School Holiday Activities on the Central Coast: Summer 2026–27
Six weeks is a long stretch to fill, especially if you’re still working through it. I’ve gathered the holiday camps, pools, farm visits and rainy-day ideas worth knowing about on the Coast, and I’ll keep adding to this page as this summer’s programs are announced. Nothing on this page is paid for. I choose every listing myself.
📅 Updated 7 November 2026 · More to come as programs are released
These are the NSW public school dates from the Department of Education. Catholic and independent schools can differ, so check your school’s calendar too. The week between the end of the holidays and the first day back catches a lot of families out.
School holiday camps on the Central Coast
These camps have run in past school holidays. Where I’ve listed times and prices from last summer, check with the provider before you book, as they can change.
Swim and Sport Program at Peninsula Leisure Centre, Woy Woy
A full day of swimming, water games and team sports, which makes it one of the few council options that covers a working day. Last summer it ran from 9am to 3pm on selected weekdays and cost $52 per child per day.
Kids need to be confident swimming in deep water. Pack sporty clothes and shoes, swimmers, a towel, a change of clothes, sun protection, food and a drink.
See Council’s school holiday listings →Horse riding camps at Glenworth Valley
Glenworth Valley runs horse riding camps in every school holiday break, from half-day camps for beginners through to programs for confident riders. Overnight camps for older kids have run in past holidays too.
These camps are popular and sell out quickly, so it’s worth enquiring early.
See horse riding camps →Adventure camps at Glenworth Valley
Full-day and half-day camps with laser skirmish and either horse riding (ages 7 and up) or quad biking (ages 12 and up). In summer, kids also get to kayak on Popran Creek.
See adventure camps →More camps by activity
If you need a full working day covered, look for the full-day camps. A half day can suit a shorter shift or a day you’re sharing with another parent. The times below are a guide based on spring sessions or regular program hours. Check summer dates and pick-up times before you book.
Sport and swimming
Voyager Tennis, Gosford
Voyager runs camps for different abilities, with coaching and match play. Half days run 9am–12.30pm and full days 9am–3pm.
Check dates and booking details →Central Coast Mariners holiday clinics
Football clinics with coached drills and games. The published full-day format runs 9am–3pm. Check the next clinic’s venue, ages and enrolment options.
Check dates and booking details →Central Coast Basketball
Indoor basketball sessions with skills practice and games. Sessions are split by age, with a 9am–noon option for ages 5–8.
Check dates and booking details →Circus, ninja and skate
Roundabout Circus, Wyoming
Youth circus camps welcome beginners. The morning session runs 9am–12.15pm, the afternoon runs 12.45–4pm and the full day runs 9am–4pm.
Check dates and booking details →Ninja Kids, Erina
Coached obstacle courses, team games and skill practice. Full days run 8.30am–3.30pm, with morning and afternoon half days too.
Check dates and booking details →Slam Factory, Tuggerah
Full-day skateboard camps are for independent riders aged five and up. Look for shorter sessions for skateboarding, scooters or BMX.
Check dates and booking details →AWF Ninja, Gosford
Coached ninja and parkour with obstacle courses and team games. Drop-off is from 8am and pick-up by 4pm.
Check dates and booking details →Horse riding and wildlife
The Outlook Riding Academy, Terrigal
Kids ride in groups by experience and learn hands-on pony care. Sessions run 8.30am–1pm, and you can drop off or stay.
Check dates and booking details →Little Kids 2 Keeper, Australian Reptile Park
A supervised day, 9am–3pm, helping the keepers care for the animals, with morning tea and lunch included. Places are limited, so book early.
Check dates and booking details →Pools and water fun
On the hottest days, a pool with a waterslide beats a crowded beach car park.
Inflatables and waterslides at Council pools
Last summer, Peninsula Leisure Centre in Woy Woy ran pool inflatables and a waterslide in set sessions, and its water park was free with pool entry. Gosford Pool had inflatables on weekdays in January from 10.30am to 2.30pm, and Toukley and Wyong pools ran them on selected days.
The pools also ran week-long holiday learn-to-swim classes, which cost $87.50 for five days last summer.
See Council’s school holiday listings →Central Coast Aqua Park, Gosford
A huge inflatable obstacle course on Brisbane Water that only opens over the warmer months. Kids aged 5 to 9 must go on with a participating adult, with one adult for every two children. From 10, they can go on their own.
You can’t park at Gosford Pool next door, so allow time to walk from a free car park nearby.
Check sessions and prices →Big days out with the kids
Australian Reptile Park, Somersby
Kangaroos, koalas, snakes and spiders, plus keeper talks through the day. Last summer the park ran Jurassic Zoo, with life-sized dinosaurs, from 20 December to 2 February. I’ll update this once I know what’s on this year.
Check tickets and what’s on →Outdoor adventures at Glenworth Valley
Horse riding, kayaking and quad biking through the bush, if you’d rather do it as a family than book a camp. Older kids will come home tired, which is the point.
See activities and book →Farm visits and animal outings
These run all year, so they’re easy to fit around the busy Christmas weeks. All of them need booking ahead.
Brunch with Alpacas at Iris Lodge, Jilliby
Meet and feed the alpacas, then have brunch overlooking the paddocks. It runs on selected Sundays and often sells out weeks ahead, so check the booking calendar for holiday dates early.
See brunch details and book →Morning Chores Tours at Grace Springs Farm, Kulnura
Kids help feed hay to the cows, collect eggs and cuddle a chook while the farmers do their morning rounds. Groups are kept small, so there’s time for questions.
See tour dates and book →Farm and Arabian Horse Tour, Wyong Creek
A two-hour tour of a family-run Arabian horse stud, riding in a farm vehicle and feeding the animals along the way. There are miniature horses, goats, bunnies and guinea pigs to meet, and a short nature walk by the river.
See the farm tour and book →Rainy day activities
Summer storms on the Coast can wash out a whole afternoon. These are under cover.
School holiday skating lessons at Erina Ice Arena
Beginner lessons run every weekday of the school holidays from 10am to 11am, and skate hire is included. Parents can join in too, and you can add on the public session straight afterwards to keep practising.
Arrive 30 minutes early for check-in and skate fitting.
See lessons and book →Pay and play basketball at Lake Haven Recreation Centre
Last summer, kids could drop in on weekdays between 9am and 5pm to play basketball, pickleball or table tennis on the indoor courts for $6.50. No booking was needed. Bring your own ball and a water bottle. Kids aged 10 and under need an adult with them.
See Council’s school holiday listings →Library and gallery activities
Council’s libraries, including Gosford Regional Library, and Gosford Regional Gallery run holiday activities and art workshops. Many are free or low cost, but popular sessions book out.
See Council’s school holiday listings →Council’s summer program
Central Coast Council runs a big school holiday program across its leisure centres, libraries, gallery, Laycock Street Theatre and youth and environment teams, with plenty of free and affordable activities. The summer 2026–27 program hasn’t been released yet. When it is, I’ll add the highlights here.
When it’s out, you’ll find it on Council’s What’s On page by choosing “school holidays”.
Go to Council’s What’s On →School holiday questions
When are the summer school holidays on the Central Coast?
For NSW public schools, the summer holidays run from Friday 18 December 2026 to Wednesday 27 January 2027. Students go back on Wednesday 3 February 2027, after school development days. Catholic and independent schools can differ.
Are there full-day holiday camps for working parents?
Yes. Peninsula Leisure Centre’s Swim and Sport Program, Glenworth Valley, Voyager Tennis, the Mariners clinics, Roundabout Circus, Ninja Kids, Slam Factory, AWF Ninja and the Reptile Park’s Little Kids 2 Keeper all offer full-day options. Check summer dates and pick-up times before booking. Some finish at 3pm and others run until 4pm or later.
What can kids do on the Central Coast when it rains?
Erina Ice Arena, Lake Haven Recreation Centre’s indoor courts, the libraries and Gosford Regional Gallery are all under cover.
What’s free or cheap to do in the school holidays?
Last summer, Peninsula Leisure Centre’s water park was free with pool entry, and drop-in basketball at Lake Haven cost $6.50. Many library and gallery activities are free or low cost. I’ll add more as this year’s programs come out.
What’s open over Christmas and New Year?
Opening hours change a lot between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, and many programs pause for a week or two. The Australian Reptile Park is open every day except Christmas Day. For everything else, check holiday hours before you head out.
Plan the rest of your summer
Hi, I’m Roxane
I live on the Coast with my family and started Best on the Central Coast because I wanted all the good ideas in one place. If you know a great holiday program I’ve missed, let me know.