Stand up, dress up, make up, think up and step up in a fabulous space at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House that has turned the traditional idea of what goes on in museums completely on its head. The new children's exhibition space, Play Up pokes its tongue out at the idea that museums are hands off. Visitors become the curators and it is their work that will be on the walls and the media screens. Pop into Play Up's brand new graffiti room, plus don't miss the indoor and outdoor family action packs, zine making and dress ups. Free after admission fee. www.moadoph.gov.au
For animal lovers, a visit to the National Zoo and Aquarium is an absolute must.Be brave and take part in an animal encounter to get up close and personal with some of the world's most amazing creatures like cheetahs, sharks, sun bears, white lions and red pandas. The interactive Family Tour is designed with younger children in mind. Come face-to-face with creatures both great and small, feel the warm breath of a giraffe on your face, experience the rush of looking a big cat in the eye and challenge yourself to hold or touch a snake.www.nationalzoo.com.au
Take part in a fun-filled summer of activities at the National Portrait Gallery. Draw along to music in free Drawn In classes; make your own creature using clay in theExtraordinary Creatures workshop; and program and instruct Lego NXT robots to complete a special task with Robogals Canberra for a taste of engineering in a hands on and fun way. Listen to excerpts from the story The Little Prince and create your own visual response during Story Time; explore portraits through drawing and creative activity in the galleries at Portrait Play; and watch a family film with special screenings throughout January. Bookings essential.www.portrait.gov.au
No family trip to Canberra is complete without experiencing the excitement of Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre. Home to a range of interactive exhibitions like Awesome Earth, Wonderworks, Q Lab and Excite@Q, Questacon is a favourite with the young and the young-at-heart. Surprise your senses and challenge your mind in Perception Deception with more than 60 hands-on and multimedia exhibits featuring perception tests and illusions. Questacon will be a hive of activity this school holidays, with Spectacular Science Shows, Puppet Shows for preschool audiences, and a range of fantastic hands-on activities in Q Lab. Launch into the New Year with water-powered rockets, race a milk-carton boat and celebrate International Potato Day by making potato batteries, potato stamps, and more. www.questacon.edu.au
Visit the Australian War Memorial with your family and connect with the stories of people and events that have shaped our nation. Climb into a Vietnam War era helicopter, or explore a First World War trench or a Cold War submarine in the Memorial's Discovery Zone. During school holidays participate in hands-on-history, where kids can handle real objects and dress up in nurse or soldier uniforms. Hear extraordinary stories about ordinary Australians, or see moving performances portraying the experiences of women during wartime.Children can also make their own colour patch, bookmark, or poppy to take home as part of Drop in craft.www.awm.gov.au
The National Library of Australia will be buzzing during the summer school holidays. Drop in to read, write, illustrate and imagine as part of the Library's WordPlay program running through January. A range of fun activities are available in the pop up kids' space exploring the shape, meaning and use of language. There will be a number of story time events and free screenings of children's films like A Little Princess, Fairy Tale: A True Story and Arrietty in the Library's theatre.www.nla.gov.au
Be inspired by the National Museum of Australia's Spirited: Australia's Horse Storyexhibition, which reflects on the powerful bonds and enduring relationships between people and horses to trace how together they have helped build the Australian nation. The Spirited family trail Imagine My Horse Powered Life is a fun and informative way to explore the exhibition. The trail culminates in a dedicated family space, where you can dress up as a pony club rider or a stock worker, try out a side saddle, learn how to draw a horse, and measure your height in hands. Children under 16 receive free entry to the Spirited exhibition if accompanied by an adult. www.nma.gov.au
You can catch some world-class sport in Canberra over the summer with the nation's capital hosting seven matches of the AFC Asian Cup 2015 in January and three ICC Cricket World Cup matches in February and March, as well as the Prime Minister's X1 v England and the T20 Big Bash League final at Manuka Oval.
For more great school holiday ideas and places to stay in the capital, visitwww.visitcanberra.com.au.
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