With the school holidays upon us, keeping the children entertained can become an expensive enterprise.
asserted
keeping → keep → children
Thankfully, plenty is happening around town that won’t break the bank this spring, from family-friendly festivals to fun performances to hands-on activities.
asserted
that → happen → activities
Quash any complaints of boredom with our round-up of the best free and cheap events around Sydney – with nothing costing over $25.
A Night at the Library
State Library of NSW, until October 1, $25, sl.nsw.gov.au
As part of the State Library of NSW’s 200th birthday celebrations, they have commissioned Bell Shakespeare’s A Night at the Library, written by Joanna Erskine, to take visitors on a jaunt around the institution.
asserted
they → quash → institution
Attendees follow a young student, meeting historical figures and literary characters on an intimate look throughout the space and at the many unusual items in the library’s collection.
asserted
Attendees → follow → collection
A new outdoor program targets STEM-loving youngsters with activities designed for all ages.
asserted
program → target → ages
Preschoolers can listen to science storytime, primary-aged kids can check out the construction zone or robotics workshop, or the whole family can help build a replica of the Pyrmont Bridge from recycled materials.
asserted
family → listen → materials
Drop in any time between 11am and 3pm to partake in the educational fun, plus on Saturday, free family movies will screen afterwards with The Lego Movie at 3.30pm and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at 5.30pm.
asserted
movies → drop → 5.30pm
Darling Square, until October 4, free, darlingsq.com
Grab a gorgeous family snap in Haymarket where Darling Square is aglow with illuminated lanterns to celebrate the Moon Festival.
asserted
Square → grab → Festival
A program of activities is underway with live vocalists performing Friday and Saturday evenings, family-friendly dance workshops on October 3 and 4, and eateries nearby will sell mooncakes for those who want a taste of the delicacy.
asserted
who → perform → delicacy
The works are crafted from upcycled materials, with salvaged items saved from landfill.
asserted
works → craft → landfill
This year’s overall winner, Nicole de Mestre’s Illusion, was constructed from disused fans and is among the 50-odd sculptures on display.
asserted
winner → construct → display
Children aged five to 12 can get their hands dirty in the most delightful way possible at the botanic garden.
asserted
hands → age → garden
They will tour the area, find underwater animals using a dip net, learn how gardens help local wildlife and receive their own native plant to take home.
asserted
gardens → tour → plant
And for magically-minded youngsters, the garden is also hosting Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies (until October 11) with tickets available for only $25 on off-peak days.
asserted
tickets → host → days
A festival in Marrickville is encouraging youth to get in touch with their creativity.
asserted
festival → encourage → creativity
Attendees can check out the Inner West Talent Quest as entrants aged five to 12 show off their skills, or book a $20 hour-long workshop in drama, improv or comedy.
asserted
entrants → check → drama
The festival also includes the world premiere run of puppetry play Mooncake, with tickets only $25 per person under a family pass for four.
asserted
tickets → include → four
As part of the Spot On Children’s Festival, a free program of school holiday activities titled Into the Box will take over the Riverside Theatres courtyard.
asserted
program → title → courtyard
Little ones can do colouring, get a balloon sculpture, listen to stories being read or get their face painted.
asserted
face → do → stories
It’s particularly good for parents of toddlers as most of the activities are suitable for ages one and up.
asserted
most → ’ → ages
Children, parents and grandparents are all welcome at the heritage-listed landmark to learn about Australia’s colonial past.
asserted
Children → list → past
A specially designed kids’ trail and an audio tour help to bring the stories of the era to life.
asserted
trail → design → life
In a nod to its history, Moore Park, which was once part of Sydney Common and used for grazing animals, will put on a pop-up petting zoo full of friendly farm critters for kids to get close to.
asserted
kids → use → critters
The park will also encourage outdoor play with a selection of playground favourites, such as hopscotch, set up for visitors to enjoy in the spring sunshine.
asserted
visitors → encourage → sunshine
Wild Things
Sydney Opera House, September 26-October 11, free, sydneyoperahouse.com
Sydney Opera House has debuted its new international kids’ festival and turned its famous forecourt into an outdoor playground.
asserted
House → debut → playground
While the program does feature ticketed shows, there is also an impressive program of free events.
asserted
program → feature → events
These enticing drop-in activities include a nine-metre-tall swing, an installation of giant inflatable rocks, Taiwanese circus performance Puzzle, puppet creatures roaming the space and a Dreamtime story depicted in Living Sculptures.
asserted
activities → drop → Sculptures
I See You Like This
Bondi Pavilion, September 27-October 11, $25/$20 and free, bondipavilion.com.au
Jessica Wilson’s ticketed interactive project I See You Like This asks children aged six to 12 to style their parents using whimsical props at a studio session (from September 27-30) before the result is professionally photographed.
asserted
result → see → September
Then from October 2-11, there will be a free exhibition of the images, before the event wraps up with a free weekend on October 10-11 where families can snap their own photographs using the props available.
asserted
families → wrap → props
While some exhibitions are paid entry, visitors can still enter the maritime museum for free and access many holiday activities.
asserted
visitors → pay → activities
Kids can get busy on a treasure trail, touch Viking tools at the cabinet of curiosities or drop by the book nook to make paper flowers or weave an angelfish.
asserted
Kids → get → angelfish
Also worth seeing is the free educational show Slippery Cephalopod Science Circus, which is only on selected dates.
asserted
which → see → dates
Various locations, until October 11, various prices, sydneyfringe.com
Sydney Fringe Festival’s children’s program runs throughout the school holidays and has a variety of outlandish shows to suit all budgets.
asserted
program → run → budgets
Some of the performances that come in at under $25 a ticket for families are the circus experience Ben’s Magical Friends, the interactive and swashbuckling Captain Adventure Man and, for fans of toilet humour, the award-winning Mr Snotbottom’s Stinky Silly Show.
asserted
that → come → humour
Paper Daisy Spring Festival
Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, until October 11, free, botanicgardens.org.au
Western Sydney has a new floral festival with a six-week long celebration of colourful blooms.
asserted
Sydney → have → blooms
They’re available to view daily and there’s a lovely playground on site situated next door to the garden’s cafe, but weekends will be even more bustling with free children’s craft activities, live music performances and lawn games.
asserted
weekends → ’re → activities
Before it wraps up, the museum is running a two-for-one special on tickets to their marquee exhibition, Bloodsuckers, which is an informative look at the science of these creepy creatures.
asserted
which → wrap → creatures
Visitors can take part in interactive elements like a mosquito swarm simulator and microscopes for an even closer look.
asserted
Visitors → take → look
Also at the museum are the incredible images on show at the 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition, which opened earlier this month and is free entry.
asserted
which → open → exhibition
Shipwreck Odyssey
Carriageworks, September 26-October 18, free on weekdays and $5 on weekends, carriageworks.com.au
Creative collective Box of Birds make immersive spaces that spectacularly blend storytelling with technology, where kids can actually interact with the projected images on the wall.
asserted
kids → make → wall
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
