Facing down the barrel of a six-week school holiday and stuck for ideas on what to do with the kids? Or maybe you are visiting our gorgeous little corner of Queensland for a few weeks and looking for some fun school holiday activities for the little ones?
Don’t fret, fellow families! There’s plenty of things to do for kids this summer on the Sunshine Coast. Whether you want to enjoy something together, or take advantage of the many day camps available whilst you work, here are our favourite things on this summer.
School holidays activities on the Sunshine Coast
Sports camps on the Sunshine Coast
Sporty kids of all ages are really well catered for this summer. For those that need to brush up on their swim technique, or simply improve water safety, Flying Fish Swim School has a range of school holiday swim sessions at its purpose-built learn-to-swim and squad training facility in Maroochydore.
Kingswim is also running its popular 4-day Fast Track swim intensive program, open to all families. You don’t have to be a Kingswim regular.
Sunshine Coast Grammar School is offering its tennis holiday camps feature lots of on-court tennis games and activities as well as off-court multi-sport sessions. All levels of junior players are welcome and you don’t have to be an SCGS student to participate.
If the kids prefer to dance, the Dance Energy Summer Camp is offering a week of fun. Kids can dance their way through themes using jazz, hip hop, ballet, tap and contemporary.
For the littler ones, Ready Steady Go Kids Sunshine Coast is here to keep the kids active and busy during the school holidays. They will be running classes at Maroochydore, Cooroy and Caloundra during December and January. Their classes are for children aged 18 months to 6 years, guaranteed to burn their energy, keep them busy and send them home ready for a rest.
Just want epic sporty fun? Head along to motiv8sports summer splash camp! The wettest, wildest, most insane summer sports camp of the holidays runs from January 9 to 17, 2023 in four locations: Cooroy, Nambour, Mountain Creek & Caloundra. Dive into 2 days of epic hybrid (mash-up) sports by the wicked Motiv8sports coaching crew, challenges, prizes, giveaways and of course music from the DJ tent all with some water mixed in to keep cool!
Action and adventure school holiday activities
There is plenty on offer this summer for those kids that love thrills and spills.
Bike On’s popular Mountain Biking Holiday Programs are on again this summer. These fun camps cater to all skill mixes. They provide fun, engaging and progressive programs using skill-based games and trail-side coaching techniques.
For the skate and scoot crew, Alley Oops Indoor Skatepark has stacks of school holiday activities running throughout the summer. There’s plenty to get involved in including half day, full day sessions, skate clinics, scooter sessions and more.
And for the climbers, Ninja Jungle, one of the biggest ninja-style gyms in Queensland, is running a full schedule of school holiday programs. The unique obstacle courses have been professionally designed and engineered to accommodate ninja warriors of all fitness abilities.
Or take your kids’ climbing skills to the Next Level this summer with KidZip – Next Level’s instructor-led activity. Kids (aged 6 -12) can test their coordination, confidence and team building skills whilst climbing, scrambling and ziplining at Australia’s largest high ropes course on poles!
Places to play
Hot days, stormy days, the indoor playground is a saviour for Sunshine Coast families during the summer. And they are rolling out the activities for frazzled mums and dads over the next eight weeks.
Rush Adventureland is ready to take the kids on a thrilling adventure, indoors and in air-conditioned comfort. Kids can run, climb and slide their way around a huge multi-level soft-play indoor playground. The older ones can fly around the room on the indoor coaster and enjoy the thrills and challenges of ninja and high ropes courses. Whilst the little ones have their own toddler playground.
Kids World Adventure Indoor Playland and Cafe is also an air-conditioned play haven for families. This Sippy Downs indoor playland is fully air-conditioned and equipped with ample seating and great snacks. There is also wheelchair-access and baby-change facilities to make your stay as relaxing as possible.
Or for something out of this world, head into the new virtual reality centre, VR Hero at Sunshine Plaza. Choose one of their exhilarating free roam arena games, from surviving a zombie apocalypse to a futuristic shoot-out.
Workshops and camps on the Sunshine Coast
Brains are also in for a workout this summer! Junior Engineers is offering its 2 and 3 day STEM camps. Whether your kid is a coding rookie or budding tech superstar, there is something for them.
And Bricks 4 Kidz LEGO® workshops are BACK! Kids can be creative and learn all new building skills as they spend the day immersed in building challenges. These challenges are inspired by popular themes such as Minecraft and Star Wars.
Things to do on the Sunshine Coast as a family
Top of the must-do list this summer for families on the Sunshine Coast is Monster Jump & Splash coming to Sandstone Point Hotel! Enjoy a bounce bonanza on the mobile inflatable obstacle course followed by a cruisy cool down on the Splash attractions!
For the marine loving family, SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast is celebrating the Summer of Seals this summer. The Mooloolaba attraction is celebrating the much-loved marine mammals with a range of school holiday activities for families to enjoy.
For pure unlimited fun, head to Lasertag. Every day during the school holidays from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., kids can play unlimited games in Laserzone Sunshine Coast’s air-conditioned epic battle dome.
If performances are more your thing, why not take in a show at The J, when Sunshine Coast Youth Theatre presents the Youth edition of The Addams Family! Or head to the Noosa Botanic Gardens in January for the magical open-air performance of Wind in the Willows presented by Little Seed Theatre Company.
Of course, summer isn’t summer without some festive fun! Head to the Ginger Factory where kids can meet Santa, enjoy hands-on Christmas crafts, choose from a delicious selection of detailed gingerbread houses, find perfect gifts in the unique retail shops of Ginger Town, and more.
For something a little different, the Mega Youth Market is coming to Venue 114 in January. The first ever Mega Youth Market will provide Sunshine Coast youth with an exciting opportunity to connect young sellers and buyers to preloved and handmade goods.
Or if you fancy something a little crafty, pop into Kawana Shoppingworld for free summer school holiday fun at their Seaside craft zone! Choose from mermaid tails and beach slime, or decorate a tasty treat in a beach design.
Want to get the kids ready to go back to school? Both Noosa Fair and Pelican Waters Shopping Village are running FREE ‘back to school’ craft workshops where kids can make their own bookmark or make your own key tag.
Servicing Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and beyond, Kids on the Coast is an online guide for parents with kids events, attractions & things to do with kids, schools and education, school holiday guides, health & wellbeing for families, parenting and lifestyle news located on Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast & Brisbane, QLD.
