Keeper for the Day sessions are 5 hours long and include close encounters with the animals at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary as well as a photo of your child with a koala.

For younger kids, ages 2-5, they have a Sanctuary Sprouts program that includes stories and games.

Nature Workshops

Earth Kids Holiday Program at Northey Street City Farm

Kids can participate in gardening, bushcraft, eco-art, and more at the Earth Kids Holiday Program held at Northey Street City Farm during each of the school holidays.

The 6-hour-a-day program is for kids ages 6-12 and is spread over 3 days.

Technology Workshops

Junior Engineers

With multiple locations around Brisbane, there are technology workshop options for kids ages 8-12 through Junior Engineers during the school holidays.

Options include STEM, coding, making movies, and App development and take place over multiple days.

Code Camp

Kids ages 5-13 can sign up for workshops during Brisbane’s school holidays through Code Camp.

Camps range from 2-3 days long and cover topics including animation, DJing, and of course, coding.

Chess Workshops

Gardiner Chess offers chess workshops and tournaments over the Brisbane school holidays, in addition to hosting classes and workshops during the school year.

There is a northside and a southside chess option.

We have also found that some of the libraries host chess tournaments for kids through Gardiner Chess during the school holidays.

Which Brisbane Library has the best children’s area?

Brisbane Museum Workshops and Events

Chances are, there are workshops for kids happening at the museums in Brisbane. Even if there aren’t, a day at one of the museums in Brisbane is always fun and usually free.

Queensland Museum

Sparklab, a science centre for kids, is open year-round at Queensland Museum, as are kid-friendly exhibits that are always free to enter.

In addition to the regular exhibits, sometimes the Queensland Museum hosts workshops for kids over the school holidays.

We attended an Encanto Workshop while their Animation of Disney exhibit was on.

Queensland Gallery of Modern Art

Though there are no special events during the school holidays, there is a Children’s Art Gallery at GOMA with free activities. Check the current exhibition here.

The Cinema at GOMA shows free children’s movies, which are a great thing to do especially during the Brisbane summer school holidays. The air-conditioning at GOMA is amazing and the kids and I loved cooling off in the GOMA theatre on a hot summer day.

Museum of Brisbane

The Museum of Brisbane is another great place to take kids whether or not school holiday workshops are happening.

The exhibits vary throughout the year and some are more kid-friendly than others.

Workshops and story hours take place throughout the year and they usually have at least one workshop option during Brisbane’s school holidays.

In the past, my kids have attended a workshop at the Storytellers exhibit and one during the World of Wonder Exhibit. Workshops are paid while story hour is generally free.

Read more about the Museum of Brisbane and its current exhibits.

What is Imaginaria and Should You Bring the Kids?

Harry Potter Themed Workshops

These Harry Potter-themed workshops are located in Samford Village, about a 30-40 minute long drive from Brisbane City.

To find more ways to see Harry Potter near Brisbane, read about all the fun things we have discovered.

The Store of Requirement

Located in Samford Village, The Store of Requirement sells Harry Potter merchandise and hosts potion-making and wand-decorating workshops.

Restaurant Workshops and Special Events

Check the kid-friendly restaurants nearest you to find out what they offer during the Brisbane school holidays.

Everton Park Hotel hosts a different event for kids each weekday of the school holidays. Options generally include pizza making, movie nights, cupcake decorating, and various themed workshops.

Another option for pizza making is Casa Cibo. They also have kid-friendly trivia during the school holidays, and kids eat free each Sunday.

Shopping Centre Workshops

While there isn’t something happening during each of the school holidays at the local shopping centres, we have found a few fun workshops during the school holidays at both Westfield Chermside and Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.

My kids have taken a few art workshops at Chermside Shopping Center and a dance workshop at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.

The cinema at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre also hosts drop-off movie events for kids during the Brisbane school holidays.

Miniature Golf

For parents who want to have fun with their kids, check out these mini-golf locations in Brisbane. Each location usually offers a special deal for families over the school holidays.

Holey Moley

Holey Moley is an indoor miniature golf course with multiple locations around Brisbane.

Our favorite location is the Fortitude Valley Holey Moley as it is the largest with 18 uniquely themed holes. The Chermside Holey Moley and Wintergarden Holey Moley each have 9 holes.

While it is always fun to play a round of mini golf at Holey Moley, they tend to have family deals over the school holidays.

Hey Caddy

A new indoor putt-putt location opened in South Bank. Hey Caddy offers special pricing during the Brisbane school holidays.

Find more things to do in South Bank with kids.

X Golf

At the same location as Hey Caddy is X-Golf, a golf simulator. You can rent an area that includes a couch and a table and practice your golf swing.

Kids can play at X-Golf, and those under 5 are free.

TAFE Workshops for High School Kids

Are you looking for an all-day workshop for older kids? TAFE offers affordable workshops for kids in grades 9-12.

TAFE workshops take place on their campuses in South Bank, Mount Gravatt, and Loganlea.

Many of the workshops are career-focused, whether the career is hairdressing, nursing, baking, fashion, tourism, or coding. Arts, sports, and sustainable workshops are also available.

More Fun Things to Do in Brisbane with Kids over School Holidays

• Kid-Friendly Escape Rooms
• Climb Story Bridge
• Find Fairy Doors
• Swimming Pools and Splash Pads
• Bush Walks with Nature Discovery Centres
• Cross River Rail Experience Centre
• Kid-Friendly Restaurants
• Holey-Moley Indoor Putt-Putt

Brisbane School Holiday Workshops Wrap-Up

Whether you are looking for an all-day workshop or just an hour or so, there are plenty of options for kids during the Brisbane school holidays.

If the place you want to go hasn’t updated its school holiday schedule yet, keep checking back. The school holiday workshop schedules sometimes are not released until a few weeks before the holiday break.

Brisbane offers a wide variety of workshops and events during the school holidays including art, technology, theatre, and sports for primary and high school-aged children.

The Brisbane school holidays camps are drop-off while workshops and classes may be drop-off as well or may require an adult to stay the entire time.

Hopefully, this list helped you find the perfect Brisbane school holiday camps, workshops, classes, and events to make the holiday even more enjoyable.