Best Active School Holiday Activities for Kids

The first few days of the school holidays can disappear quickly. Children enjoy having nowhere to be in the morning, screens get a little more time than usual and the normal weekday routine takes a well-earned break.

Then comes the familiar question: what are we doing today?

Finding school holiday activities that children genuinely enjoy can be tricky, particularly when parents want something more active than another day at home. Fortunately, keeping kids moving doesn’t require filling every day with an organised program. A tennis camp one day, a bike ride the next and an afternoon at the pool can create plenty of variety.

Here are some active ideas worth adding to the holiday calendar.

1. Try a School Holiday Tennis Camp

A tennis camp can work particularly well during the holidays because children get exercise, coaching and social time in the same activity.

Rather than spending the session doing repetitive drills, a good holiday program can combine stroke development with rallies, movement activities, games and match play. Children get plenty of time on court while learning at a level appropriate to their experience.

Beginners can learn the basics without needing previous tennis experience, while children who already play have additional time to practise outside their regular weekly lessons.

Voyager Tennis runs School Holiday Tennis Camps for different ages and playing abilities, making tennis an option whether a child is picking up a racquet for the first time or already enjoys the game.

2. Head Out for a Family Bike Ride

Cycling is an easy way to turn exercise into a family outing.

Choose a local bike path, park or shared trail and let the destination become part of the activity. That might mean riding somewhere for lunch, stopping at a playground or simply seeing how far the family feels like going that morning.

For younger children, a shorter ride with plenty of stops can be more enjoyable than trying to cover a particular distance. Older children may enjoy planning the route themselves or exploring somewhere they haven’t ridden before.

Helmets, water and a route suitable for everyone’s riding ability are the essentials.

3. Spend an Afternoon Swimming

When the weather cooperates, swimming is difficult to beat.

A visit to the local pool gives children plenty of opportunity to move without making the afternoon feel like organised exercise. Depending on their swimming ability, they might spend the time practising strokes, playing games or simply enjoying the water.

For families looking for school holiday activities on particularly warm days, an indoor or outdoor pool can also provide a welcome change from the heat.

Children should always be appropriately supervised around water, regardless of how confidently they swim.

4. Explore a Bushwalk or Nature Trail

Not every active day needs a coach, court or sporting venue.

A family walk can turn a free morning into an adventure, particularly if children have some say in where you’re going. Look for age-appropriate trails with interesting stops along the way rather than choosing a route purely based on distance.

Younger children might enjoy spotting wildlife, looking for unusual plants or keeping track of landmarks. Older kids can help navigate or take responsibility for planning part of the route.

Pack water, snacks and sun protection, then let the walk unfold at a comfortable pace.

5. Organise a Backyard Sports Day

Sometimes the easiest school holiday activity is right outside the door.

A backyard, local oval or nearby park can become a temporary sports ground with very little preparation. Set up a few simple challenges and let children decide how competitive they want to make them.

Ideas could include:

• Target throwing
• Mini obstacle courses
• Relay races
• Football or soccer challenges
• Racquet and ball games
• Running or skipping challenges

Children can even design the events and keep their own scores. The activities don’t need complicated rules; the aim is simply to get everyone involved and moving.

6. Try a Sport They Haven’t Played Before

School holidays provide enough free time to experiment without immediately committing to a full term.

That could mean trying tennis, basketball, climbing, gymnastics, martial arts or another activity available locally. The child may discover something they want to continue once school returns, or they may simply enjoy doing something different for an afternoon.

If tennis is on the list, families who aren’t ready to commit to regular coaching can book a free tennis trial with Voyager Tennis. It gives children an opportunity to experience the court before deciding whether they’d like to continue.

7. Create an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

For children who aren’t immediately excited by the suggestion of going for a walk, giving the walk a purpose can change the experience.

Create a list of things to find around a park, neighbourhood or nature reserve. Depending on the location, children could look for different types of leaves, particular colours, birds, signs, landmarks or natural objects.

They’ll cover plenty of ground while concentrating on the hunt rather than thinking about how far they’ve walked.

Just remember to leave natural environments as you found them. Photos can replace collecting objects where appropriate.

8. Visit a Trampoline or Climbing Centre

Rain doesn’t have to mean spending the entire day at home.

Indoor trampoline parks and climbing centres give children an active option when outdoor plans aren’t practical. Both can involve balance, coordination and plenty of movement while still feeling like a recreational outing.

Check the venue’s age restrictions, supervision requirements and booking arrangements beforehand, particularly during busy school holiday periods.

Don’t Try to Schedule Every Day

Parents don’t need to create an activity itinerary covering every hour of the school holidays.

Children need downtime too.

A better approach can be to choose a few organised activities and leave space around them for quieter days, spontaneous outings and time at home. Having something planned every couple of days gives children events to look forward to without turning the holiday into another tightly managed schedule.

It also allows different types of activity to complement each other. A structured tennis camp might be followed by an unplanned day at home, then a family bike ride or afternoon swim.

Make Movement Part of the Holiday

The best school holiday activities aren’t necessarily the most elaborate or expensive. They’re the ones children actually want to participate in.

For one child, that might mean spending the morning racing around a tennis court. Another might prefer a bike ride with the family or exploring a walking trail. Mixing organised sport with simple outdoor activities can keep the holidays interesting while giving children plenty of opportunities to move.

If tennis sounds like a good fit for your family’s holiday plans, explore Voyager Tennis School Holiday Tennis Camps and find a program near you.