Families spoilt for choice in Canberra these school holidays

Whether your children are animal lovers, creative kids or little detectives there’s something exciting in Canberra for them these school holidays.

Young and old alike will love Canberra’s award-winning flower festival Floriade. From 14 September to 13 October, more than one million blooms take centre stage at Floriade alongside live performances, cooking shows, gardening and DIY workshops. World famous wildlife conservationist Bindi Irwin will be showcasing her passion through her Wildlife Warriors presentations in the Inspiration Hub on 4-5 October. Kids can enjoy face painting, fun gardening activities, scarecrow making and much more. Free entry. floriadeaustralia.com

Canberra’s award-winning flower festival Floriade

The National Museum of Australia’s new equine exhibition, Spirited: Australia’s Horse Story, will trace how people and horses have together helped to build the Australian nation. Designed with families in mind, Spirited will present stories of the powerful bonds and enduring relationships that have formed between Australians and their horses. Spirited will be a fun and engaging exhibition for families with free entry for children, a children’s trail and a specially designed family activity area. nma.gov.au

For your little adventurers an afterDARK Scavenger Hunt Tour at the Australian National Botanic Gardens is ideal. Gather your family, follow the clues and discover the fascinating plant, insect and animal life in the Gardens at night. Be the first to complete the scavenger hunt challenge and take home the coveted ‘super-sleuth’ prize. Bookings essential. anbg.gov.au

Roar with the dinosaurs on a school holiday tour at the National Dinosaur Museum. Home to 23 complete skeletons and more than 300 displays of individual fossils, the guided tours of Australia’s largest display of dinosaurs will run four times a day during the school holiday period. Handle fossils unearthed locally including trilobites, brachiopods, coral and fish fossils, and discover their geological histories. Free with museum admission. nationaldinosaurmuseum.com.au

The school holiday program at the Australian War Memorial offers plenty of options for visiting families including Storytime for younger children from 10.30am every Friday. Kids will be able to try on uniforms, handle real items and hear incredible stories of Australians in wartime during the free Hands-on History sessions each weekday during the school holidays. awm.gov.au

Stand up, muck up, dress up, make up, think up and step up in a fabulous space at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House that has turned the traditional idea of what goes on in museums completely on its head. In Play Up it is visitors who are the curators, it is your work that will be on the walls and the media screens. moadoph.gov.au

The Canberra Glassworks will also be a hotspot for holiday fun with a range of exciting classes to keep the kids entertained these holidays. Budding artists over the age of 8 years will have the opportunity to try their hand at creating a glass tile using flowers and plants as inspiration in a Make your own spring tile class. While you’re there, why not take the family on a Great Glass Adventure behind-the-scenes tour of all things glass? canberraglassworks.com

The National Gallery of Australia is looking for new recruits aged between eight and 12 years to join its Art Investigation Squad on 8 October. Detective Inspector Cleverpants and officer Angelpants need help to solve a mystery by discovering the clues hidden in plain sight in the Gallery while on the children’s art tour. nga.gov.au

For the family’s animal enthusiasts a visit tothe National Zoo & Aquarium is an absolute must.Be brave and take part in an animal encounter to get up close and personal with some of the world’s most amazing creatures like cheetahs, a giraffe, sharks, sun bears, white lions and red pandas. nationalzoo.com.au

For more great holiday ideas and places to stay in the capital, visit www.visitcanberra.com.au

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