7 school holiday budget busters: ease the pain on your wallet

School holidays can feel less like a break and more like a financial burden, with some parents spending over $100 a day just to keep their kids occupied from 9am to 5pm.

The good news? You don’t need a theme-park budget to create a break they’ll remember. From local gems hidden in plain sight to discounts you might already have access to, here is your ultimate guide to surviving the holidays without the financial hangover.

1. Explore your local art galleries and museums

If you haven’t stepped into an art gallery or museum lately, this school holidays is the time to do it.

Forget quiet whispers and “don’t touch” signs—today’s galleries are high-energy playgrounds.

• Sydney: Head to the Art Gallery of NSW for Mike Hewson’s The Key’s Under the Mat exhibition – if you can call it that. It’s a massive indoor playground featuring the usual climbing frames and sandpits, but also BBQs you can actually cook on (yes, still within the art gallery) – even a sauna!
• Melbourne: Visit ACMI at Federation Square for an interactive journey through film and TV history, complete with playable vintage consoles to reel the kids in.
• Brisbane: GOMA’s Children’s Art Centre has a free exhibition where kids can explore emotions through making art and digital play.
• Perth: Follow the Little Big Dinosaur Trail at WA Museum Boola Bardip. It’s a self-guided trail where 13 hidden dinosaurs are harder to find than you might think.
• Hobart: Check out the Lift Off! program at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery for hands-on creative workshops.
• Adelaide: Create a time capsule at the Art Gallery of South Australia.
• Canberra: You’re spoilt for choice, but the Australian War Memorial is a standout for older kids.

2. See what your local library has to offer

If you need to do any pre-planning for the week ahead, spend five minutes on your local library and council websites. Chances are you’ll find a delightfully eclectic collection of workshops, experiences and “crafternoons”, as my local library likes to call them. From building with Lego to creating awkward art, the local library has it all.

3. Check your child care subsidy

The federal government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS) isn’t just for daycare; it applies to approved vacation care at primary schools. Depending on your income (with a family limit up to $535,279), that $100 fee could be significantly reduced.

4. Try the half-day hack

The cost of school holiday programs day after day can add up almost as fast as a trip to Disneyland (well, not including flights), but there are ways and means to keep a lid on them. Look for morning-only programs like tennis or soccer camps. They are often half the price, and by the time you pick them up, the kids are tired enough to “flop and chill” while you finish your workday from home.

5. Organise a parent co-op

Team up with two or three other families. You take one day off work and take the kids for one mega play date, the other parents do the others and you’ve effectively secured three days of childcare for the cost of one day of annual leave.

6. Discount your way to a day out

If you are hitting the attractions, look for discounts. Organisations like NRMA, RACV or RACQ often allow members to save 10-15% on tickets for theme parks, movies, wildlife parks and even the cost of fuel to get there.

7. Look for free apps that will enrich kids

Putting your kids in front of a screen for two weeks straight isn’t exactly a Maggie Dent power move but sometimes, you just need a moment to breathe (or work). Here are some free apps that you can download to keep the kids occupied, without killing your parenting mojo:

• GoNoodle: Offers high-energy dance workouts and mindfulness to counter the associated burnout.
• Libby / BorrowBox: Gives access to free audiobooks via your library card. Perfect for keeping the kids occupied while they do something analog like drawing or even knitting (I’m told it’s all the rage these days).
• GarageBand: Lets them record their own “hit single” (headphones highly recommended).
• Geocaching: Pushes the kids outside (but also you, with them). A global GPS treasure hunt where you track down caches using your phone. The cache assignments are rated on difficulty, with terrain 1 suitable for the extended family, while terrain 5 might require some abseiling credentials.