School Holidays in NSW: Dates, Free Programs and Where to Look
Live listings last refreshed 25 Sept 2026 — refreshing · Last updated 25 Sept 2026
The next NSW school holidays run from 26 Sept 2026 to 12 Oct 2026. We have 21 events listed across NSW for that break, 12 of them free, and 1,148 providers in our directory running classes and holiday programs year-round. This page is kept: the dates come from the government calendar, the lists refresh from the AroundSchools directory twice a day.
Key takeaways
- Dates below are the Eastern Division calendar, which covers most NSW enrolments.
- The reliably free holiday programs come from councils — libraries, leisure centres and youth services. Bookings usually open two to three weeks before a break and fill fast.
- NSW runs the Active and Creative Kids voucher — two $50 vouchers a year for children aged 4.5 to 18 whose parent or carer received Family Tax Benefit Part A or Part B in this financial year or the last. Full details are in our state-by-state voucher guide.
NSW publishes separate Eastern and Western Division dates. The dates below are the Eastern Division ones, which cover the large majority of NSW enrolments — if your school is in the far west, check its calendar.
NSW school holiday dates
| Break | Dates | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Spring holidays | 26 Sept 2026 – 12 Oct 2026 | 17 days |
| Summer holidays | 18 Dec 2026 – 27 Jan 2027 | 41 days |
| Autumn holidays | 10 Apr 2027 – 26 Apr 2027 | 17 days |
| Winter holidays | 3 July 2027 – 18 July 2027 | 16 days |
Government school dates — individual schools can vary by a few days. · source
Free programs these holidays
| When | Event | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar – 22 Dec | Free Trial - AAGI 1st Jan to 23rd Dec-2026 · Ages 1–18 | Brookvale | Free |
| 13 July – 25 Nov | FREE Kids STEAM Club (9 to 12 year olds) - Burwood Council Monthly Activity till November · Ages 9–12 · Council event | Burwood | Free |
| 24 Aug – 28 Sept | School Holidays: Chinese Lantern Papercraft (5-12 years) - Georges River Council · Ages 5–12 · Council event | Hurstville | Free |
| 24 Aug – 29 Sept | School Holidays: Make A Pocket Monster at Kogarah Library (5-12 years) · Ages 5–12 · Council event | Kogarah | Free |
| 28 Aug – 29 Oct | Lego club at Toukley Library · Ages 8–12 · Council event | Toukley | Free |
| 20 Sept – 2 Oct | School Holidays: Science Inspired Art Experiments · Ages 8–12 · Council event | Leichhardt | Free |
| 23 Sept – 29 Sept | Story Time at the Joy of Giving · Ages 2–6 · Council event | North Sydney | Free |
| 23 Sept – 27 Sept | School holiday program: Meet the chicks at Gosford Regional Library · Council event | Gosford | Free |
| 23 Sept – 26 Sept | Moon Festival 2026 @ The Crescent, Homebush West · Council event | Homebush West | Free |
| 24 Sept – 27 Sept | School holiday program: Birds of Norah Head · Council event | Norah Head | Free |
| 24 Sept – 27 Sept | School holiday program: Picnic Point boat litter clean-up · Ages 12–18 · Council event | Picnic Point | Free |
| 1 Oct – 25 Nov | Term 4: Ukulele for Kids (8-12 years) · Ages 8–12 · Council event | South Hurstville. | Free |
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 12 of 21 upcoming events in New South Wales are marked free by their organiser · correct as at 25 Sept 2026
Council-run holiday programs
| When | Event | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 July – 14 Oct | Baby Explorers: Senses By Hurstville Museum & Gallery 15-Oct-2026 · Ages 0–1 · Council event | Hurstville | From $5.5 |
| 24 Sept – 28 Sept | School holiday program: Sun, moon and star wall hanging at Woy Woy Library · Ages 5–12 · Council event | Woy Woy | From $10 |
| 24 Sept – 29 Sept | Kids on the Coast - Nature's Art Lab · Council event | Narrabeen | From $85 |
| 28 Sept | Kids Giving Back - Helping Hands · Ages 8–14 · Council event | Manly | From $100 |
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 15 of 21 upcoming events in New South Wales come from council calendars we track · correct as at 25 Sept 2026
More programs these holidays
| When | Event | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar – 18 Dec | Pottery class - Silky Shapes Studio 17-Mar to 19-Dec-2026 🫙 · Ages 10–85 | Willoughby | From $95 |
| 16 Mar – 19 Dec | Birthday Parties - AAGI 1st Jan to 20th Dec-2026 · Ages 2–18 | Brookvale | From $430 |
| 23 Aug – 1 Oct | Science Circus School Holiday Camp - Science Circus 29-Sep to 02-Oct-2026 · Ages 6–12 | Carss Park | From $130 |
| 22 Sept – 30 Sept | Marys Mini Chefs Pizza Making Class · Ages 1–12 | Ashbury | From $60 |
| 22 Sept – 7 Oct | Marys Mini Chefs Pizza Making Class 2 · Ages 1–12 | Ashbury | From $60 |
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 21 of 21 upcoming events in New South Wales are listed · correct as at 25 Sept 2026
By age
Ages 3–5
| When | Event | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar – 19 Dec | Birthday Parties - AAGI 1st Jan to 20th Dec-2026 · Ages 2–18 | Brookvale | From $430 |
| 16 Mar – 22 Dec | Free Trial - AAGI 1st Jan to 23rd Dec-2026 · Ages 1–18 | Brookvale | Free |
| 24 Aug – 28 Sept | School Holidays: Chinese Lantern Papercraft (5-12 years) - Georges River Council · Ages 5–12 · Council event | Hurstville | Free |
| 24 Aug – 29 Sept | School Holidays: Make A Pocket Monster at Kogarah Library (5-12 years) · Ages 5–12 · Council event | Kogarah | Free |
| 22 Sept – 30 Sept | Marys Mini Chefs Pizza Making Class · Ages 1–12 | Ashbury | From $60 |
| 22 Sept – 7 Oct | Marys Mini Chefs Pizza Making Class 2 · Ages 1–12 | Ashbury | From $60 |
| 23 Sept – 29 Sept | Story Time at the Joy of Giving · Ages 2–6 · Council event | North Sydney | Free |
| 24 Sept – 28 Sept | School holiday program: Sun, moon and star wall hanging at Woy Woy Library · Ages 5–12 · Council event | Woy Woy | From $10 |
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 8 of 21 upcoming events in New South Wales are listed · correct as at 25 Sept 2026
Ages 6–9
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 14 of 21 upcoming events in New South Wales are listed · correct as at 25 Sept 2026
Ages 10 and up
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 15 of 21 upcoming events in New South Wales are listed · correct as at 25 Sept 2026
How to find the free things in NSW
Start with the library. Membership is free wherever you live, work or study in the area, and library services run school-holiday sessions for children — craft, Lego, coding, science shows, author visits. Bookings usually open two to three weeks before the break, and the library's own page is the primary source.
Leisure centres and youth services. Councils run the pools, the playgrounds and, in most areas, holiday programs at the leisure centres. Youth services run free or gold-coin activities for 10-to-17-year-olds — the programs that rarely reach the big listing sites, which is why we track councils calendars directly.
Playgrounds, trails and free attractions. Public playgrounds, the regional trails and the free museums and gardens cost nothing beyond getting there.
The voucher. NSW runs the Active and Creative Kids voucher — two $50 vouchers a year for children aged 4.5 to 18 whose parent or carer received Family Tax Benefit Part A or Part B in this financial year or the last. It pays registration and membership at a registered provider, so it suits a term of sport rather than a one-off holiday camp. Our guide to every state's scheme has the eligibility rules, the dates and how to claim.
Where to look nearby
Free things to do around Sydney are listed on our free kids' activities in Sydney page. Suburb by suburb, the NSW activities hub lists providers by category.
Council libraries in NSW
| Place | Suburb | What is there |
|---|---|---|
| Ku-Ring-Gai Neighbourhood Centre | St Ives | Library · Playground, Fully fenced, Toilets, Parking, BBQ facilities, Picnic tables |
| Avalon Community Library | Avalon Beach | Library · Playground, Shade / shelter, Parking, Picnic tables, Wheelchair accessible |
| Avalon Recreation Centre | Avalon Beach | Library · Playground, Shade / shelter, Parking, Picnic tables, Wheelchair accessible |
| Brunswick Heads Library | Brunswick Heads | Library · Playground, Toilets, Parking, BBQ facilities |
| Culcairn Library | Culcairn | Library · Toilets, Parking, BBQ facilities, Picnic tables |
| Dungog Shire Library | Dungog | Library · Playground, Toilets, BBQ facilities, Picnic tables |
| Kootingal Library | Kootingal | Library · Playground, Toilets, Parking, BBQ facilities |
| Manning Wallamba Family History Society Taree | Taree | Library · Playground, Toilets, Parking, Picnic tables |
| Mathoura Public Library | Mathoura | Library · Playground, Toilets, Parking, BBQ facilities |
| Rhodes Community Precinct | Rhodes | Library · Playground, Fully fenced, Toilets, Picnic tables |
| Rutherford Library | Rutherford | Library · Playground, Toilets, Parking, Picnic tables |
| St Peters Library | Sydenham | Library · Playground, Toilets, Parking, Dog friendly |
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 257 libraries, 4129 parks and 0 community spaces we hold inside New South Wales · correct as at 25 Sept 2026
NSW council areas with a kids' activities page
| Council | Kids' activity providers | Schools | What's on |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Sydney | 61 | 45 | See the council's site |
| Northern Beaches Council | 49 | 80 | 4 events |
| Blacktown City Council | 45 | 107 | See the council's site |
| Central Coast Council | 44 | 92 | 5 events |
| Sutherland Shire Council | 38 | 75 | See the council's site |
| City of Canterbury-Bankstown | 37 | 96 | 2 events |
| Inner West Council | 33 | 59 | 1 event |
| City of Wollongong | 30 | 79 | See the council's site |
| Georges River Council | 29 | 41 | 5 events |
| Willoughby City Council | 29 | 16 | 1 event |
| Lake Macquarie City Council | 28 | 83 | See the council's site |
| Ku-ring-gai Council | 27 | 40 | See the council's site |
See all 76 New South Wales councils with a page
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 76 New South Wales councils currently have a page · correct as at 25 Sept 2026
Providers listing class times in NSW
| Provider | Suburb | Activities | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gymnastics - Infinity Gym Sports & Health | North Rocks | Sports | Ages 5–6 · 9 classes a week |
| Jeanette Briggs Dance Academy | St Helens Park | Arts & Dance | from $180 · Ages 3–18 · 7 classes a week |
| Mary's Mini Chefs | Moore Park | Cooking Class | from $60 · Ages 5–12 · 2 classes a week |
| Epping Art School | Epping | Arts & Dance | — |
| AVANT MUSIC STUDIO | Ingleburn | Piano | — |
| A Face Painting Dream | Wentworth Point | Magician, Painting | — |
| Academy of Acrobatics and Gymnastics International | Brookvale | Gymnastics | — |
| ACE360 | St Marys | Learning Centre, Maths, English | — |
| ACTiv Elite Performers | Carlton | Dancing School, Singing, Music | — |
| Active Art | Mogo | Art Centre, Mental Health | — |
| Allegro Childrens Music | Burwood | Piano, Singing, Music | — |
| Art and Soul Studio | Killarney Heights | Art Centre | — |
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 12 of 1148 kids' activity providers we list in New South Wales · correct as at 25 Sept 2026
Frequently asked questions
When are the next school holidays in NSW? From 26 Sept 2026 to 12 Oct 2026. These are government school dates — independent and Catholic schools can differ by a few days, so check with your school.
Are council holiday programs free? Library sessions almost always are. Leisure-centre and youth-service programs are often free or a gold-coin donation, with some paid workshops; each listing below shows the price the organiser published.
Can I use the voucher for a holiday camp? Usually not: these schemes pay towards a season or term with a registered provider rather than a one-off camp. Ask the provider whether it is registered before you enrol.
How we checked
Term dates are the government calendar for New South Wales. Scheme amounts and dates were read at the scheme's own page on 25 September 2026. Event and provider lists come from the AroundSchools directory and refresh twice a day.
