Keep the kids busy this school holidays

Image: Image: Jessica Martin, There is softness in stillness, 2025 (detail), cotton thread, 42 x 60 cm. Courtesy of the artist.

It’s school holidays and time to strike that delicate balancing act of keeping the “I’m bored” at bay.

Well, Wollongong City Council is here to help. We’re not quite riding like a knight on a white horse, but with our Botanic Garden, Libraries and Art Gallery, we’ve got lots that’ll keep them device-free for a few hours.

Here are five ideas that’ll help the two weeks fly by.

1/ Wollongong City Libraries

If you’re not already a member, now is the time to sign up. It’s free to join and you’ll be able to access books, graphic novels, DVDs, music and a whole range of online services that’ll have you occupied for hours.

We’ve seven libraries and they all have school holiday-specific programming over the next fortnight. Think chicken-keeping workshops, making bird feeders, kids story time, making clay figurines and movie sessions. To get the full rundown on what’s happening at your local branch, visit the Libraries website.

2/ Wollongong Art Gallery

We’re very fortunate to have one of the state’s leading regional art galleries in our city and, what’s even more exciting, is that they have a series of school holiday programs that foster creativity in the next generation.

Spaces go fast, so if you’re interested in ink blown drawings, pop art pantry or cosmic creators, now is the time to check out the Gallery’s website.

Plus, there are also a couple of great free exhibitions on that you can check out while you’re there including Patrick Pound: Dream Virtine, Recollection and Mitch Cairns: Restless Legs. However, our tip is to not miss Here + Now V: There’s No Place Like Home which is a biennial exhibition series celebrating the creativity of local emerging curators and artists under 30.

3/ Wollongong Botanic Garden

Need to get the kids outdoors and keep them moving? Then, the Wollongong Botanic Garden is your destination. For little kids The Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie is an outdoor theatre experience they’ll love. Presented by the Eaton Gorge Theatre Company, it has been adapted from May Gibbs’ much-loved book tales by arrangement with The Northcott Society and Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

If the kids are too old for ragged blossom, then try the Nature Wellness Self-Guided Trail. The trail starts at the south west corner of the Turpentine Lawn and features sevens short sensory exercises along the way.

Visit the website to find out more about the Wollongong Botanic Garden and what’s on.

4/ Make a splash

The September school holidays marks the start of the 2025/2026 swim season and lifeguard services have returned to our beaches and pools.

We’ve 17 patrolled beaches to choose from right across our Local Government Area so why not test yourself this summer by swimming at them all?

However, if the temperature isn’t quite hitting the mark for a beach swim yet, the heated pools at Dapto, Beaton Park and Corrimal are open and ready for action. Plus, our other chlorinated and ocean pools are open for summer across the LGA.

Just a note: Helensburgh Pool remains closed for works at this time and is scheduled to reopen in January 2026.

5/ It’s teen time

The Youth Services team are running some great activities these holidays to explore your imagination and independence. There are workshops on managing money, getting work ready and film making. Plus, there’s a Dungeons + Dragons session, a Dapto Skatepark hang and just times where you can enjoy the Youth Centre space. Visit our website for all the details.