Fun arts and crafts for kids and teens this school holidays

Egyptology, circus lessons and street art classes are some of the more unexpected creative offerings to get kids through the long summer break.
A mural featuring a Christmas Beetle on the side of the 7-eleven on the corner of Errol St and Queensberry St, North Melbourne, made by Blender Studios.

As the long summer break stretches out in front of us, the offerings available for kids and families are endless, especially in Australia’s big cities. Almost every gallery, museum or performing arts company will have its own targeted school holiday program – ranging from simple paints and sketchpads, to ceramics, filmmaking workshops or ballet clinics.

Here are a few of the less obvious, or more far-flung, programs to consider, with at least one entry from each state or territory. And remember, kids and teens don’t necessarily need special programs to enjoy the arts. The simplest visit to a gallery or street art site can be inspiring, educational and fun.

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Rochelle Siemienowicz is a Melbourne writer and editor. Her first book Fallen, a memoir was published in 2014 and her second, Double Happiness, a novel, in 2024. She has a PhD in Australian cinema and was previously a journalist at ScreenHub and ArtsHub. ou can find her on Instagram: @Rochelle_Rochelle or at Substack where she writes a fortnightly newsletter, The Fool and the Queen.