Seven weeks is a long stretch. If you are already working out how to fill it, we have rounded up the local camps, workshops, free activities, shows and day trips running in and around Lane Cove and the Lower North Shore this summer.
The official NSW school holidays run from Friday 18 December 2026 to Wednesday 27 January 2027. Term 4 finishes for students on Thursday 17 December and Term 1 starts on Wednesday 3 February 2027, after the staff development days from Thursday 28 January. Some private programs run outside these dates, so check each listing carefully before booking.
Four dates worth noting: Christmas Day is Friday 25 December and the Boxing Day public holiday falls on Monday 28 December. New Year’s Day is Friday 1 January and Australia Day is Tuesday 26 January. Council venues, libraries and most programs close on all four.
Quick guide for parents
- Need a full day? Beyond the Bell runs 8am to 4.30pm and Gallery Lane Cove runs 9.15am to 3.15pm, both with extended care.
- Looking for something free? Jump straight to Free or low-cost activities. Summer is the strongest season of the year for it.
- Booking for a younger child? Ages are listed near the top of every information box.
- Still waiting on dates? Several local providers had not published their January programs when we went to press. Each listing says so, with a number to ring.
Creative, music & performing arts
Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios: Summer Creative Camp
The most organised of the local creative programs this summer, with six camp days already loaded and bookable. Kids move through a mix of art and making across a full day in the Guy Warren Studio, with a free supervised lunch hour in the middle so you are not timing a pick-up around the middle of the day. Days book individually rather than as a block, and before and after care can be added.
- Dates: Wednesday 20, Thursday 21 and Friday 22 January, then Wednesday 27, Thursday 28 and Friday 29 January 2027. Each day is marked as limited.
- Time: 9.15am to 3.15pm, with free supervised lunchtime care from 11.45am to 12.45pm. Before care 8.30am to 9.15am and after care 3.15pm to 4.30pm can be purchased.
- Ages: Kindergarten to 12 years
- Cost: $135 including GST per day
- Location: Guy Warren Studio, Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios, 164 Longueville Road, Lane Cove
- Also advertised: A full-day sewing workshop for ages 7 to 14. No dated session had been loaded when we went to press, so ring the gallery if that is the one you want.
- Contact: 02 9428 4898 or [email protected]
Art with Ros: summer dates still to come
Ros Gervay runs small art workshops out of the Girl Guides Hall at Blackman Park, where kids work with real materials and go home with a finished piece. The spring sessions filled quickly and the summer dates had not been released when we went to press, so it is worth getting on her radar early.
- Dates: Not yet announced. Her website says the next dates are coming soon.
- Time: Whole day 9am to 3.30pm. Half day 9am to 12pm or 12.30pm to 3.30pm.
- Ages: Kindergarten to Year 6
- Cost: Whole day $125, half day $75
- Location: Girl Guides Hall, Blackman Park, Lane Cove West
- Contact: Ros on 0416 180 383
Modern Sounds Music: Rock Band for a Day
A full day of forming a band and playing in it, covering vocals, guitar, bass, drums and keys. No experience needed and every level is welcome. Lunch is included in the day rate, which is unusual and worth knowing if you are packing for a week of camps.
- Dates: Summer dates had not been published when we went to press. Ring Amanda to check what is running in January.
- Time: 9am to 3pm
- Ages: 8 to 14, all levels
- Cost: $149 per day, including lunch
- Location: Lower Ground Floor, Pottery Lane Arcade, 102-104 Longueville Road, Lane Cove
- Contact: Amanda on 0466 607 429 or [email protected]
Imagination Dance: holiday camps
Short drop-off camps built for the littlest ones, running through ballet, jazz, singing, craft, stories and games. Every day is different, so you can book one or the whole run. Two hours is a sensible first camp for a three or four year old.
- Dates: Listed as coming soon. Ring to be told when January dates go up.
- Time: Two hour drop-off sessions. Start times are set when the dates are released.
- Ages: 3 to 7 years
- Cost: One camp $40, two $70, three $100, four $120
- Location: Girl Guides Hall, Blackman Park, Lloyd Rees Drive, Lane Cove West. They also run at Mosman.
- Contact: 0458 333 063 or [email protected]
Burns Bay Dance Studios: holiday dance camps
Dance days moving through ballet, jazz, contemporary, musical theatre and acrobatic arts, with workshops broken up by games. No experience needed. Days book individually and there is a half-day option for younger or first-time campers. Current Burns Bay students pay a reduced rate and Creative Kids and Active Kids vouchers are accepted.
- Dates: The studio runs camps every school holidays but had published nothing past early December when we went to press. Text Miss Chelsea to check January.
- Time: Full day 9am to 3pm. Half day 9am to 12pm.
- Cost: Based on the last camp, half day $55 per day and full day $100, or $90 for current students. Confirm when booking.
- Location: Units F24 and F25, 16 Mars Road, Lane Cove, entrance off Lincoln Street
- Contact: Text Miss Chelsea on 0402 779 330
Active & sporty
Galuwa Recreation Centre: school holiday camps
A full day of sport in the Galuwa precinct, with tennis in the morning then soccer, basketball and pickleball through the afternoon. All ability levels are welcome and the age range is wide, so siblings can usually be booked into the same day. Drop-off opens early and after care runs to 6pm, which makes it one of the easier options for a working week.
- Dates: Three December camp weeks are advertised, but the dates published on the centre’s website do not line up with the school calendar and no January dates had been listed when we went to press. Ring before you book.
- Time: Drop-off from 8.30am. Full day to 3pm, half day to 12.30pm. After care 3pm to 6pm.
- Ages: 4 to 14, all ability levels
- Cost: Full day $90, half day $70, after care $16 per day. Weekly rates are listed in two different places on their site at different prices, so confirm the weekly figure when you call.
- Location: Galuwa Recreation Centre, 180 River Road, Lane Cove
- Contact: 02 8360 5555 or [email protected]
Beyond the Bell: January holiday camps at the Skiff Club
Outdoor camp days run from the Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club right on the water at Longueville, which is about as good a setting as a Sydney summer camp gets. There is a main camp, a separate juniors stream for the little ones and a dedicated fishing camp. Days can be booked as a one, two or three day block and a late afternoon add-on takes pick-up out to 6pm.
- Holiday camp, ages 5 to 12: Wednesday 6 to Friday 8 January, and Thursday 14 to Friday 15 January 2027
- Juniors camp, ages 4 to 6: Same dates, Wednesday 6 to Friday 8 January and Thursday 14 to Friday 15 January 2027
- Let’s Go Fishing camp, ages 5 to 12: Friday 18 December 2026, then Thursday 7 January and Thursday 14 January 2027
- Time: 8am arrival, pick-up between 3.30pm and 4.30pm. Late afternoon add-on to 6pm.
- Cost: Three day camp $340, two day $240, one day $140, late afternoon add-on $30. The fishing camp is $250 for two days or $165 for one, with a $15 add-on. Humanitix booking fees apply.
- Location: Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club, Stuart Street, Longueville, next to Longueville Wharf
- Contact: [email protected]
- Also nearby: The same team runs camps at Mosman, Kirribilli and Balmain across the same period.
Brewer Swimming: January holiday intensive
Five consecutive mornings in the water at the Gartlan Centre pool at Riverview. A daily intensive is the fastest way to shift a reluctant swimmer, and the timing in the middle of January suits families who are back from holidays but still weeks from the school gate. Beginners through to junior squad are catered for.
- Dates: Monday 11 to Friday 15 January. Their website does not print the year, so confirm it when you enquire.
- Time: 9am to 11am
- Ages: All ages and abilities, from beginners to junior squad
- Cost: $125 for five daily 30 minute sessions, or $27.50 per session
- Location: The Gartlan Centre, St Ignatius College, Tambourine Bay Road, Riverview. A 25m heated indoor pool.
- Booking: By email only. There is no online booking for the intensive.
- Contact: 0419 801 474 or [email protected]
Paul’s Tennis Academy: summer dates still to come
Tennis days at Lane Cove Tennis Club in Central Park, Longueville, with coaching broken up by match play and games. No tennis experience is needed and the half-day and morning options mean you can book around the rest of the week. The summer dates had not gone up when we went to press, though the booking page was still live.
- Dates: Not yet published for summer. Ring Paul to check January.
- Time: Full day 9am to 3pm, half day 9am to 12pm, morning session 9am to 11am. Early drop-off from 8.30am.
- Ages: 5 to 12
- Cost: Based on the last camp, full day $88, half day $68, morning session $55, early drop-off $10. Confirm when booking.
- Location: Lane Cove Tennis Club, Central Park, Longueville
- Contact: 0404 896 778 or [email protected]
Kasey Dive Golf: summer dates still to come
Head professional Kasey Dive runs the Lane Cove Junior Golf Program for more than 130 juniors, and the holiday camps cover every part of the game including full swing, chipping, pitching, putting, bunkers, on-course play, rules and etiquette. All equipment is supplied, so your child does not need their own clubs. The summer camp had not been loaded into his booking system when we went to press.
- Dates: Not yet published for summer. Ring Kasey directly.
- Time: Based on the last camp, 9am to 1pm, with drop-off and pick-up from the Pro Shop.
- Cost: $90 per day and $425 for a full five day week at the last camp. Confirm when booking.
- Location: Lane Cove Golf Course, 180 River Road, Lane Cove
- What to bring: Water, sunscreen, a hat and snacks for recess and lunch. Bring your own golf clubs if you have them.
- Contact: Kasey Dive on 0413 603 918 or [email protected]
Gladesville Gymnastics Club: holiday camps
A gymnastics-based camp with circus school activities folded in, run by a not-for-profit club. There is a half-day and a full-day option, plus a separate Teen Gym workshop for older kids who would rather not be in a room full of little ones. Active Kids vouchers are accepted. Nothing had been loaded into their booking portal when we went to press.
- Dates: Not yet published. The camps are advertised on their website but no sessions were bookable when we checked.
- Time: Half day is four hours, full day is six hours. Teen Gym workshop runs as a half or full day.
- Cost: Not published. Active Kids vouchers accepted.
- Location: Warehouse 1, Building A, 436-484 Victoria Road, Gladesville, on the corner of Tennyson Road
- Contact: 02 7226 5923
NBA Basketball School Australia: summer camp coming
Multi-day basketball camps run on the NBA curriculum, using the courts at Galuwa Recreation Centre. Their camps page says summer is coming but carries no dates, venues or prices yet. Their Term 4 program at Lane Cove finishes on 17 December, so the holiday camp is a separate booking.
- Dates: Listed as coming soon. Register your interest to be told first.
- Time: Based on the last camp, 9am to 2pm across three to four days.
- Ages: 6 to 14, depending on the camp
- Cost: $395 for the last three day camp. Confirm when booking.
- Location: Galuwa Recreation Centre, 180 River Road, Lane Cove
- Contact: 0420 641 268 or 0433 047 771
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Educational & tech
Skill Samurai Lane Cove: summer coding and robotics camps
The lab runs a different themed camp most days of a break, covering coding, robotics, game making, 3D printing and AI. Every camp is beginner friendly with extended challenges for kids ready to go further. Their website says the summer lineup is being planned, and spring went up late last time, so it is worth asking to be told when bookings open.
- Dates: Not yet published. The summer lineup is being planned.
- Time: Based on past camps, 9am to 3pm with drop-off from 8.45am.
- Ages: 6 to 16
- Cost: Past camps ran from $125 for a single day to $250 for a two day camp. Confirm when booking.
- Location: Suite 104, 79-83 Longueville Road, Lane Cove
- Contact: 02 8529 2620
Synergy Youth Centre: free holiday drop-in
Council’s youth centre on Little Street opens extended hours through the school holidays, with free use of the facilities under staff supervision. It is a genuinely useful option for the 10 to 17 bracket who have aged out of camps but are not keen on seven weeks at home. The summer program had not been published when we went to press, but the drop-in format runs every break.
- Dates: Summer program not yet published. Check the Council page closer to the break.
- Time: School holiday drop-in runs Monday to Friday 12pm to 5pm
- Ages: 10 to 17
- Cost: Free to use with staff supervision. Some bookable workshops carried a $5 charge last holidays.
- Location: 8 Little Street, Lane Cove
- Worth checking: Whether the centre opens on Monday 28 December, Friday 1 January and Tuesday 26 January.
Inclusive & all-abilities
Sydney Speech Clinic: C.H.E.F.S Cooking Therapy Program
Three mornings or afternoons of cooking therapy in the clinic’s purpose-built therapy kitchen on Pottery Lane, run as a small group. Cooking is the vehicle here rather than the point, with the sessions built around sequencing, following instructions and working alongside other kids. Two groups are running and both have dates confirmed.
- Group 1: Wednesday 13, Thursday 14 and Friday 15 January 2027, 1.30pm to 3.30pm each day
- Group 2: Wednesday 20, Thursday 21 and Friday 22 January 2027, 9.30am to 11.30am each day
- Cost: $765 for the three days, paid in advance. No refunds for missed sessions.
- Location: Ground Floor, 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove
- Other groups: The clinic also runs STEM WhizKidz, C.R.A.F.T.S, D.A.N.C.E, Social Minecrafters, Lego Based Therapy, Happy Hands OT and a Teen Holiday Social Squad, but none were scheduled for these holidays when we went to press. Ask what else they can run.
- Contact: 02 8404 0715 or [email protected]
Book now → · See all programs →
PosAbility: summer holiday sessions
PosAbility is a not-for-profit registered charity in the Lane Cove West Business Park supporting children and adolescents with learning difficulties, developmental delays and other needs, through speech pathology, occupational therapy, psychology and counselling. They are offering individual intervention sessions across the summer break, with detail due out around the end of November.
- Dates: Individual intervention sessions confirmed for the break. Their website says full information lands in week 7 of this term, around the end of November.
- Clinic hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 6.30pm, closed weekends
- Location: Unit F28, 16 Mars Road, Lane Cove West. Use 1 Lincoln Street for GPS.
- Contact: 02 9420 4101 or [email protected]
Free or low-cost activities
Sydney New Year’s Eve: free family vantage points
The 9pm family fireworks are the whole point of New Year’s Eve with kids, and the Lower North Shore has four free alcohol-free vantage points that open early enough to claim a patch of grass. All of them close at 12.30am and all have bag checks on entry. Get there when the gates open rather than mid-afternoon.
- Upper Bradfield Park, Milsons Point: Free, opens 9am on 31 December, capacity 6,400, wheelchair accessible
- Mary Booth Reserve, Milsons Point: Free, opens 9am, capacity 2,500, wheelchair accessible
- Lavender Bay Parklands: Free, opens 9am, capacity 3,000, covering Watt, Clark and Quibaree Parks
- Cremorne Point: Free, opens 1pm, capacity 8,500
- Alcohol is banned at all four North Sydney Council sites and all close at 12.30am
- Not an option: Waverton Park and St Peters Park are toilets only with no viewing area. The Coal Loader and Balls Head Reserve are closed.
- Across the water: Darling Harbour is free, non-ticketed and explicitly family friendly and alcohol free, with fireworks at 9pm and midnight over Cockle Bay. Managed access from 1pm.
North Sydney vantage points → · All Sydney vantage points →
Darling Harbour Summerific: a month of free activities
Darling Harbour runs a free program across the whole of January, which makes it the single most reliable day out in this guide. The playground alone justifies the trip, and the Sydney Festival installations at Palm Grove Forecourt sit right alongside it, so you can stack two or three free things into one day.
- Dates: Friday 1 January to Sunday 31 January 2027
- Cost: Free
- Kids Yoga at Darling Quarter: Fridays through January, free. Times were not published when we went to press.
- Fireworks: Free, across the Summerific program
- Darling Harbour Playground: Open and free, with water play that earns its keep in January
- Also on: Rhythm n Bubs weekly music sessions for little ones, movie screenings, concerts and DJs
- Getting there: Town Hall station is about 500m and the Town Hall light rail stop about 650m
Australia Day Harbourfest: Tuesday 26 January
The harbour puts on the biggest free show of the summer, and the Lower North Shore gets one of the best seats. The 21 Gun Salute and the Navy and RAAF flyover happen right at Bradfield Park, so you can watch the midday salute from Milsons Point then look straight across at the Ferrython and the tall ships.
- Date: Tuesday 26 January 2027
- Time: 10.30am to 4pm, with the regatta running to 6pm
- Cost: Free
- Midday Salute: 11.55am to 12.10pm at Bradfield Park, Milsons Point. Army 21 Gun Salute plus a Navy and RAAF flyover.
- Ferrython: 12.10pm to 12.30pm across Circular Quay and the harbour
- Then: Maritime Mayhem 12.15pm, Navy helicopter flag display 12.30pm, Harbour Parade 1pm, Tall Ships Race 1pm and the working harbour vessel display from 2pm
- Still to come: Lane Cove Council had not published its Australia Day program when we went to press. Last year it ran across the long weekend at The Canopy and Lane Cove Plaza, with a community barbecue hosted by Lane Cove Rotary.
Lane Cove Library Summer Reading Challenge
Two months of reading with a prize attached, which is a low-effort win for parents and quietly one of the better things the library does. Every two hours of reading logged earns a lucky dip prize, capped at one a day, plus an entry into the end-of-summer draw. Free for library members.
- Dates: 1 December to 31 January
- Ages: 3 to 17, library members
- Cost: Free
- How it works: Log your reading. Every two hours earns a lucky dip prize, one per day, and an entry in the end-of-summer draw.
- Also free: Storytime continues through the year at Lane Cove Library on Thursdays 11am to 11.30am and at The Yarn, Hunters Hill on Wednesdays 11am to 11.30am for ages 3 to 6. No bookings needed. Baby Bounce and the Greenwich and St Leonards sessions are term time only.
- Location: Lane Cove Library, 1 Library Place, Lane Cove
Council holiday programs: still to be published
Not one of the six councils covering our patch had published a summer school holiday program when we went to press, which is normal for mid-November. All of them run something, and most release their program in the first half of December. Worth bookmarking the pages now rather than hunting for them on the first wet day of January.
- Lane Cove Council: Summer program and the Sunset in the Village series, which runs January to February. Carols with the LaVoce Community Choir are on Thursday 10 December, 6.30pm at Lane Cove Library.
- Willoughby City Council: Summer vacation care at Artarmon Kids Cottage for ages 5 to 12, plus the library holiday program. Christmas tree light ups start 20 November across Willoughby.
- North Sydney Council: School holiday program and the Coal Loader programs. Their page was still showing April when we checked.
- Mosman Council: January program at the Barry O’Keefe Library, Mosman Art Gallery and the Youth Centre.
- Hunters Hill Council: Australia Day and any library activity. Ring 02 9879 9400.
- City of Ryde: Library program including a drop-in VR experience for ages 8 and up at Eastwood, West Ryde and North Ryde.
Shows & performances
Sydney Festival 2027: the free family program
Sydney Festival runs from 7 to 24 January and the family program is unusually strong this year, with five free events across the city. Fiesta Aliens! at Darling Harbour is the standout for anyone with a long day to fill, because it runs 10am to 4pm every day for a fortnight and you can simply drop in.
- Fiesta Aliens! 10 to 23 January, 10am to 4pm daily, drop in, no experience needed. Free. Palm Grove Forecourt, Darling Harbour.
- Future Fiestas: Parades on Saturday 9 January and Saturday 23 January, 5pm to 6pm. Free. Palm Grove Forecourt, Darling Harbour. Wheelchair accessible.
- Kite Choir: 7 to 10 January. Free and open to everyone. Northern Broadwalk, Sydney Opera House. Wheelchair accessible.
- The yard: 8 to 24 January. Free. Barangaroo Reserve, Hickson Road.
- WAVERIDER: 7 to 17 January. Free. Bondi Pavilion, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach.
- Worth paying for: The Boy Who Found His Way Home, 11 to 15 January, $25 to $29 plus booking fee, at Bondi Pavilion and Riverside Live at PHIVE.
- Contact: 02 8248 6500, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Sydney Opera House: kids and families this summer
Four kids shows run across the break, bridging the Christmas week and the middle of January. Hook’s Neverland is in the Concert Hall and billed for all ages, which makes it the easiest one to take a mixed-age group to. Session times and ticket prices had not been loaded onto the Opera House pages when we went to press, so check before you plan a day around one.
- The Very Cranky Bear: 15 to 23 December 2026, Playhouse, suitable for ages 3 and up
- Storytime Ballet: Cinderella: 17 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, Drama Theatre, The Australian Ballet
- Into Space: 6 to 14 January 2027, Playhouse, ages 7 and up, 60 minutes
- Hook’s Neverland: 9 to 17 January 2027, Concert Hall, all ages, 80 minutes with no interval
- Free: Kite Choir, 7 to 10 January, on the Northern Broadwalk as part of Sydney Festival
- Note: Ticket prices and session times were not published when we went to press
Mosman: December family events
Mosman has loaded a run of family events into the fortnight before Christmas, several of them free. It is a short drive or a ferry ride, and Balmoral Carols on the beach is about as summer as a Sydney December gets.
- Mosman Christmas Night Market: Thursday 10 December 2026. Free.
- A Christmas Kidnapping: Friday 11 to Sunday 13 December 2026, four showings. $10 for children 12 and under, $20 adults.
- Balmoral Carols: Saturday 12 December 2026. Free.
- The Mosman Messiah: Thursday 17 December 2026. Children enter free.
- Note: Session times were not published on the Council listing. Check before you go.
Day trips worth the journey
Taronga Zoo: Dinos at Taronga and Zoo Adventures
Thirty-odd life-sized dinosaurs land at Taronga from 10 December, with prehistoric encounters, live shows and kids activities, and the whole thing is included with a zoo ticket or annual pass. If you want a drop-off option rather than a day out together, Zoo Adventures is the five-day holiday program and registrations open mid-November.
- Dinos at Taronga: Opens 10 December. Free with a zoo ticket or annual pass. An end date had not been published when we went to press.
- Zoo Adventures holiday program: Monday to Friday during the holidays, 8.30am to 3.15pm. Dates and registrations open mid-November.
- Ages: Zoo Adventures is for ages 5 to 11
- Cost: $90 per child per day, plus a one-off $20 Zoo Adventures t-shirt that has to be worn. Zoo entry is separate.
- Included with entry: Free Flight Birds daily at 12pm and 3pm, Seals for the Wild daily at 11am and 2pm, plus more than 15 keeper talks a day
- Wildlife Express train: $5 per person one way, free for Zoo Friends members
- Contact: 02 9978 4578 or [email protected]
What’s on at Taronga → · Zoo Adventures →
Australian Museum: free every day of the holidays
General entry is free and the museum is open every day of the school holidays, which makes it the obvious wet-weather fallback. The Burra exhibition has a free kids learning and play space, and the dinosaur gallery needs no introduction to anyone who has met a six year old.
- Open: Daily 10am to 5pm, every day of the school holidays
- Cost: General entry free
- Burra exhibition kids space: Free, 10am to 4.30pm
- Scientist for a Day: Ages 9 to 12, 9.30am to 3.30pm during the holidays. Dates and cost had not been published when we went to press.
- Early Birds sensory-friendly morning: Saturday 30 January, 8am to 10am. Confirm the year and cost before you go.
- Location: 1 William Street, Darlinghurst
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and The Calyx
Free, central and a genuinely good use of a hot morning. The Yellowwood Garden has a native animal scavenger hunt built into it, and there is a free guided tour at 10.30am daily if you want someone else to do the explaining. No summer kids program had been published when we went to press, so treat this as a self-directed day.
- Cost: Free entry
- Free guided tour: 10.30am daily from The Garden Shop, by donation
- Yellowwood Garden: Play area with a native animal scavenger hunt
- The Calyx: Open, with Alchemy of a Rainforest. No dedicated kids program published for January.
- Location: Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney
Australian National Maritime Museum
Extended holiday hours and a new exhibition, with the vessels on the wharf the real draw for most kids. Ocean Photographer of the Year runs right across the break. The summer holiday program itself had not been published when we went to press.
- School holiday hours: 9.30am to 5pm, with last vessel boarding at 4.10pm
- Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026: 19 November 2026 to 28 February 2027
- Also on: Ur Wayii (Incoming Tide), tagged for families and kids
- Holiday program: Not yet published. Check closer to the break.
- Tip: Pre-booking a See it All ticket saves 10 per cent.
- Location: 2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour
Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden: January program to come
Full-day bush programs at St Ives that book out fast, covering things like dinosaur adventures, animal encounters and junior ecologist days. The January 2027 dates had not been published when we went to press, and their website still carries last January’s events, so check the dates carefully before you book.
- Dates: January 2027 dates not yet published
- Time: Full day programs, around 9am to 4pm
- Ages: 5 to 12, for children attending primary school full time
- Cost: Around $80 a day at the last January program. Confirm when booking.
- Location: 420 Mona Vale Road, St Ives
- Contact: 02 9424 0353 or [email protected]
Local community resources
The Lane Cove Toy Library
The Lane Cove Toy Library is a local gem, and it is not just toys. Think puzzles, board games, outdoor play equipment and plenty more, for ages 0 to 18. A membership lets kids browse and choose what they want to borrow, helping keep a seven week break fresh without buying anything new, and borrowing works on click and collect through the online catalogue. It is volunteer run and opens three sessions a week, so plan around those.
- Opening hours: Tuesday 2pm to 4pm, Thursday 9.30am to 12pm and Saturday 9.30am to 12pm. Check their hours over the Christmas and New Year period before travelling.
- Membership: Annual $85 or $60 concession, six-monthly $50 or $36 concession, quarterly $30 or $22 concession. Gift vouchers available. Volunteers receive free membership with a higher borrowing limit.
- Location: 47 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove, opposite Harris Farm
- Good idea: A gift voucher is a genuinely useful Christmas present, and sorting membership before the break means you can stock up on games and puzzles on day one.
Lane Cove Street Libraries
Street libraries are quietly popping up across Lane Cove, offering little free book exchanges where anyone can take a book or leave a book. For older kids who enjoy a bit of independence, this is a lovely way to spend part of a long summer afternoon, and it pairs neatly with the library’s Summer Reading Challenge.
- Activity idea: Wander the neighbourhood, discover local street libraries and browse for something to read over the break.
- Bonus idea: Kids can donate books they have outgrown, leaving something for younger children in the community to discover.
Read our street libraries guide →
Running a holiday program we have missed?
We update this guide right through the break as local providers release their dates. If you run a school holiday program for kids on the Lower North Shore and you would like to be in it, get in touch at [email protected] and we will send you our rate card. Free community activities are always welcome at [email protected].
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