Auckland School Holiday Programmes
A region-by-region shortlist of trusted holiday programmes for Auckland kids — plus holiday fun at the city’s best attractions. Many are OSCAR-approved, so eligible families can claim the Work and Income subsidy.
Dates, prices and times change each school holidays — tap a card to check the provider’s latest details and book.
On during these holidays26 Sept – 11 Oct 2026
Dated sessions we found for this break — libraries, museums, pools and attractions. Times and prices are on the provider’s page.
See every event on during the holidays →North Shore9
Central Auckland18
East Auckland5
West Auckland7
South Auckland6
What kinds are there?
🗓️ All-day programmes — drop-off care (often 7am–6pm) run by YMCA, sKids, Kelly Club and council leisure centres. Best when you need cover for a work day.
🎨 Interest camps — half or full days built around one thing: sports, STEAM & coding, performing arts, gymnastics or swimming.
🎟️ Days out — drop-in attractions with holiday activities (Zoo, MOTAT, Tree Adventures). Great for a single fun day, but not childcare.
💸 OSCAR subsidy — cards marked OSCAR are MSD-approved, so eligible families can claim a Work and Income subsidy toward the cost.
💡 Many sKids and Kelly Club programmes run right at a local primary school — handy if it’s your child’s own school.
Across Auckland
Chains and charities running programmes at multiple sites citywide.
The Y (YMCA) Holiday Programmes
Action-packed days at Y centres and local schools across Auckland — sports, swimming, arts and crafts, STEM projects and trips. OSCAR subsidy available.
Visit website →sKids Holiday Programmes
Themed holiday days at school sites across Auckland — crafts, STEM, sports, cooking and excursions. OSCAR subsidy available.
Visit website →Kelly Sports Holiday Programmes
Multi-sport days that get kids moving and learning new games. WINZ OSCAR subsidy for eligible families.
Visit website →Youthtown Holiday Programmes
Holiday programmes at sites from Pinehurst and Hobsonville to Ponsonby and Panmure — sports, arts and crafts and day trips, run by a long-standing not-for-profit.
Visit website →Council Leisure Centre Programmes
Affordable holiday programmes at 10 council sites across Auckland (leisure centres plus Te Matariki Clendon community centre) — team sports, games, cooking, arts and crafts, plus day trips. MSD-approved.
Visit website →Bricks 4 Kidz
STEAM holiday workshops built around LEGO® — robotics, coding, motorised models and engineering challenges. Locations across Auckland.
Visit website →Artz on Show
Week-long performing-arts workshops in Howick, Epsom, Karaka and the North Shore — dance, drama, art and vocals, building to a Friday show.
Visit website →Kelly Club
MSD-approved holiday care hosted at primary schools across Auckland — cooking, sports, science and outings.
Visit website →Skill Samurai
Coding, robotics and AI camps (Minecraft, Roblox, Python) on the North Shore and in Botany Downs.
Visit website →Nature's Den
100% outdoor nature-play days at Brookby and Pukekohe farms plus reserves like Western Springs, Churchill Park and Little Shoal Bay.
Visit website →Snowplanet
Five-day ski and snowboard courses each break at NZ’s indoor snow centre — gear and snow pass included.
Visit website →Holiday fun at Auckland attractions
Drop-in days out (not day-care) with school-holiday activities.
Across AucklandAuckland Zoo — School Holidays
Daily keeper talks and seasonal holiday trails. Bookable animal experiences (giraffe, red panda and more) cost extra.
Visit website →Across AucklandMOTAT — What’s On
Hands-on holiday science activities, the Te Puawānanga science centre and heritage tram rides between MOTAT’s two sites, included in general admission.
Visit website →Across AucklandStardome Observatory
Daytime planetarium shows through the holidays plus drop-in activities. A great rainy-day option (Zeiss telescope nights are for ages 14+ only).
Visit website →
Across AucklandAuckland Museum — What’s On
School-holiday events and trails, the hands-on Weird & Wonderful gallery and a simulated Auckland eruption. Free entry for Aucklanders.
Visit website →
Across AucklandAuckland Art Gallery
Free family art-making activities and interactive spaces during the school holidays, in the heart of the city. Entry is free.
Visit website →Across AucklandButterfly Creek
Tropical butterfly house, dinosaurs, a farm and a train near the airport — a warm, all-weather day out popular with under-8s.
Visit website →Tree Adventures
High-wire tree-top adventure courses in Woodhill Forest, open daily through the holidays — about 35 min from the city.
Visit website →North Shore
Social Nature Movement
Outdoor, nature-based holiday day trips around wider Auckland — regional parks like the Waitākere Ranges and Duder, and island trips — focused on teamwork, confidence and creativity.
Visit website →The Y North Shore
Day and excursion programmes from the North Shore Recreation Centre on Akoranga Drive.
Visit website →sKids Browns Bay
On-site at Browns Bay School — crafts, science, sports and trips, 7am–6pm care.
Visit website →Mairangi Arts Centre
Day-long holiday art classes for ages 5–17 — clay and pottery, painting, drawing, wire jewellery, mixed media and more.
Visit website →Northern Arena
Intensive daily swim lessons and skills clinics plus Kids Club activities on the Hibiscus Coast.
Visit website →North Harbour Gymnastics
Gymnastics games, parkour and obstacle courses plus afternoon crafts — half or full day, members and non-members welcome.
Visit website →Devonport Community House
OSCAR-accredited craft, sewing, games and science days on Clarence Street.
Visit website →AUT Millennium Holiday Programmes
Active holiday days with adventure trips, Aqua Adventure days, athlete-development camps and swim intensives at AUT Millennium in Rosedale — several programmes split by age.
Visit website →Central Auckland
Village Square Trust
Daily holiday programmes from three central locations — Balmoral, Epsom and Parnell — with games, crafts and outings.
Visit website →sKids Grey Lynn
Hosted at Grey Lynn School — crafts, science, sports and trip days, 8am–6pm.
Visit website →Kelly Club Newmarket
Cooking, sports and arts serving Newmarket, Parnell, Remuera, Mt Eden and Epsom.
Visit website →TAPAC Holiday Programmes
A dozen-plus performing- and creative-arts workshops each break — musical theatre, circus, drama, singing, screen acting and stop-motion film.
Visit website →Pform Dance & Drama
Dance, drama and musical-theatre holiday days — check the site for this break’s dates and Auckland venue.
Visit website →Auckland Netball Holiday Programmes
MULTIActivity days (crafts, sports, games, cooking) and netball skills at Windmill Road, Mt Eden or St Johns (OSCAR-approved at St Johns); 8am–5:30pm.
Visit website →East Auckland
Howick Leisure Centre
Council programme — games, sports days and outings to Stardome, bowling and movies; 7:30am–6pm.
Visit website →sKids Botany Downs
For Botany Downs School pupils only — full and half-day options with crafts, science, sports and community trips; 7am–6pm.
Visit website →Kelly Club Howick
Runs from Howick Primary — sports, cooking, arts and crafts serving wider East Auckland.
Visit website →SCRATCHPAD Botany
Coding, robotics, 3D printing and Minecraft/Roblox days — 9am–3pm with early drop-off.
Visit website →Ormi Kids
OSCAR-approved holiday adventures for the Ormiston schools at Ormiston Primary, Flat Bush; 8:30am–6pm (breakfast session from 7am) with half-day options.
Visit website →Howick Gymnastic Club
Not-for-profit club running holiday days of gymnastics, Ninja Warrior challenges, Nerf games, baking and crafts; 8am–5pm.
Visit website →Kelly Club Willowbank
Hosted at Willowbank School, Dannemora — games, arts, cooking and sports, serving Flat Bush, East Tāmaki, Ōtara and Papatoetoe.
Visit website →West Auckland
West Wave Pool and Leisure Centre
Henderson’s big pool complex runs a popular holiday programme — sports, active play, crafts and quizzes, plus a weekly trip. OSCAR-approved.
Visit website →sKids Massey
Hosted at Massey Primary — themed daily activities and trips, 7am–6pm.
Visit website →Kelly Club Titirangi
Hosted at Titirangi Primary — sports, cooking and arts serving Glen Eden, Laingholm and Oratia.
Visit website →Waitākere Gymnastics
Gymnastics, fort-building and obstacle courses at Olympic Park, 8:30am–4:30pm.
Visit website →South Auckland
Bruce Pulman Park
Full-day programmes (9am–3pm) in Takanini — gymnastics, ball sports, arts and crafts, cookery and more, with before/after care available.
Visit website →Manurewa Leisure Centre
Carnivals, swimming, park visits and adventure days; 7am–6pm, MSD-approved.
Visit website →Ōtara Pool & Leisure Centre
Trips to parks, ice skating and movies with a pool on site; 7am–6pm.
Visit website →sKids Papakura Central
Crafts, science experiments, sports and community trip days at Papakura Central School; care until 6pm.
Visit website →Māngere East OSCAR
Excursions to Bounce, pools, Skateland and beaches; about $6/day with subsidy.
Visit website →Planning the whole break?
See what’s on this weekend and free things to do between programme days.
Listings are a free community resource that link to each provider’s official site. We’re not affiliated with the programmes and don’t handle bookings — please confirm details, safety and pricing directly with the provider.