Victorian spring holidays run Saturday 19 September to Sunday 4 October 2026. Two weeks. Here’s what to do with the kids in Melbourne.
Full dates: VIC school holiday dates. More events as they land: what's on in Melbourne.
⭐ 🎟️ Spring holidays at a glance
- 19 Sep – 4 Oct 2026
- Kids 16 and under go free at Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks
- Indoor if it rains: NGV, ACMI, the museum, Scienceworks, or SEA LIFE
Melbourne school holidays 2026 include:
What to do | Good for |
|---|---|
Melbourne Royal Show | A whole-day ticketed outing |
Dinos at the Zoo | Dinosaur fans |
Polly Woodside Pirate Day | Sunday 20 September only |
NGV Children's Play | Free indoor, little kids |
Melbourne Museum | Kids 16 and under free |
Scienceworks | Kids 16 and under free |
ACMI Play On | Free indoor at Fed Square |
Paper Planet | Free paper forest, 28 Sep–2 Oct |
Children's Garden | Free outdoor play |
Jells Park | East-side nature play |
Fitzroy Gardens hunt | Bring a pen |
SEA LIFE Aquarium | Rainy-day indoor |
Grab a water bottle, pick a day, and go. Scroll for photos, times and tickets.
Melbourne Royal Show
Thursday 24 September to Sunday 4 October at Melbourne Showgrounds. Animals, showbags, rides, fireworks if the weather holds. Kids 4 and under get in free; 12 and under need an adult. Daily 9:30am–9:30pm.
Book Melbourne Royal Show tickets today!
Dinos at the Zoo
Melbourne Zoo until 4 October. More than 30 animatronic dinosaurs, a fossil dig, roaming puppets. It’s included with zoo entry, not a separate ticket. Some little ones find the moving dinos a bit much. Open 9:30am–4:30pm.
Book Dinos at the Zoo today!
Polly Woodside Pirate Day
Sunday 20 September only this holidays, 10am–1pm. Treasure hunt, washable tattoos, a rope swing. Dress up. Adult $25, child $15, National Trust members free. The next pirate day is 18 October, after school goes back.
Book Pirate Day tickets today!
Children's Play at NGV
Until 4 October, daily 10am–5pm, free. Costumes, drawing, giant cushion cakes in the Children’s Gallery at NGV International.
Plan your NGV Children's Play visit today!
Melbourne Museum
Spring program 19 September to 4 October, 9am–5pm. Rome-inspired holiday activities, Our Wondrous Planet, mosaic-making. Kids 16 and under free; adults $18, seniors $12.
Book Melbourne Museum today!
Scienceworks
19 September to 4 October, 10am–4:30pm. Kids 16 and under free; adults $15. The Colour exhibition is on through summer — a good rainy-day backup.
Plan your Scienceworks visit today!
ACMI at Fed Square
Play On plus The Story of the Moving Image, both free, 10am–5pm, open every day of the holidays. Under 13s need an adult. Arcade games, costumes, a Foley studio.
Plan your ACMI visit today!
Paper Planet
Polyglot Theatre at The Edge, Fed Square. A child-led forest of paper and tape. Monday 28 September to Thursday 1 October, 10am–12pm and 1:30–3:30pm; Friday 2 October morning only. Free, no bookings. Auslan on Wednesday 30 September.
See Paper Planet times today!
Junior Rangers — Wings and Wattles
Free, ages 5–12 with a guardian. Weekdays 22–25 September and 28 September–1 October, 10am–12pm in Royal Park. Not on weekends.
Book Junior Rangers today!
Ian Potter Foundation Children's Garden
Free, 10am–sunset every day of the holidays. Bamboo forest, flax tunnel, a kitchen garden. The gardens themselves are free too — see our Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne page.
Jells Park playscape
Free nature play, picnic tables and BBQs in Wheelers Hill. Vehicle gates 8am–dusk. An easy east-side day. More: Jells Park playscape.
Fitzroy Gardens Outdoor Adventure
A free 12-question hunt for primary kids (bring a pen), plus Seek and Find bingo for younger ones. Visitor Centre 10am–4pm daily, on until 31 October. No booking. More: Fitzroy Gardens Melbourne.
A Patchwork of Hope at the Shrine
Galleries are free daily 10am–5pm. A Patchwork of Hope is a short holiday workshop on weekdays 21–24 September and 28 September–1 October, 11:00–11:45am (it skips the Grand Final weekend). Book, and a parent needs to stay.
Book the Shrine holiday workshop today!
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
Fully indoor. Rocky Shores is new this holidays. From $39. Book ahead on busy days — hours can stretch in the holidays.
Book SEA LIFE Melbourne tickets today!
Two weeks goes fast. Pick a big day (the Show, the Zoo, Pirate Day), a free indoor (NGV, ACMI, the museum), and a park if the sun’s out. Happy holidays!
