summer school holidays in Canberra

Hire bikes, kayaks or paddleboats at the lakeside. The full lake loop is about 28km by bike — or just ride a section and picnic at Commonwealth Park.

Free interactive galleries and the Kspace digital adventure keeps kids engaged. Holiday programs run most days — check the website for bookings.

See koalas, kangaroos and platypus in the wild — not a zoo, actual wild animals. Easy bushwalks and nature play areas. About 40 minutes from the city.

Free entry. The Discovery Zone for kids is interactive and age-appropriate, and the Hall of Memory is worth seeing regardless of age. Older kids get more from it.

Australia's National Science and Technology Centre. 200+ interactive exhibits across 8 galleries — you'll struggle to get the kids out. Allow at least 3 hours.

Life-size dinosaur replicas outside, fossil displays and a gem/mineral collection inside. Smaller than it looks online but kids under 10 love it.

The only combined zoo and aquarium in Australia. The behind-the-scenes encounters cost extra but they're genuinely up-close — worth it for animal lovers.

Miniature village with tiny detailed buildings from around the world. Kids spend ages spotting the hidden details in each scene. Budget an hour.