Looking for school holiday activities – look no further. YAY, it’s school holidays! A full summer off school to sleep in, kick back and do whatever we want and have fun and… oh wait, we’re the adults here. Yikes. Okay, if you’re wondering what the heck you should do with your little people these holidays, we’ve got you sorted.
Whether you’re keen to make a last minute trip away, a day excursion, something to go and do to kill a few hours – or a fun activity to do at home, whether you’ve got some money to through around or are looking for a free activity, we’ve got plenty of ideas for you!
What’s On:
Create a Masterpiece…
Auckland Art Gallery, FREE
If you’re looking for something fun, creative and FREE to do these school holidays, this is a perfect option. Whānau drop-ins at Auckland Gallery are family-focused art-making workshops that encourage families to get creative together. They’re held from 11am – 3pm every day of the school holidays until Dec 28. It’s also good to remember this one for outside of school holiday time, because they’re also held every weekend during that time! Perfect for a rainy day activity.
Be an All Black for an afternoon…
The All Blacks Experience, SkyCity Auckland. Adults $59, Children $30, Under five free
The All Blacks Experience is a must-visit, especially for families during the school holidays. The fully immersive tour uses cutting-edge technology to bring New Zealand’s rich rugby heritage to life. Journey through New Zealand’s legendary rugby teams, from the All Blacks and Black Ferns to the Sevens squads and Māori All Blacks.
Over the 45-minute guided experience, kids and adults alike can explore seven interactive zones, learning about over 120 years of rugby history, hearing from the sport’s legends, testing their own rugby skills, and facing the mighty haka.
Located in the SkyCity entertainment precinct in Auckland’s CBD, it’s a perfect school holiday adventure for rugby fans of all ages, combining fun, learning, and a celebration of Kiwi culture!
Sharks Quest
Auckland Museum, free with Museum Entry (free entry for Aucklanders!)
For kids with a shark fascination, this is the perfect little trip! It’s a self-guided trail available every day from Dec 10 right through to April 27. Pick up a free trail from Te Ao Mārama, our South Atrium, and glide through the galleries with your whānau seeking high and low for marvellous mangō (sharks).
We all love the moana (ocean) and the amazing creatures that call it home. Shark Quest celebrates a family of fishes that you may know some things about, but there’s always more to discover.
Shark Quest is packed with activities, facts and clues to help you on your journey. Plus, completed quests go into the draw to win a sharktastic prize pack!
Listen to Tales from the Sea… for free!
Auckland Maritime Museum, Free!
Every Saturday, Maritime Museum run free sessions exploring the stories of the sea. Your tamariki will be treated to tales of the high seas and can join in the fun with movement and son. Recommended age group: up to 6 years. Refresh yourself at Koel, the museum cafe, before or after story time and get a free fluffy for your tiny tot with any coffee purchased.
From 17 – 26 January for $5 you can also book into one of the Te Ika Tere Flying Fish sessions. To coincide with the exhibition Ngā Huhua: Abundance, tamariki can create their own colourful fish kite inspired by spectacular sea creatures and Koinobori (Japanese carp streamers), then follow a fun gallery trail to discover the wonders of Te Moana-nui-a-Toi, our big blue backyard. It’s ideal for kids aged 5-10 and runs daily from 10am-2pm.
Go Behind the Scenes…
Weta Workshop Unleashed, Auckland CBD, kids $26, adults $50.
Step into a fantastical film effects workshop and explore the worlds of horror, sci-fi and fantasy in-the-making, with the Weta Workshop Unleashed experience!
The 90-minute guided experience in Auckland’s CBD includes monsters, giants and robots (oh my!), interactive gizmos, discombobulating displays and eye-popping practical effects as you discover how the crew designs, builds and bring their creations to life.
Take the little ones on a farming adventure…
Agrodome, Rotorua. Adults (16+) $59, Kids $30, 2 and under, free
Agrodome is a must-visit farming show and tour attraction just 10 minutes from Rotorua’s city centre, ideal for families with young kids! The farm at Agrodome is home to hundreds of furry and feathery friends, including 26 different breeds of sheep and ten breeds of cattle, plus alpacas, horses, goat, deer, donkeys and more.
Cool off on the ice…
Paradice Botany and Albany, $170 for a five-day school holiday programme
Beat the heat, and enroll your little one in a five day school holiday programme at Paradice. For kids aged six and above, of any skill level, it runs weekly from 9am to 12pm with expert coaching, fun games and skill-building activities. It’s available Dec 15-19, or Jan 12-16 or 19-23.
Pat a Dinosaur…
Butterfly Creek, Auckland (Adults $25, Kids $16)
This picture pretty much sold me on another trip to Butterfly Creek. Besides their regular every day activities (animal encounters with butterflies, eels, otters, cotton top tamarins, crocodiles, meerkats and tarantula), over the school holidays there’s dino-themed fun with roaming dinosaur entertainers, face-painting, and arts and crafts on selected days. Plus, they’re celebrating the release of The Pout-Pout Fish movie with a special park-wide scavenger hunt and awesome movie prize packs up for grabs.
Meet a Kiwi…
National Kiwi Hatchery, Rotorua. Adults $59, Child $30, Under five free
Launched in 2008, the National Kiwi Hatchery is a family-friendly hub for kiwi conservation – perfect for a school holiday outing.
Over the years, the Hatchery has become the largest and most successful kiwi hatching facility globally, successfully incubating and hatching brown kiwi eggs from around the North Island.
Its work has helped the North Island population of the brown Kiwi considerably, and The National Kiwi Hatchery has also provided an ideal facility for continuing research into kiwi eggs and chicks.
Kids and families who visit the hatchery can go ‘behind the glass’ for an up-close look at kiwi eggs, the hatching process, and adorable newly hatched chicks – and with hatching season upon us, there is no better time to see the furry little ones up close!
It’s an unforgettable way to connect with nature and contribute to a good cause with 100% of ticket sales directly support the kiwi repopulation programme! Perfect for sparking curiosity and creating special memories.
Explore a Farm…
Kiwi Valley, Henderson Valley, Family Pass of 4 $59, Adults $19, Children (5-14) $16, Preschoolers (18 months – 4 years) $13, infants free
One of our favourite family hang out spots is Kiwi Valley, in the heart of Henderson Valley. There’s a great path that takes you around the farm, where you can hand feed so many animals, from sheep and cows, to goats, llamas and alpacas. There’s a fab little tractor ride up the hill (with a great view back across the city) to see pigs, horses and donkeys (little ones in particular love this part). Plus, kids can go for a horse ride, play in the giant sandpit or playground – or, pet animals in the shed, like baby rabbits, guinea pigs or rats. Highly recommended! Also, if you live handily, they do an annual pass, which is great value.
Beware that Kiwi Valley shuts down for Christmas though! They’re closed until January 1 – they’ll be open Tuesdays to Sundays from then on.
Head to the Movies…
As always, there is a slew of new family-friendly movies hitting the cinemas, just in time to save your sanity during the holidays. This time round, highlights include
- David Out Now – Rated PG. This animated film follows David. In a kingdom torn by fear and corruption, a shepherd boy is called to stand against a giant and the darkness behind him. With nothing but faith, courage, and a sling, he defies an empire and awakens the heart of a nation. From the quiet hills of Bethlehem to the roar of the battlefield, his journey will shape kings, test hearts, and reveal that the greatest strength is found in trust, not power.
- The Spongebob Movie: Search for Squarepants Out Dec 26 – Rated PG. SpongeBob travels to the depths of the ocean to face the ghost of the Flying Dutchman.
- The Pout-Pout Fish Out Jan 1 – Rated G. Family-friendly story of an unlikely duo: Mr Fish a prickly recluse and Pip a hyperactive sea dragon. When catastrophe strikes, they must embark on a daunting undersea quest in search of a fabled mythical fish to grant their wish to save their homes.
- Grand Prix of Europe Out Jan 8 – Rated G. Edda, a young mouse and the daughter of fairground operator Erwin, dreams of becoming a race car driver. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the European Grand Prix, Edda gets the opportunity to meet her idol, racing star Ed, and to help her father save his failing business. But to do so, she’ll have to get behind the wheel herself.
- Grow Out Jan 15 – Rated PG. A family-friendly tale of pumpkins, sabotage, and unlikely bonds. A farmer living in the self-proclaimed ‘Pumpkin Capital of the World’ takes in her estranged niece Charlie. Charlie decides to enter the local pumpkin growing competition where she and the other pumpkin growers face fierce competition, sabotage and a genetically engineered rival.
What to Do At Home:
Make a non-Newtonian fluid (it’s educational and ridiculously fun – and cheap!)
I try to always have cornflour in the cupboard, because then, I ALWAYS have something to entertain the kids. Because, all you need is cornflour and water to create the best slime, or rather, a non-Newtonian fluid. Is it a liquid? Is it a solid? It’s the weirdest, most wonderful concoction. It’s also a great little educational piece about non-Newtonian liquids – you can read more here, or check out this wonderful vid:
Make a craft kit:
It seems that any time you leave the house with a kid in tow, it ends up costing an arm and a leg? To keep costs down overall, I find it’s well worth spending a small amount to stock up on craft supplies, colouring books and board games to have on hand (especially if there’s not going to be a lot of sunshine happening). I’ve made a craft drawer – here’s a link to everything that’s in mine. Even just having some coloured paper on hand can give you a quick respite. On Youtube you’ll find a zillion different craft projects – these paper ones are some of my faves:
Do a jigsaw puzzle challenge
If you’re looking for an activity that’s going to last more than seven minutes, here’s a goodie. You can either as a family take on the challenge of leisurely completing a jigsaw puzzle. Or, you can turn it into a competitive sport. How quickly can you do a jigsaw puzzle? Grab a timer. Can you do it in a day? Two hours? One? Jigsaws are surprisingly cheap these days – The Warehouse actually has heaps to choose from, like this one, that is only $10 and has 1,000 pieces!
Sunny Day? Grab some chalk?
One of our favourite things to do is grab a box of chalk and set up camp on our driveway (it’s all very visible and safe, don’t worry!). We started small, but now end up building intricate little townships with roads and shops and houses and hospitals – then we grab all the car toys and drive around town. Every time we’re outside now, we end up with kids of all ages (from 2 to 14!) coming out of their houses or stopping by to add to our town.
Have a home movie night…
Pop some microwave popcorn on, get your kids to build a movie fort, close the curtains and have a cosy afternoon or evening watching a movie at home.
Stream it (If you have a subscription!) or rent it:
- Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour – The Final Show Out Dec 12 streaming on Disney+. Filmed at the end of the tour in Vancouver, B.C., with the entire Tortured Poets Department set.
- A Paw Patrol Christmas Movie Out Dec 15 streamning on NEON, rated G. The Paw Patrol pups help Santa after he catches a cold, while Mayor Humdinger tries to steal all the gifts.
- The Bad Guys 2 Out Now, available to rent on Apple TV, Neon Rentals or Prime Video Store – Rated PG. In this sequel to the 2022 DreamWorks animated heist comedy, The Bad Guys are now good guys… who are forced to become bad guys again. Based on the New York Times best-selling book series by Australian author Aaron Blabey, The Bad Guys 2 reunites the film’s cast and filmmakers – returning to their roles are Sam Rockwell as dashing reformed pickpocket Mr. Wolf; Marc Maron as safe-cracker Mr. Snake, Craig Robinson as master-of-disguise Mr. Shark, Anthony Ramos as the short-fused Mr. Piranha and Awkwafina as expert hacker Ms. Tarantula, aka Webs.
- Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie Out Now, available to rent on Apple TV, Neon Rentals or Prime Video Store – Rated G. Gabby heads out on a road trip with her Grandma Gigi to the urban wonderland of Cat Francisco. But when Gabby’s dollhouse, her most prized possession, ends up in the hands of an eccentric cat lady named Vera, Gabby sets off on an adventure through the real world to get the Gabby Cats back together and save the dollhouse before it’s too late.
- Sketch (2025) Out now, available to rent on Apple TV, Neon Rentals or Prime Video Store – Rated PG.A young girl’s peculiar drawings become real—unpredictably, chaotically real—in this slightly-darker-than-usual family film. When a young girl’s sketchbook falls into a strange pond, her drawings come to life—unpredictable, chaotic, and dangerously real. As the town unravels, she and her brother must track down the creatures before they leave permanent damage. Their father, racing to find them through the fallout, must navigate a town in crisis to reunite his family and stop the disaster they never meant to unleash.
- Freakier Friday Out now, streaming on Disney+ – Rated PG. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan return for this sequel to the 2003 Disney classic. Anna Coleman (Lohan) and her mother Tess (Curtis) are in another predicament when they swap bodies—not with each other, but with two younger members of the household.
- Smurfs Out now, available to rent on Apple TV, Neon Rentals or Prime Video Store – Rated G. The director of Shrek the Third and Puss ‘n’ Boots helms this movie based on the blue, beloved cartoon critters.
Stream it (for Free!)
TVNZ+ has heaps of kids movies at the mo, that you can watch for free! Our picks are:
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, The NeverEnding Story, Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Fantastic Mr Fox, Annie, Divergent, Alvin & the Chipmunks, Legends of the Guardians,
Take a Road Trip with the Kids:
Got a few days off? Keen to have a little getaway? Here are a few road trip ideas that are very kid friendly!
Make the most of Rydges Kids Eat For Free Deal! Here’s Great Family Holiday Itineraries in Auckland and Wellington
Earlier in the year we tried out Rydges Kids Stay and Eat for Free deal – basically, with a paying adult, your kids stay for free, get breakfast free and then if you dine in the restaurant for lunch or dinner, their meals are free. It honestly made for such a fun weekend for us in the heart of Auckland City. I created the perfect itinerary here for you and your family – but the deal is available throughout NZ! Here’s the perfect way to spend a night in Wellington too!
Have a Pool Holiday (Any Time of Year!) in Rotorua
If you’d love to take the kids on a tropical Fijian or Raro island getaway for the holidays, but the fact that everything costs an arm and a leg right now, is putting it well out of reach… well, we have good news, there’s a spot in Rotorua (yes, Rotorua), where you can live out your pool holiday dreams with the family. And, besides taking dips and drinking cocktails – there’s so much to do in Rotorua! We’ve got all the best tips here.
Reel in a trout in Turangi:
If you’ve got a budding fisherman or fisherwoman in the family, why not head to the Tongariro Trout Centre in Turangi. There’s lovely walks meandering around the river, plus a native aquarium and Rainbow Trout Hatchery, but the real (or reel?) star of the show is the kid’s fly fishing area. For $45 kids aged 5-18 get a licence and all the gear, then go out with an instructor who helps them land their own trout. By the time you’ve made it back to the entrance – especially if you take a look in the museum – the trout will have been filleted, smoked (in manuka honey and brown sugar) and ready to be eaten on site, or taken away. If you’re looking for a place to stay in Tūrangi, we can recommend the Tūrangi Trout Lodge – there’s a river right out front to put your new-found fishing skills to the test!
Take the Kids to Mount Maunganui
There is PLENTY to do in the Mount for families – it’s one of the best spots in NZ for it. So where to go? Where to eat? What to try? We’ve got all our top recommendations here, including a rental property we found on Booking.com that’s perfect for big families (and actually affordable!)
Is it Fiji?
If you’re ready to confuse people and have them asking ‘oh wait, did you go to Fiji for the school holidays?’ when they see your holiday snaps, then we have just the destination for you. We hunted down some secret hidden treasure spots in the far north where the beaches boast white sand and crystal clear waters! For some of the best kept secret beaches in Northland, we’ve got the list of must-sees here!
Head Overseas!
Okay, look yes, unless you have deep pockets and a totally flexible schedule, yes, you have likely left it too late to head overseas for these holidays. BUT, maybe these school holidays have made you think heck yes, we need to book in a family holiday? If so, here are our top picks for family holidays abroad!
Take the Kids to… Hollywood!
If you’ve taken the leap and booked tickets to LA for your family, here’s a perfect A-list itinerary for your trip! Or, if you’re California dreaming about your next big trip – this story also includes the best times to visit, plus loads of tricks and tips for beating that exchange rate.
Take the kids to… Fiji! A Three-Star Family-Friendly Fiji Resort at a Five Star Location.
Yip, if you’re looking for a jaw-dropping location with pristine white sand, crystal clear waters on a remote island – but also want the kids to be able to come and have a ball, without re-mortgaging your house, Plantation Island in Fiji should be your go-to!
Take the kids to… Hawaii!
Hawaii is an absolute dream location for families. The flight is actually pretty easy (IF the kids sleep) – it’s an overnight 8-hour flight, and once you’re there it’s only a teeny time difference. It’s warm, no matter what time of year you go, the beaches are great and it’s really set up for families. Honolulu on the main island of Oahu is a go-to for most families – but, can I suggest you get a car and venture slightly further up the coast to Oahu’s North Shore. It’s…. INCREDIBLE.
Take the Kids to… Disneyland!
It’s the ultimate family bucketlist holiday experience and I highly, highly recommend it. Here’s where to stay and what to do in Disneyland, and surrounding Anaheim. If you want to be super organised (which you really should when heading to Disneyland), here’s 10 Golden Rules for visiting the park.
Have a Disneyland Experience, Without the Price tag or Airfares…
Honestly, a Disney Cruise was one of THE most fun things I’ve ever done with my family and I would highly recommend it. AND, you’re in luck because Disney just announced a whole new season of sailing, with tickets available now. Featuring 3-to-10-night ‘Disney Magic at Sea’ cruises from 19 October 2025, guests will be immersed in the magic of Disney storytelling with favourite Characters, imaginative dining, Broadway-style shows and themed parties throughout the sailing.
The 2025-2026 season itineraries include a new 10-night Trans-Tasman voyage sailing from Auckland to Sydney from 19 December 2025. During this unforgettable sailing, the Disney Wonder will visit five New Zealand destinations for the first-time including Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, and Fiordland National Park.
If you’d like to read about what it’s like onboard, be sure to check out my review here.
