The summer school holidays are all about connecting with friends and family now that the school year has come to an end.
In Ipswich you can fill in the six weeks of holidays by taking to the skies in a hot air balloon, engaging in a Nerf battle or cuddling some adorable farmyard animals.
Here are a few of the top activities that need to be on your family’s holiday checklist from 14 December – 27 January.
What’s on in Ipswich Central
Level up your holidays with General Public
It’s time to level up your holidays with General Public’s School Holidays Fun Pack, loaded with double the fun for an unbeatable price!
For $29 per person enjoy a game of bowling, to crush your friends (or family, we won’t judge) and get a $25 game card to keep the good times rolling (and your competitive spirit fired up).
That’s two awesome activities in one epic package! Whether you’re a pro at gaming or just looking for a new adventure, this pack is the perfect way to make the most of your school holidays.
Also there will be free kids face painting on Sundays from 3pm-5pm until and including January 18.
St Nicholas Precinct
The city’s much-loved Christmas lights display St Nicholas Precinct will be running from 12-21 December.
See the lights from 6.30pm-9.30pm nightly, except on 15 December when there will be a low sensory night running from 6pm-9pm.
This amazing lighting installation is one you won’t want to miss!
Kids pizza classes
Vapiano’s popular kids’ pizza making classes will be held at the new Nicholas Street Precinct venue during school holidays.
Kids can learn how to knead dough, how to top their pizzas and send them to the oven. The one-hour classes start at 10am, cost $25 and are suitable for children aged between 5 and 12.
Classes are available January 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16.
Move it exhibition in the Ipswich Children’s Gallery
This summer, the Ipswich Art Gallery is bringing a brand-new exhibition, Move It.
Step into a world of energy, creativity, and discovery with Move It! — the ultimate hands-on exhibition designed to get kids building, flying, engineering, and moving like never before!
Packed with crowd-favourite activities in one exciting exhibition, you’ll unleash your imagination while exploring the magic of motion.
Race against friends by designing your very own LEGO car — will it be built for speed, made for jumping, or the toughest crash survivor?
Test your flying skills in the wind tubes and see how high your recycled-material creations can soar, crafting gravity-defying designs to outlast the rest.
Then build the most daring ball run ever, full of loops, twists, and tricks, using STEAM principles in action.
With endless opportunities to make, experiment, and play all day, Move It! is your ultimate summer interactive exhibition – exclusive to IAG Kids.
Are you ready to Move It?
Move it is available upstairs in the Children’s gallery now until Sunday 15 February from 10am-5pm.
Note: the gallery will close from 1pm on Christmas Eve and reopening on Monday 5 January.
Digital clay teen workshop
Join artist Christopher Bentley for a hands-on intro to 3D modelling using NomadSculpt on iPad.
Sculpt, shape and morph your own digital clay creation, you’ll have a file you can 3D print at Ipswich Libraries, drop into a video game, or keep developing!
No experience needed. Just curiosity, imagination… and maybe a love of cool digital stuff.
Digital Clay Teen Workshop – Intro to 3D Modelling with Christopher Bentley is being held on 10 January, 2026 at 10am–12pm at Ipswich Art Workshop.
It is suited to teens aged 13–18 and costs $15, with all materials provided. Book now as limited spots are available.
Ipswich libraries free holiday program
These holidays Ipswich Libraries are running a program that includes summer reading, baubles and ornament making, letters to Santa, Christmas discos and more!
You can also road test a robot, build with LEGO, see a pirate show, learn how to animate and make critters.
The program will run in the Ipswich Children’s Library with some events in Springfield, Rosewood and Redbank also.
Registration is essential for the programs, find all the information including more events here.
Nerf battles at Spec Ops Paintball
Spec Ops Paintball offers Nerf battles, paintball and gel ball sessions from their purpose-built arena on the river across from River Heart Parklands.
Meet some of Ipswich’s cutest residents
Animal lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to an array of wildlife and farmyard experiences that can only be found in and around Ipswich.
The Ipswich Nature Centre in Queens Park is an unmissable experience for any visitor, as it is home to many animals including bilbies, dingoes, wallabies, a wombat, and also features a walk-through bird aviary.
The Ipswich Nature Centre is the only free zoo in south east Queensland, so you and your family can stay as long as you like, or come back whenever you feel like seeing those cute little faces again. They are open seven days a week during the school holidays.
Put your heads together to solve the clues
If your children love solving puzzles, then why not let them unleash their inner detective at Seraphim Escape Rooms.
Working together as part of a team, the kids will enter a specially designed themed room where they will need to put their heads together to find the clues, solve the puzzles, and unlock the door in a certain time frame. This activity is perfect for children that are a little older and love a good challenge.
This is the final weeks for Seraphim Escape Room, they will be closing permanently from 24 December.
What’s on further afield
Ice cream making pop-up
UB’s Milk Bar will be running an ice cream pop up at Booval Fair these holidays. From 15-19 January you will be able to book in for ice cream making classes.
Saboteurs: Crewmates and Imposters – Original Map
Enter the world of Saboteurs, a live AmongUs-style game where crew members complete tasks and impostors secretly eliminate them. Compete with up to 14 players in a fast-paced live action environment. Games go for 40 minutes and can be joined at 1 Main Street Springfield Central, outside Timezone. It runs from Friday December 19 until Friday 9 January (except Christmas Day).
Free art workshops
Creative Hearts Co are hosting workshops for children over the holidays.
On Saturday 13 and 20 December kids can do a free Christmas-themed card making and craft workshop at 10am, no bookings are needed.
Then on Tuesday 16 December at 1pm kids can take a painting class where they learn to create a dreamy beach holiday landscape on canvas. This class costs $25 with all material provided.
Both workshops are being held at the Creative Hearts Co gallery 7006 Melaleuca Drive, Brookwater.
Kids rave at Orion Hotel
The Orion Hotel is hosting a kids rave on Sunday 21 December. The free event runs from 10am-12pm and includes music, a fun party vibe, bubbles, glow sticks and kids food specials.
While tickets are free registrations are encouraged, register here.
Koala safaris, 4WD tours and animal feeding at Spicers
Spicers Hidden Vale awaits to make your family break unforgettable. Here, you and your kids can dive into a plethora of exciting activities. Whether it’s feeding the friendly farm animals (every day at 2pm complimentary), taking a tour of the market garden (at 3pm complimentary), or conquering the giant jungle gym outside The Barn, the options are endless.
For those seeking adventure, the world-class bike trails of Hidden Vale Adventure Park are at the Spicers doorstep. Plus, there is also gold-panning experiences and half-day 4WD tours across the extensive 12,000-acre property, ensuring that there’s never a dull moment in sight.
You can also take a koala safari or a guided bush walk.
See the dinos, pet and feed the animals
The Ewe Nique Hobby Farm will be open every day during the school holidays (except for Tuesdays) for you to feed and pet the farm animals and have a coffee in the Baa Baa Cafe. Their new dinosaur experience is also open full of replica dinosaurs, birds and fish!
Enjoy two sessions each day, either 9am or 10.30am and meet the gorgeous baby lambs and goats!
Visit The Llama Farm
You can visit Queensland’s largest herd of llamas these holidays.
The Llama Farm is not only home to llamas, but also giant rabbits, donkeys, goats, chickens, peacocks, ponies and camels.
Meet the animals on a Faces of the Farm tour at 9am on tour days or book in for a llama walk at 3pm on tour days.
Have a camel ride, take a tour and enjoy a discount
During the school holidays, Summer Land Camels will be running camel rides every day. The farm will open 9am to 3pm daily except for December 25, 26 and January 1 when they will close. There is no entry fee and visitors can pat and feed the camels for just a few dollars per bag of feed.
If you’re visiting during the holidays you can get a half price Tour, Taste and Camel Encounter for the kids. Use the code HOLIDAYS when booking online! After your tour enjoy a delicious lunch, brunch, camelcino or award-winning camel milk Gelato at the cafe.
A Little Humpty’s Christmas Party will be held on Wednesday 17 December from 9am to 2pm. Kids are encouraged to come dressed in their Christmas outfits. Tickets are $10 (under 4s are free) and include a 30 minute farm tour, chance to pat and cuddle the camels, activities and miniature goats. Santa will arrive about 10.30am and 12pm.
See the alpacas
Mysteria Alpacas will be open Sundays from 10am-3pm and Saturdays by appointment during the school holidays.
Take to the skies in a big balloon
If you’re looking to take your school holiday fun to new heights, why not take a hot air balloon flight over the city of Ipswich with Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights? Granted, you do have to get up super early, but once you are in that basket and watching the sunrise, it will be a holiday memory you will treasure always.
Hit the bike trails over the holidays
If you like to stay active, grab your bike and explore more than 110km of world class trails at Hidden Vale Adventure Park. Operating out of the luxurious Spicers Hidden Vale getaway, the various tracks are suitable for beginners right up to experienced riders. The property is open from 7am-3pm daily and can be accessed for $20 a day for adults and $10 for kids.
The park is holding Rides N Vibes Days on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 December with free entry for those two days, special activities including a free slip and slide and deals on e-bike hire and annual memberships. Reserve your place now.
Let the kids run wild at one of Ipswich’s great parks
Sometimes all you need for a great family day out is the sun shining and a good playground to entertain the little ones.
Lucky for you, Ipswich has lots of great parks, playgrounds and open spaces where you can easily spend a full day! Why not check out or revisit Queens Park in the middle of Ipswich, Lobley Park in Churchill, Robelle Domain in Springfield, Joseph Brady Park at Barallen Point, Sutton Park in Brassall, Rotary Bicentennial Park in Redbank Plains, Discovery Park in Springfield Lakes and Spring Lake Park, also in Springfield Lakes.
There’s lots of fun climbing apparatuses, swings, slides and space to throw out a picnic rug or kick a ball around – the choice is yours!
Cool off at the water park
If you’re kids are keen to cool off after a few hours of running around, you can visit the water play area at Robelle Domain which has tipping buckets and jet sprays. There is also lots of fun to be had at the Splash ‘n’ Play water park at Providence Ripley, which features two aqua play zones, the Bob Gamble water park, or you can head to the Bundamba Swim Centre, which has a small water park for little kids, plus a 50m and 25m pool. There’s also a free water play area at Tulmur Place.
Ride the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail
Take a leisurely bike ride with the whole family from Ipswich to Fernvale along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. The trail traces the old Brisbane Valley rail line that commenced at Wulkuraka and continued to Yarraman, west of Kilcoy.
The 20km trail from bustling Ipswich out to the rural township of Fernvale is suitable for all riders, taking you on a fun family adventure through farmland, forest and picturesque settings away from the busy traffic.
The trail features various surfaces, including sand, grass, gravel and rough stretches of rocky ballast.
By using the Brassall Bikeway, riders can easily connect to Queensland Museum Rail Workshops in North Ipswich, and then travel via the road network to the historic Ipswich Central precinct, which is full of eateries, quirky shops and attractions like Queens Park and the Ipswich Art Gallery.
Where to stay
Stay in the heart of town with Urban Getaway, or book a family-friendly farm stay at Pocket Retreats, or Tallavalley Farm B&B. Stay in Ipswich Central with Quest Ipswich and Oaks Ipswich Aspire Suites. Stay in Springfield at Quest Springfield and the Springfield Lakes Hotel. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay near Summerland Camels or Queensland Raceways then Willowbank Caravan Park and Motel or Ivorys Rock are your closest places.
For more options see our Accommodation Page.
