🌸 2025 Spring School Holidays — Melbourne 2025

Spring school holidays are here — and we’ve packed this guide with the very best activities, attractions, play centres, and drop-off programs across Melbourne and beyond.

If you’re a Small Ideas member — thank you! Scroll on for what’s new and some ideas on activities you can do this Spring. If you’re not a member yet feel welcome to scroll on and see some of the discounts you will get if you join. This is just a taste though. Join for $39.95 and you and your family get 12 months of access to 900+ discounts.

👉 Join Small Ideas here

MELBOURNE CBD & INNER CITY

• The Quiz Room — puzzle & escape-style challenges for families.
• Hiinx QV now open with discounted challenges, bowling & Arcades.
• Virtual Reality Melbourne — immersive VR fun for older kids/teens.
• Melbourne Zoo (pictured)- these school holidays features a dragon- sized adventure. It’s an immersive experience from the movie How to Train your Dragon and is designed for families and offers a unique way to explore the zoo.
• Melbourne River Cruise 2 for the price of 1
• O’Brien Icehouse, Melbourne Skydeck, Royal Botanic Gardens.
• Creative picks: Artvo, Diana Ceramics, Blender Studios & my favourite Champainting for 18 years plus.

BAYSIDE

• MetArt World Port Melboune if you have already visited when they first opened here’s what’s new in recent months?

  • Interactive Art Lab: A creative space where visitors can engage in hands-on art activities.

  • E-Sports Game Room: Featuring games like Super Grid, providing entertainment for all ages.

  • VR Theme Park: An immersive virtual reality experience with over 100 games, including shooting challenges and spinning rides

• The Espy (St Kilda) — family meals + live music but if it’s great weather and you want to be on the beach i suggest our discount for West Beach Pavilion
• Luna Park — 25% off unlimited ride passes. 11am to 4pm Mon to Fri during holidays there will be a pop up farm included in your admission.
• Craft: Artea, Paint For Fun (pictured), Sossy & Canvas, Glaze It Pottery.
• Kite Republic & St Kilda Ferry — outdoor fun.

WEST

• Scienceworks (pictured) Visitors can also explore The Secret World of Food, a free activity about food from farm to worm farm, and attend the Build ‘Em Up! engineering show. Kids free during school holidays and Adults less than $11
• Baby J’s cafe or Souvlaki GR both in Werribee are our picks under our Food category. NEW to the Food category is Little Growling Cafe in Tarneit and Mambourin.
• Bounce our discount is valid during school holidays
• Aquapulse — 50% off waterpark entry.
• Village Cinemas Pacific Werribee — all formats discounted VMAX, VJunior and Gold Class.
• Scienceworks & Grazeland have specials over the holidays and our discount is included.
• Mt Derrimut Mini Golf, Fizz Kidz, The Smash Room, Jumpside.
• Leroy’s (Newport) — FREE kids milkshakes for members.
• DROP-OFF PROGRAMS in the West include Cliffhanger in Altona & Fizz Kidz for younger ones in Kingsville.

NORTH

• 
  

  

  Bounce our discount is valid all through these school holidays nation wide

• NEW PowerPlay Campbellfield only just opened 2 weeks ago. This go karting venue is for ages 10 years and over. Small Ideas member save 10%
• VJunior Plenty Valley & Gold Class
• Diana Ceramics – fun pottery classes!
• Brewdog Pentridge in Coburg
• Hoopla save 20% valid Mon to Fri including school holidays off Play area
• Climb n’ Play formerly Funtopia Maidstone— 30% off play.
• Animal Land (Diggers Rest) — interactive farm visit stay tuned for discount to come!
• Oz ten pin bowling – multiple locations open late Buy 1 game get 2nd for FREE.
• Archery Attack, Volo Indoor Skatepark, IceHQ, Swing & Serve Golf, Palace Cinemas Coburg.

SOUTH / EAST

• Bounce – Our Bounce offer is not normally valid over school holidays but these Spring holidays it is!!!!
• Elmo’s Circus pictured (Fountain Gate) save $10 off per ticket before they move on to their next location!
• Power Play in Moorabbin – Wohoooo finally added a FANTASTIC go-karting venue! A big discount of buy 1 get 1 free for off peak and 10% off total for during peak times which is school holidays.
• Gumbuya World – Adult tickets $40.50 and Junior $31.50 A big carnival-style event bringing together rides, wildlife, markets, food, face painting and all the fair vibes.
• Little Farm Plays in Pakenham – save 15% off your total and this is a private tour of the farm that you will not regret!!!!!
• Hologram Zoo in Ringwood has joined Small Ideas Attractions category with a Adults at Kids prices. You can present your voucher upon arrival however if you want to avoid queues simply phone to book.
• Dinos Roar Experience – Dinosaurs have landed at Carribean Gardens 13 SEPT – 12 OCT and Small Ideas member get 20% off.
  Weekends + Daily during the holidays. DinosRoar is an action-packed prehistoric adventure for all ages! 
• PARC – Splashland is back these school holidays which is an inflatable obstacle course. Check out their website for time table. Small Ideas members save 25% on general admission which gives you access to water slides and pools but the inflatables is an additional small charge.
• Crafts; Mois Art pottery classes, Paint a Pot & Diana Ceramics.
• Rush HQ discount is back for school holidays!
• Sk8house 
• Melbourne Cable Park — $5 off Climb.
• Funtopia Carrum Downs & Cranbourne — 30% off play/climb.
• Inflatable World Ringwood & Springers— buy 1 get 1 free.
• Archie Brothers (Moorabbin & Chadstone) — arcade & bowling deals.
• Super Zu, Ninja Park Bayswater, The Smash Room, Activate by Hardrock (pictured) cave experience + climbing.
• Legoland Discovery Centre & Hijinx Hotel Chadstone.
• MoisArt kids and adults art classes including Pottery – Mentone
• General Public Bowling & Arcade fun!
• Bike Skills have daily lessons these school holidays and Small Ideas members save 15%

MORNINGTON

• 

  Stef’s Mini Chefs — kids’ cooking classes.

• Enchanted Adventure — free child entry ($30 value). New play zone!
• Gunnamatta horse riding (pictured) along the beach in St Andrews
• The Funky Farm & Dinosaur World are both MUST DO activities & both discounted under our Anmal farm category.
• Arthurs Seat Eagle (pictured) — 20% off family passes. SpringLantern festival is back. They’re illumunated from 25 Sep to 28 Sep & 2 Oct to 5 Oct
• Boneo Discovery Park 2 for the price of 1
• The Big Goose — splash park open in warm weather.
• Moonlit Sanctuary, Dinosaur World, Rain Hayne & Shine Farm.
• Phillip Island Wildlife Cruises, A Maze’N Things, National Vietnam Veterans Museum (kids free).

GEELONG

• Bounce – 10% off all through school holidays
• MoPA Geelong — children’s museum.
• Port Phillip Ferries – save 25% off family pass
• National Wool Museum — interactive history.
• Geelong Carousel — 2-for-1 rides.
• Bellarine Railway — Thomas rides & 2-for-1 journeys & 10% off Day out with Thomas.
• The Messy Patch — sensory play for little ones.

BALLARAT

• NEW Flip Out in Ballarat – Save 15% and probably one of the best jump, play spaces i’ve seen. If you’re headed to Ballarat make this a pitt-stop!
• Kryal Castle family for just $75 . These school holiday activities are:
  • Daily Spectacular Jousts – Witness knights clash in thrilling medieval tournaments.
  • Knight School – Children can learn the art of knighthood and participate in battles.
  • Potion-Making in the Apothecary – Whip up magical concoctions under the guidance of the Castle’s resident “wizard.”
  • Axe Throwing & Archery – Test your aim with traditional medieval games.
  • Wandering Wizards and Curious Creatures – Meet enchanting characters roaming the grounds.
• Ballarat Wildlife Park. save 10%
• Ballarat Go-Karts — 2-for-1.
• Chipmunks Ballarat — 2-for-1 entry.
• Sovereign Hill save 10%

DAY TRIPS

• 

  Puffing Billy Railway (Belgrave) — classic steam train rides.

  • Special Offer: Day Out With Thomas – 10% off (max 4 people/booking) Use promo code SMALLDOWT
  • Valid: Friday 17 Oct & Friday 24 Oct only. First in, best dressed!
• Healesville Sanctuary — adults discounted, kids free in holidays.
• Treetops Adventure (Belgrave + multiple) — 15–20% off aerial courses.
• Sorrento – Moonraker Dolphin Swims – save 25%
• Port Phillip Ferries – save 25% off family pass
• Uncle Nev’s Trail Rides (Whittlesea) — $5 off horse riding.
• Moonlit Sanctuary – save 15% Daytime keeper talks & animal shows Regular keeper talks throughout the day — cockatoos, dingoes, wombats, kookaburras, koalas, owls, reptiles and more. These are included with entry and run on a timetable.
• Discovery Centre (Bendigo) — 15% off science fun.

DROP-OFF PROGRAMS (ALL AREAS)

• AllSportz — 20% off full-day programs.
• Code Camp – $25 off your booking valid at all locations
• International Sports Camps – save 25% off for Netball, Soccer, Footy & Cricket at multiple locations.
• Fizz Kidz, The Art Factory, ARTEA & Sossy n Canvas — creative half-day classes.
• Ninja Park Bayswater
• Acro Kids Braeside & Mornington.
• Cliffhanger (Altona, West) — climbing-focused drop-off sessions.
• Tiny Chef Essendon & Stefs Mini Chefs Mornington Peninsula

TEENS & ADULTS IDEAS

I’ve worked hard to come up with a list of ideas & discounts that older children and adults can enjoy. Here are my fav;

The Quiz Room, Tuftea Studios, Champainting, IMAX, Village Gold Class, State of Grace to eat, Maniax, Diana Ceramics, Bloomin Marvelous floral class, Paint for Fun, Otai Kitchen (cooking class), Virtual Reality Rooms, MoisArt in Mentone, O’Brien Icehouse, Lost in Melbourne (escape rooms) Bowling, Blossom Lifestyle Candle Making and plenty of Go Karting options.

PLAY CENTRES & CINEMAS

Over 80 included!

• 

  New: Bounce is valid at all locations all school holidays,  Just Kids (Westmeadows), Flip Out Ballarat & Little Buttons Messy Play (Chelsea)

• Many centres run daily extras: character visits, Nerf wars, Build-a-Bear, themed craft.

Number one questions is Are our Restricted tickets for Cinemas valid during school holidays? and the answer is ABSOLUTELY.

FAMILY FRIENDLY DINING

So excited to introduce 45 new venues to our dining out category. There are some options for adults only perfect for girls night out or date night and then here are my favorite venues included with 10% discount to bring the kids along;

• • Brewdog Pentridge
  • Anglers Tavern
  • Vic Hotel Yarraville
  • Station  Hotel Footscray
  • Studley Park Boathouse
  • Fairfield Boathouse
  • Auburn Hotel
  • Ball Court Hotel (Sunbury)
  • Apollo Bay Hotel

HOLIDAYS

• 

  Interstate – If traveling anywhere interstate we include 10% off ALL activities powered through experience Oz. Gold Coast we include direct discounts where Small Ideas receive the biggest savings and recommendations. Pictured is Cairns with a members testimony “Used the voucher for our families Great Barrier Reef trip while in Cairns. Great value and super easy to navigate“

• Overseas — Expedia-powered attractions with 10% off accommodation & activities!

STAYCATIONS – Don’t forget to use Small Ideas discounted accommodation for a holiday in Melbourne CBD like Pegasus or Crown Towers or farther out perhaps a Big 4.