Here’s to an Autumn of fun! We’ve rounded up all the best activities and events on the Central Coast and beyond to enjoy these April school holidays.
From roaming dinosaurs and circus performances to Autumn carnivals and full-day holiday camps, your calendar will be packed with things to do. School holiday boredom? That definitely won’t be a thing for your tots, tweens and teens!
Happy holidays!
School Holiday Camps
Coastal Active Ability Holiday Excursions for ALL Abilities
Do you have a child with additional needs? Coastal Active Ability is a family-owned Central Coast business that’s dedicated to supporting people with special needs, and they host fantastic school holiday excursions.
This April they’re inviting kids to join them in visiting some absolutely fabulous attractions and events. Here is some of the fun on offer:
+ See Marvel Universe Live at Qudos Bank Arena.
+ Witness the stunt masters of the 360 AllStars at Riverside Theatre, Parramatta.
+ Meet with alpacas in Jilliby.
+ Visit Luna Park and Hunter Valley Zoo.
+ Experience a flight simulator.
+ Go fishing aboard a BBQ boat at Killcare.
Coastal Active Ability has excursions running almost every day of the holidays – including weekends – making them really accessible for families.
These excursions are available to children of all abilities with NDIS funding who are plan or self managed. The team maintain 1:2 or 1:3 ratio depending on the activity and participant’s capacity.1:1 support can be provided as well, and if the participant already has a regular carer, the carer is welcome to join the group at an extra cost.
Where: Drop off and pick up is from Unit 5/6 Morton Cl, Tuggerah. Home pick up and drop off is available at an extra charge upon request.
When, time: See timetable above for dates.
Cost: Excursions start at $350 and includes food, drink, tickets and transportation to and from the venue. Contact Coastal Active Ability for costings for each activity.
Age Group: Ages 7+
Contact: For more details, visit the Coastal Active Ability website or call office manager Priti on 0416 832 172.
BRAND NEW – Ninja Kids Erina’s full-day school holiday camps
Have you heard the news? In February, a fabulous new ninja obstacle training facility opened in Erina! And, as well as regular term-time kids classes and birthday parties, they’re running full-day school holiday camps this April!
The new facility is fitted out with myriad obstacle and parkour equipment – from warped walls and cargo nets to giant trampolines and spider walls. There are monkey bars to swing across, slack lines to balance on, salmon ladders to leap up and rock walls to clamber along. It’s a space guaranteed to show your child a whole lot of fun.
Plus, better yet for busy parents, the camps are running every single week day of the holidays! Yep, you read that right: they’re running Monday to Friday of both holiday weeks – 8.30am-3pm – and you can sign your kids up for as many days as you like. This is so awesomely game-changing! We’ve never heard of anywhere offering this kind of flexibility and we’re totally all for it.
At Ninja Kids Erina’s school holiday camps, kids will build strength and agility, develop new skills and increase self-confidence – all while having a heap of fun! The day will be broken up between tackling obstacles and learning parkour and gymnastics-style tumbling with other activities such as arts and crafts to give the kids’ hardworking hands and muscles a little rest. They’ll also join in team-based games and races, such as timed ninja courses and Beat The Wall competitions.
Want them to attend multiple days? Well, the great news is that the coaches will be putting the kids through different obstacles, skills and games, so no two days will be the same!
Where: Ninja Kids Erina, 3/5 Bonnal Rd, Erina.
When: Monday 15th April to Friday 19th April and Monday 22nd April to Friday 26th April.
Time: Camps run all day – 8:30am till 3pm (with pick up available until 3.30pm).
Cost: $65 per day plus insurance if your child hasn’t attended Ninja Kids and completed insurance for 2024 ($30 valid until 31st December 2024, or $5 per day).
Age Group: Ages 5 to 15.
Contact: For more details, visit the Ninja Kids Erina website.
Creative Kids vouchers and Active Kids vouchers accepted.
Raw Challenge’s April camps, Doyalson
We love a school holiday activity that gives families flexibility and options – and Raw Challenge delivers it in bucketloads.
At Raw Challenge’s school holiday program, you have three options:
+ Drop your kids and run.
+ Stay ‘n’ play and join in on the fun.
+ Walk, watch and cheer from the sideline.
How awesome is that!
Across 3.5 fun-filled hours, your kids will conquer 25-30 EPIC obstacles on the Raw Challenge course. They’ll climb net rope bridges, balance across beams, crawl through tunnels, slip down slides and wade through mud pools. They will get muddy. They will get messy. They will have an ABSOLUTE BLAST! And, the best part is, you can choose to jump in there and do it with them too.
This April, Raw Challenge is hosting FOUR awesome days – two for tweens/teens aged 10-17 and two for ages 5+. We absolutely love this as it means that siblings – or even the entire family – can do this together. Parents, this winning as it’ll save you petrol, sanity and that feeling of simply being a taxi running here there everywhere.
+ Kids aged 5-10 years old: Tuesday 23 April 2024 | Monday 15 April 2024. 9.30am-1pm (drop off 9.15-9.25am). We realise this is totally confusing, but any child aged between 5 and 17 can join this program; the cut off is not 10 years of age (they just recommend the 10-17 year old program for older kids as it includes some additional more challenging obstacles).
+ 10-17 year olds (+ adults wanting to join in): Monday 22 April 2024 | Friday 19 April 2024. 9.30am-1pm (drop off 9.15-9.25am).
Where: Raw Challenge, 110 Pacific Hwy, Doyalson.
Age Group: Kids aged 5 -17 + their adults (see specifics above).
Inclusions: Lunch (sausage sandwich and a soft drink) and snacks from Nestle to take home, including a muesli bar, Le Snack and Kit Kat.
Cost: $48/person (plus small booking fee).
Contact: Email [email protected] or visit their website.
Little Leaders holiday camps, Central Coast
Want to teach your child about resilience, mindfulness and gratitude? If your answer is a, “Heck yes!”, we recommend enrolling them into a Little Leaders camp these April school holidays!
The full-day camps involve a heap of fun and varied activities – from colour runs and parkour challenges to journalling and clay work. The activities are chosen with very particular outcomes in mind – to keep your kids active and entertained while being exposed to strategies that will assist them when dealing with life’s challenges and the tools they need to thrive in today’s world.
We absolutely love Little Leaders’ unique school holiday camps! And here’s why we know you’ll love them too:
- This April they’re running 1-day and 2-day camps!
- Their camps run for the full day, so they’re great for working parents.
- They have three Central Coast locations – Kincumber, Erina and Tuggerah!
- Your kids learn while having fun! We’ve heard from so many parents and carers who have seen the benefits of this holiday camp.
- Kids absolutely love the variety of activities on offer – from drumming and meditation to obstacle challenges and laser tag.
Inclusions: Lunch is provided on all days and first-time Little Leaders will be presented with their very own wellness journal.
Time: Camps run all day – 8:30am till 3:30pm.
Age Group: Kindy to Year 6.
Contact: For more details, visit the Little Leaders Australia website.
Creative Kids vouchers and Active Kids vouchers accepted.
KINCUMBER CAMP VENUE: KINCUMBER HIGH SCHOOL
- 2-day camp Monday 15 April & Tuesday 16 April 2024 | Price from $29.99 – $149.99.
- 2-day camp Thursday 18 April & Friday 19 April 2024 | Price from $29.99 – $149.99.
TUGGERAH CAMP VENUE: ST PETER’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE
- 1-day camp Friday 19 April 2024 | Price from $29.99 – $79.99
ERINA CAMP VENUE: CENTRAL COAST ADVENTIST SCHOOL
- 2-day camp Tuesday 23 April & Wednesday 24 April 2024 | Price from $29.99 – $149.99.
Roundabout Circus School Holiday Program – NEW headquarters in Gosford!
Ever thought about fire twirling? How about juggling, unicycling or trapeze? If you want your child to pick up some awe-inspiring skills, sign them up to a Roundabout Circus workshop these holidays!
This April they have an epic line-up of activities on offer, such as acro balance, tumbling and contortion, silks and even family circus where your whole tribe is invited to join in the fun.
Have a professional in the family? They’ll be running teens and experienced youth ‘level up camps’ in which students will be exposed to fire-spinning, specialty apparatus and more challenging skills.
Fancy running away to the circus yourself? Check out their adult classes these holidays! You’ll learn aerial, acro and mixed circus skills, and all levels of experience are welcome.
Roundabout offers both half-day and full-day workshops and if you book multiple days or workshops they offer a discount. They also accept Creative Kids and Active Kids vouchers for school holiday programs (see website for details).
Plus, did you hear the news? Roundabout Circus has just moved to a new – and bigger – location in Gosford. The new venue has even more space for circus performers to play and learn plus 6m-high rigging for aerialists. And on 20th April – World Circus Day – Roundabout will have an Open Day! Everyone is invited to come along to check out their new studio and enjoy a host of shows, workshops and activities.
When: Every day throughout the holidays. See their website for the timetable.
Where: Roundabout Circus, 96 Showground Rd, Gosford.
Cost: Different costs – see website for details.
Age Group: Family Circus is for children who are walking/18 months+ all the way through to adults | acro workshops are for 8yrs+ | Camps are for ages 5 yrs -13 yrs+ | Level up camp is for ages 8 yrs -17 yrs+.
Contact: 0243 117 133, roundaboutcircus.com.au
Events to Book
Sydney Kidz Fest
Love an Autumn carnival? Us too. And these April school holidays we’ve found just the event to tick those feel-good family-fun boxes. Sydney Kidz Fest is a brand new festival and it’s making its inaugural debut at The Entertainment Quarter these school holidays. Every day throughout the holidays you can visit to get your fix of fabulous rides, carnival games, market stalls, animal petting and live entertainment.
Paw Patrol, everyone’s favourite adventure pups will be hitting the stage each day, and you can even join in a special meet and greet with Chase and Marshall.
The animal nursery provides a lovely space for children to feed and pet lambs, llamas, goats and ducklings. The myriad carnival rides will thrill kids and adults alike. They’ll have all the classics such as dodgem cars, a giant slide, jumping castles, a carousel as well as spinning tea cups, zorb balls, swing chairs and thrill rides for the teens. And not forgetting the carnival games – from dart throwing to the laughing clowns.
And, of course, no visit to an Autumn carnival would be complete without a pluto pup, chip on a stick or show bag or two! And when it comes to show bags, Sydney Kidz Fest has a gazillion on offer – from unicorn and princess bags to Ninja and Frozen.
Where: Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, Sydney.
When: 13th – 28th April, 2024.
Time: Some days are 10am-3pm and others are 10am-4pm. Please check website for details. Daily Paw Patrol Stage Shows: 11:30am & 2:00pm. Plus, get up close to Marshall & Chase at the Meet and Greet at 12:30pm!
Cost: Adult Entry (16yrs +) $20; Child Entry (3yrs – 15yrs) $10; Family Entry (4 people – adults or children) $50; 3hr Unlimited Rider Wristband $40; Discount Coupons (24) – Games & Rides (Rides vary from 1-4 coupons each) $50.
Age Group: All ages.
Contact: For more details, visit the Sydney Kidz Fest website.
Mega Creatures and Mega Creatures Night Safari at Hunter Valley Gardens
Get set for some roaring, teeth-gnashing fun, as Mega Creatures take over the Hunter Valley Gardens these school holidays!
Dino enthusiasts absolutely love this event that invites visitors to come face to face with tonnes of life-sized animatronic dinosaurs. You’ll spy a T-rex, Ankylosaurus and Triceratops and this year some brand new prehistoric visitors will be roaring across the gardens, too, including a Wuerhosaurus, Huayangosaurus and Dilophosaurus. Aspiring paleontologists can also do a fossil dig and embark on a giant dinosaur egg hunt!
It’s not only prehistoric creatures hanging out in the gardens, though. There are also insects of giant proportions, including an enormous bee, caterpillar, praying mantis and butterfly! And imaginations will soar at the sight of the fantastical beasts on display, including a fire-breathing dragon!
This year you’re also up for an incredible treat as the Hunter Valley Gardens has invited the team from Erth to perform each day. Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo™ is an imaginative, interactive show that invites kids to feed and touch Erth’s oh-so-lifelike dinosaurs.
The creators of Erth are also bringing their cute (and far less intimidating) baby dinosaurs to the Gardens for a wander. These lap-sized baby dinos are adorable and just begging for a pat.
And don’t forget that Mega Creatures can also be experienced in the evening. The Night Safari is such a fun spectacle. Seeing the glowing red eyes and biofluorescence of a giant brachiosaurus, three-headed dragon, sabre-tooth tiger and more is quite the spectacle. Remember the thrill of spotlight as a kid? Well, that’s the same feeling here – only way cooler. And if you have kids in that tween stage who are a little hard to please these days, then this event is a massive winner.
And of course, don’t forget about their fabulous rides, too. The giant slide, spinning tea cups, swing ride, carousel and Ferris wheel will all be operating.
Where: The Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin.
When: Saturday 6th April until Sunday 5th May 2024.
Daytime event: 9am-4pm. Last entry 3pm. | Night Safari event: 5pm – 9pm. Last entry 8pm.
Entry Cost: Day OR Night entry: Adult (16+ yrs) $40. Children (4-15 yrs) $30. Children (3 yrs. & Under) FREE. Family (1ad+2ch) $93. Family (2ad+1ch) $99. Family (2ad+2ch) $122.
COMBO (DAY / NIGHT) pass: Adult (16+ yrs) $58. Children (4-15 yrs) $47. Children (3 yrs. & Under) FREE. Family (1ad+2ch) $136. Family (2ad+1ch) $154. Family (2ad+2ch) $187.
See website for more options.
Age group: All ages.
Ride costs: Each ride is $6 per person. Or you can purchase a 6-ride pass for $30 and get a bonus ride for free. Ride tickets are available for purchase in the event area at the Gardens.
Tempo at The Art House, Wyong
Has your child ever dreamed of running away with the circus? The Flying Fruit Fly Circus is Australia’s National Youth Circus, and their performers are bringing live music, acrobatics and circus together to The Art House stage this April!
Tempo features an extraordinary ensemble of professional and incredibly talented young artists who play musical instruments and perform myriad tricks. The cast brings a dazzling range of skills to the stage – think unicycle riding, backflipping, aerial silk sliding and juggling. There’s sleight-of-hand magic, slapstick comedy, impressive hula hoop twirling and a girl playing a grand piano while doing a handstand!
With no dialogue and plenty of gasp-inducing action, Tempo will appeal to all ages – from trainees to ringmasters. Plus, it’s a great way to show our young people what they can achieve – with just a little (or more likely, a lot) of practice.
Age group: Kids aged 6+ (and their adults).
Show duration: Duration: 55 minutes, no interval plus a post-show Q&A
Where: The Art House, 19-21 Margaret Street, Wyong.
Show times: Fri 19 Apr 2024 – 7PM | Sat 20 Apr 2024 – 10:30AM
Tickets: Adult $30 | Encore Members $25 | Child under 12, $20 | Family of 4 (2A,2C or 1A,3C) $85 | Vacation care $15
Phone: 4335 1485
To advertise your events or holiday camps on Playing in Puddles, click here.
Written By: KATIE STOKES
Founder & Editor
After working in print and online media for more than a decade, Katie launched Playing in Puddles in 2017. A mum of three young boys and local of the Central Coast, Katie loves discovering and sharing all that’s happening in our region.
Sport School Holiday Camps on the Central Coast
All Sports Days at Kincumber Indoor Sports
What: One-day sports camp. They’ll get to play a whole heap of ball games including dodgeball, soccer, bull rush, volleyball, and more. They’ll even get to do rock climbing!
Where: Kincumber Indoor Sports.
Ages: 5-14 years old.
To learn more: Check out our feature here to learn more (please note that the dates listed are not current). For current dates and to sign up, email [email protected] or call 4368 3197.
Motiv8Sports Central Coast
What: Two- and three-day sport camps plus 4-on-4 football tournaments.
Where: Multiple locations across the Coast. These can vary so check website for details, but generally Erina and Warnervale.
Ages: 5-15 years old.
Brazilian Soccer Schools, Central Coast
What: Three-day soccer camps (half day and full day available).
Where: Tuggerah.
Ages: 5-16 years old.
Mighty Mariners Holiday Clinics, Central Coast
What: Three- and two-day soccer + activity camps (half day only).
Where: Tuggerah.
Ages: 6-14 years old.
Skateboard, Scooter, BMX and Rollerskating school holiday camps at Slam Factory
What: One- and three-day camps in specific disciplines: skateboarding, rollerskating, BMX or scootering.
Where: Slam Factory, Tuggerah.
Ages: Kids aged 5+.
Horseriding and Animal School Holiday Camps on the Central Coast
The Outlook Riding Academy horseriding holiday camps, Terrigal
What: One-, two- and three-day horseriding and activity camps (full day only).
Where: Terrigal.
Ages: 5-16 years old.
Glenworth Valley Horseriding camps
What: Half-day junior beginner horseriding camp and full-day level 1 beginner horseriding camp. (This is a 1-day camp)
Where: Glenworth Valley.
Ages: 5-16 years – different ages for different camps.
The Australian Reptile Park’s Little Kids to Keeper, Big Kids to Keeper and Inclusive Kids to Keeper experiences
What: One-day experience. A fully escorted workshop offering exclusive behind-the-scenes access and hands-on animal experiences.
Where: The Australian Reptile Park, Somersby.
Ages: Little Kids 2 Keeper: ages 7-12 years. Big Kids 2 Keeper: ages 13-18 years. Inclusive Kids 2 Keeper: ages 7-18 years.
Adventure and Active School Holiday Camps on the Central Coast
Glenworth Valley Adventure Max School Holiday Camp
What: One-day adventure camp. Activities vary depending on the season, but may include horseriding, quad biking, laser tag, kayaking, abseiling and team games (full day only).
Where: Glenworth Valley.
Ages: 7-16 years old.
Roundabout Circus school holiday camps
What: One-day, half-day and 1.5-2 hour camps are available in everything from aerial silks, trapeze and lyra to tumbling, juggling and hula hooping.
Where: Wyoming.
Ages: All ages. Different ages across different classes.
Art and Digital School Holiday Camps on the Central Coast
Central Coast Creative Hub
What: One-day art camps (full days and half days available). From Water bead Puffy Slime and Picasso Mixed Media wall hangings to Clay pot Fairy Houses.
Where: Point Clare.
Ages: 4.5 years old – 15 years old.
Luna and Co art classes
What: One-day art camps. From air-dry sculpture to acrylic painting.
Where: Niagara Park.
Ages: Different ages across different classes.
Coding camps
There are multiple businesses that run online and in-person digital camps – from coding and website building to DJ and youtube workshops. These businesses sometimes run camps in person on the Central Coast. Check their websites for details.
CIY Club
Code Camp
School Holiday Workshops (camps that run for just a couple of hours)
The following venues run school holiday workshops that kids can attend for a couple of hours. It’s a great way to give kids the opportunity to learn a new skill or gauge their curiosity in a different activity.
Ice skating at Erina Ice Arena: 1.5-hour ice skating workshops for children aged 7-15 years old | Erina.
Ninja classes at Australian Warrior Fitness: 1.5-hours of “Australian Ninja Warrior”-style obstacle training for children aged 6-12 (split into age groups) | North Gosford.
Ninja classes at Obstacle Course Racing School: 30-45 minute classes of “Australian Ninja Warrior”-style obstacle training for people aged 3-14+ (split into age groups) | Tuggerah.
Art classes at Gosford Regional Gallery: 2-hour art classes in everything from jewellery making to expressive drawing. Different classes for different age groups from ages 6-adult | East Gosford.
Roundabout Circus: 2-hour classes in anything from silks and trapeze to tumbling and juggling. All ages (classes are split into different age groups) | Wyoming
Other Central Coast school holiday camps to look out for!
From time to time the following venues run school holiday camps and workshops. Check their website for dates.
Marine Discovery Centre
Charmy Indoor Sports
More Activities to Enjoy these School Holidays
Have you visited the Central Coast’s 68 Attractions?
Be a tourist in your own town! We have animal and adventure parks, farms to visit, go-karting, laser tag, family entertainment centres and more. Start planning your visit! Check everything out here.
Indoor Adventures on the Central Coast
Escape the sun! Find fun play centres, trampoline parks, and indoor sports here.
Discover a NEW Playground Today
We have more than 100 playground reviews on Playing in Puddles. Click here to discover a new playground near you.
NSW School Holiday Dates for 2024 and 2025.
We know it’s tricky to plan vacations in advance and to get school holiday camps sorted so parents can continue to work. To make it that little bit easier, here are the school holiday dates for NSW public schools in 2024 and 2025.
2024 NSW school holiday dates and terms
- Autumn 2024 school holidays – Monday 15 April 2024 to Friday 26 April 2024.
- Winter 2024 school holidays – Monday 8 July 2024 to Friday 19 July 2024.
- Spring 2024 school holidays – Monday 30 September 2024 to Friday 11 October 2024.
- Summer 2024 school holidays (Eastern division; Central Coast) – Monday 23 December 2024 to Thursday 30 January 2025.
- Summer 2024 school holidays (Western division) – Monday 23 December 2024 to Thursday 6 February 2025.
2025 NSW school holiday dates and terms
- Autumn 2025 school holidays – Monday 14 April 2025 to Thursday 24 April 2025.
- Winter 2025 school holidays – Monday 7 July 2025 to Friday 18 July 2025.
- Spring 2025 school holidays – Monday 29 September 2025 to Friday 10 October 2025.
- Summer 2025 school holidays (Eastern division, Central Coast) – Monday 22 December 2025 to Monday 26 January 2026.
- Summer 2025 school holidays (Western division) – Monday 22 December to Monday 2 February 2026.
This feature may also contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.
