School holiday guide: 16 ways to keep Toowoomba kids entertained in January 2023

With more than two weeks left of the January school holidays, Toowoomba parents and caregivers have plenty of activities and events to choose from to entertain their children.

Toowoomba youngster Georgie Morgan has been loving what the Cobb and Co Museum has been offering these school holidays — and it will relieve her mum Nikki to know there’s plenty more where that came from.

The Toowoomba region has lots of activities and events to keep kids occupied until they go back to school on January 23.

Georgie Morgan makes a flying object with mum Nikki Simpson and brother Henry Morgan as part of Cobb and Co Museum school holiday activities, Wednesday, January 4, 2023.

The Cobb and Co is certainly contributing, offering three events including a space-themed activity centre where children like Georgie can design their own spacecraft to test in wind tunnels.

From play centres to public spaces, special concerts and interactive exhibits, here is a massive list of things to do during the last two weeks before school starts again (in no particular order).

1. Cobb and Co’s Creation Station

Date: Weekdays until January 20

Ages: 3-12 recommended

Venture out of this world these holidays with a space-themed activity centre at the Cobb and Co.

Design a spacecraft to fly in a wind tunnels, launch your own paper rocket, find the planets in the Solar System trail, make a planet mobile and much more.

Access to Creation Station is free with museum entry.

2. Jewellery making workshop

Date: January 16 from 9.30am

Ages: 5-12

Be creative in Ryley Jewellery Creations’ new Toowoomba studio with a workshop experience focused on young creatives who want to become jewellery making rock stars.

You’ll learn how to melt metals into liquids, come up with ideas for pieces, the basics of design and even create a silver pendant and charm bracelet.

For more information, call 07 4639 3930.

3. Teeny Tiny Stevies

Date: January 15 from 10.30am

Ages: Everyone

Award-winning children’s artist Teeny Tiny Stevies are heading out on the road for their most comprehensive national album tour to date!

Their show is based on the simple idea, that a great live band is compelling for any age group.

Babies under 12 months are free, everyone else is the same ticket price.

4. Under The Sea show

Date: January 9-13, 10am, 11.30am and 1pm

Ages: 6-14 recommended

Kids will be invited to meet marine animals including baby sharks, sea cucumbers, sea stars, sea urchins, coral and more.

Get up close and learn about their day-to-day lives in this special show.

5. Chipmunks

Date: Every day

Ages: 0-11 years

The ultimate indoor play centre and refuge for any exhausted parent, Chipmunks is open all throughout January in Toowoomba.

Don’t forget to bring your socks.

6. IPlay Toowoomba Bowls

Date: Every day from 9am

Ages: Various

Formerly known as Bazinga, IPlay has taken over the building and is still offering great activities.

Along with ten-pin bowling and laser tag, the centre also offers a number of new arcade.

Don’t forget about the existing IPlay at Grand Central for other school holiday activities.

7. Public pools

Date: Every day, various times

Ages: Everyone

As the mercury rises across the region, don’t forget to cool off at one of our nine public pools.

For the full list of open hours, head to the website.

8. Kloud9ine Trampoline Park

Date: Every day, 10am to 5pm

Ages: 3 and up

There’s nothing better than a trampoline, and Kloud9ine at the Bernoth Centre has plenty of them throughout the school holidays.

Booking are essential, so head to the website.

9. Australia in Space exhibit

Date: Now until May 14

Ages: 10 and up recommended

Explore this hands on exhibition at the Cobb and Co Museum from Questacon and pilot a simulated Mars rover, tackle space junk with a friend in a cooperative computer-based game plus much more.

Bookings are free with museum entry and can be made here.

10. Empire Theatre’s 18-hour Play Project

Date: January 17-19, 10am to 4pm

Ages: 9-13

Working across three days with expert facilitators Courtney Wagner and Jacob Watton, kids will be challenged to build an original performance from the ground up at the Empire Theatre.

Learning the techniques of creative development, collaboration, and performance skill, what they create will be a work of art inspired by them.

Participants are encouraged to bring a packed lunch and snacks, water bottle and wear comfortable shoes and clothing.

To enrol for the project, head to the website.

11. Highfields Pioneer Village

Date: Every day, 10am to 4pm

Ages: Everyone

Toowoomba’s famous historical experience is running all across the school holidays.

Take the kids out to the village to learn what life was like for the region’s early colonial settlers, enjoy a scone and tea at the cafe and take a ride on the miniature train.

Don’t forget to also check out the Big Cow while you’re there.

For more information, call 07 4696 6309.

12. City Golf Club’s summer holiday camp

Date: January 18-19, 2.30pm each day

Ages: School-aged

The City Golf Club provides an extensive junior program which runs under the nationally recognised My Golf Australia program.

The club caters for all levels of ability and aims at progressing golfers through a progressive and rewarding step by step program.

Clubs are not required to take part in the holiday camp.

13. Tinker’s kids workshops

Date: Various days

Ages: 5-17 (depending on workshop)

Art studio and teaching space Tinker on Dexter Street has a variety of January workshops for kids from five years of age right up to teenagers.

Classes cover a variety of styles and mediums to suit everyone.

For a full list of the workshops, head to the website.

14. Library school holiday program

Date: Various days

Ages: Various ages

If you’re really stretched for activities for the kids, the council’s libraries across the region have an enormous amount of events.

From scavenger hunts to arts and crafts and everything in between, there is truly something for every child.

There are far too many activities to list here, so for all the details and upcoming events, follow this link.

15. DownsSteam Tourist Railway

Date: (From January 10) Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 9am to 3pm

Ages: All ages

If you’ve got a little one with a love for locomotives, head to DownsSteam from January 10 to experience and learn about the region’s railway history and even hop on rebuilt engines.

For full details, head to the website.

16. Sunset Superbowl

Date: Every day

Ages: Various

If you love bowling, fun food and arcade games, Sunset Superbowl at Glenvale is the place to go these school holidays.

The venue has all the necessary information on its website.

Have we missed any events or activities? Send us an email with details to [e-mail].