The Autumn school holidays are always lots of fun and this year the holidays start on Friday 29 March and finish on Sunday 14 April 2024.
Autumn school holiday major events to look forward to include Easter (Friday 29 March to Monday 1 April 2024) and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (Friday 29 March to Sunday 21 April 2024).
Here’s my list of activities and events in Melbourne CBD during the Autumn School Holidays 2024 (Here are school holiday activities in Melbourne’s suburbs). If you’re looking specifically for Easter events then here’s what’s happening for Easter in Melbourne.
Find out when are school holidays and public holidays in Victoria.
When are Autumn School Holidays in Melbourne in 2024?
Victorian Autumn School Holidays 2024 are from Friday 29 March to Sunday 14 April 2024.
Featured event – Melbourne museum
Fall for laughter, creativity and adventure these autumn school holidays with Melbourne Museum‘s FUN-tastic program!
Enjoy family-friendly shows from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, create a marvellous underwater work at the Creative Lab, build a 5-star safety cardboard car with Road to Zero, dive into the Titanic story and don’t forget to explore all the kids’ favourite exhibitions like Triceratops and Gondwana Garden.
School Holidays 2024 Melbourne CBD
- The (Very) Big Laugh Out Loud Fed Square (Fri 29 Mar) – World-class street performers and the best physical and musical comedy in da biz.
- Kids Explorer – Melbourne Gardens (Thu 28 Mar – Mon 15 Apr) – Children ride for FREE on the Kids Explorer Bus during the school holidays. Experience amazing sights, sounds and scents as you cruise through Melbourne Gardens.
- Melbourne International Comedy Festival (Wed 27 Mar – Sun 21 Apr) – comedy events for kids include The Very Big Laugh Out Loud Federation Square.
- Intolerant (Wed 27 Mar – Tue 2 Apr) – Uma has a problem — everything she eats makes her sick, but don’t worry, it’s TOTALLY FINE!
- Turtley awesome school holiday fun at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium (Wed 27 Mar – Sun 28 Apr) – Learn about sea turtle conservation. Become a Junior Turtle Rescuer at the Turtle Rescue Station. Identify injuries, check x-rays, and release your rescued turtle toy!
- Monopoly Dreams – School Holiday Fun! (Thu 28 Mar – Fri 24 Apr) – Embark on a nostalgic journey and reignite family fun with MONOPOLY DREAMS. Gather your crew for a classic board game experience like never before.
- Pirate Day at Polly Woodside supporting the Good Friday Appeal (Fri 29 Mar) – Enjoy a great day out for the whole family and experience the Pirate Life aboard Polly Woodside – all while a supporting worthy cause.
- Kaboom! Arts Centre Melbourne (Fri 29 Mar – Sun 14 Apr) – Join the mad scientist Magnus Danger Magnus for an electromagnetic extravaganza featuring explosions, experiments, hilarity, and audience participation.
- Peter Pan: A Neverland Adventure Arts Centre Melbourne (Sat 29 Mar – Sun 7 Apr) – Return to Neverland with J.M Barrie’s classic story about Peter Pan, Wendy, Nana, Tinker Bell, Pirates, Mermaids, and a ticking crocodile.
- Kids Day Out At Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre (Fri 29 Mar) – Melbourne’s favourite family day is returning to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre this Good Friday.
- Comedy Club for Kids (Sat 30 Mar – Sun 14 Apr) – Comedy Club for Kids brings cheeky holiday fun and LOLs to kids aged five to 12!
- Wood and Weather Workshop ACMI (Mon 1 Apr – Fri 12 Apr) – Calling makers! Craft your paper person inspired by Melbourne’s upcoming wooden world game (weekdays only).
- ACMI + Freeplay Arcades (Mon 1 Apr – Sat 13 Apr) – Explore four new micro-games commissioned by ACMI and Freeplay Independent Games Festival. Created by RMIT students, diverse genres offer family-friendly fun.
- Power & Motivation Workshop (Tue 2 Apr – Fri 12 Apr) – Explore Shakespeare’s themes and language through drama exercises and games with a focus on character development and performance skills.
- Krispy Kreme Doughnut Decorating (Tue 2 Apr – Wed 10 Apr) – Fun-filled activity for children to decorate doughnuts with toppings and coloured icing, includes take-home Krispy Kreme hat, balloon, and certificate.
- Guru Dudu Silent Disco (Tue 2 Apr – Sat 13 Apr) – Join the Guru Dudu team on a tour through various spaces of Arts Centre Melbourne, interpreting art through dance and creating spontaneous flash mobs.
- Music Play (Wed 3 Apr – Thu 4 Apr) – Velcro your dancing shoes, grab your baton, capture your creativity and get ready to play.
- Play Date (Thu 4 Apr – Sat 6 Apr) – Play Date is a new pop music duo presenting dance parties for children aged 4 – 7 and families, singing catchy tunes about identity, body positivity, family structures and the power of imagination.
- Old Melbourne Gaol (ongoing) – Delve into the highlights and history of Old Melbourne Gaol and enrich your understanding of this significant site.
- Easter at Queen Victoria Market (Sat 8 Apr – Thu 20 Apr) – Meet the Easter bunny, explore the Market with your kids Passport or take part in the FREE kids school holiday activities.
- Holiday Programs (Mon 8 Apr – Wed 10 Apr) – Introducing our exciting “Holiday Program for Kids” At our program, we aim to ignite kids’ passion for innovation using “Real Robots” and “Real Codes”.
- I’m a Refugee… Get Me Out Of Here! (Tue 9 Apr – Sun 21 Apr) – Hailing from Ethiopia via New Zealand, Melbourne’s freshest comedy voice brings a critical and fresh view to Australia’s comedy scene.
- Nature Play Melbourne (Tue 9 Apr – Wed 10 Apr) – Delight your child’s senses with free nature play experiences on Oak Lawn and in The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden this autumn.
- Little Food Festival Fed Square (Wed 10 Apr – Thu 11 Apr) – Two days of fun activities that aim to teach kids about the supply chain and its relationship to the health of our bodies and the planet.
- Australasian Quilt Convention (Thu 11 Apr – Sun 14 Apr) – Australia’s premier quilting event is back! Experience a magnificent quilt show, all the latest fabrics, patterns and machines and an amazing lineup of classes!
- The Flying Canoe (Thu 11 Apr – Sun 14 Apr) – The Flying Canoe is an interactive theatre experience for families that will transport them to the islands of Kiribati! This interactive adventure for families features an immersive soundscape where attendees will meet some sassy, salty spirits, fend off giant mud crabs, and dive into crystal blue waters.
- The Greatest Magic Show (Tue 11 Apr – Thu 13 Apr) – a family-friendly magic & circus spectacular starring Sam, Justin & the enchanting ringmaster!
- Tomorrow is a Brand-New Day (Thu 11 Apr – Sat 13 Apr) – A kids’ event featuring Orchestra Victoria and Janet McLeod.
- Kids Holiday Workshop – Stencil Street Art (Wed 3 Apr, Tue 9 Apr) – an introductory workshop to spray-painting. Kids will design and create their own stencil that they will cut from acetate and use basic freehand skills and stencilling techniques that they will use to spray-paint a canvas that they will get to keep.
- Kids Holiday Workshop – Freehand Street Art (Wed 3 Apr – Thu 11 Apr) – This freehand workshop offers an exclusive chance to learn a variety of spraypainting techniques from a renowned street artist right here at the famous Blender Studios.
- Marvel Universe Live! (Fri 12 Apr – Mon 15 Apr) – Fans of all ages will be immersed in the Marvel Universe and experience it all with their family…LIVE!
- Sean Choolburra: Didj & Dance (Fri 12 Apr – Sun 14 Apr) – Cheeky, clever and charismatic, Sean’s entrancing blend of pop culture, dance, comedy and hip hop delivers a high-energy, feel-good show for all the family!
- Bluey 28 Minute Special Screening (Sun 14 Apr) – Enjoy the 28-minute Bluey special with your family and furry friends (dogs welcome!) and catch the most anticipated wedding of the year!
- The LUME (ongoing) – Immerse yourself in the work of Leonardo da Vinci at Australia’s digital art gallery.
- Melbourne Book Market (Saturdays & Sundays) – curated collection of more than 5,000 new and pre-loved titles selected and presented by 15 of Melbourne’s most experienced booksellers.
- The Story of the Moving Image (open daily) – Journey through the past, present and future of the moving image through interactive experiences, digital innovation and captivating stories. ACMI review.
- Shrine Kids (ongoing program) – free discovery trail for children at the Shrine of Remembrance. Shrine Kinds review
- Kids Passport Queen Victoria Market (Every market day) – Collect your passport, then journey around the Market collecting stamps from our friendly traders, before making your way to the Queen Victoria Market Visitor Hub to claim your prize.
What’s on in Melbourne – Easter
What’s on Autumn School Holiday – All suburbs
AmazingCo Family Experiences
