How your kids can have fun on a budget these holidays

Don’t fork out hundreds of dollars to keep the kids entertained these holidays. Here’s how to have fun on a budget.

Lauren Dunlop with her kids – Louis, 1, Austin, 4, and David, 6 – at the Australian Museum. Picture: Tim Hunter

School holidays – a time of rest, relaxation and … expense. It can be difficult to come up with ways to keep the kids entertained that don’t involve taking out a loan for a family ticket. It’s even more challenging when you’re still at work, as holiday camps don’t come cheap.

However, thankfully, there are still many activities which manage to be free and fun. Here’s our pick of 10 things to do for nothing.

1 Catch an outdoor movie in Parramatta

Grab a blanket and snacks and take the family down to a park around Parramatta over the holidays, for one of its many free outdoor movie evenings. With live music, workshops and entertainment, events run from 4pm-9pm.

Details: parramatta.com

2 Visit a National Trust site, as part of the Australian Heritage Festival

The Australian Heritage Festival.

The National Trust looks after fabulous heritage sites all over the country, and its annual Australian Heritage Festival is a great time to experience many of its activities and locations. Kicking off in NSW on April 18, free events include bush tucker walks, scavenger hunts, fashion exhibitions and venues such as Potts Point’s Heritage Centre.

For the full program, visit nationaltrust.org.au

3 Take an archaeology class at Australian Museum

The Australian Museum has a range of free activities for kids throughout the school holidays, including its Scientist for a Day: Archaeologist course, on April 16-17, which is perfect for budding scientists, as well as another for bug-loving entomologists. There’s also an Egyptian Treasures workshop.

Details: australian.museum

4 Go on a safari art adventure at Royal Randwick Shopping Centre

From April 15-19, kids can create animal masks or go on a pop art safari at CC’s Play Place at Royal Randwick Shopping Centre. Art classes run from 10am-10pm and places are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Details: royalrandwick.com.au

5 Find a new walk

Enjoy a scenic coastal hike on the Barrenjoey Lighthouse Walk in Palm Beach. Picture Tourism NSW

You might regularly roam around your local area, but when was the last time you took a scenic walk as a family in another region of Sydney, or NSW? “Sydney’s walks always offer something interesting for kids,” says Justin Ng, from Humble Trail. Whether you try the Glebe Foreshore Walk, hike up to Palm Beach lighthouse or just go roaming round your region, it’s free and easy.

Details: humbletrail.com

6 Enrol at Brain Camp, Ryde Library

Children can learn about science at Brain Camp.

Kids aged 9-12 can flex their brain cells at Brain Camp, a STEM-based opportunity for children to learn about science. Founders Dr Mark Williams and Dr Dave Kaplan run the popular Brain Camps, and this event at Ryde Library, on April 24, is a great way to sample them for free. Visit ryde.nsw.gov.au. If you miss that, there are other Brain Camps you can enrol in for a fee.

Details: brain-camp.com.au

7 Give your granny a free frozen yoghurt at Yo-Chi

Yo-Chi is holding a special event for kids and their grannies on April 21.

Give Nonna a treat, for free, thanks to Yo-Chi. To celebrate its frozen yoghurt collaboration with Pistachio Papi, Yo-Chi is holding a special event for kids and their grannies, on April 21, when all nonnas will receive a free Yo-Chi to the value of $12.

Details: yochi.com.au

8 Visit one of Sydney’s best museums and galleries

Juno and Queenie Ainsworth at the childrens’ library at the Art Gallery of NSW. Picture: Damian Shaw

There are so many fabulous museums and galleries in and around Sydney with free admission. Ignite your kids’ imagination at the Museum of Contemporary Art (mca.com.au); the Art Gallery of NSW, with its wonderful children’s art library (artgallery.nsw.gov.au); the Armory Gallery at Newington Armory (sydneyolympicpark.nsw.gov.au); bring history alive at The Rocks Discovery Museum (rocksdiscoverymuseum.com); see the dinosaurs at the Australian Museum (australian.museum); take a trip back to Sydney’s crime past at the entertaining Justice and Police Museum (mhnsw.au); or tour the exhibits of the State Library of NSW, as well as its Play Space (sl.nsw.gov.au)

9 Take a guided walk of the Botanic Gardens

A couple enjoying the Botanic Gardens in Sydney.

The Botanic Gardens of Sydney looks after the Royal Botanic Garden and The Domain, as well as the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. All three offer free guided walks and talks as well as paid activities like kids bush craft skills.

Details: botanicgardens.org.au

10 Take a Superhero comic drawing workshop at Helensburgh Library

Orli, 9, and Lenny, 10, with some of their Lego creations. Lego building is one of the sessions available at local libraries. Picture: Rob Leeson

How good is this? Kids over five can take a comic drawing workshop with artist Matt Lin, who will teach them how to draw their own superhero, on April 17. Book a free spot through wollongong.nsw.gov.au. It’s just one of a huge array of free workshops and events at libraries throughout NSW, from Lego building to craft sessions and movies.

Visit your local library’s website