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School Holiday Activities for Kids with Disability, Spring 2020

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A boy sits with a chess board and ipad in front of him. A bowl of chips is to the side. On the ipad is a friend he is playing against, who also has a chessboard that we can see in the picture.

Spring has sprung! That means School Holidays! Here is our virtual helping hand, with activities for kids living with disability across Australia. We have all the ideas, from art videos with closed captioning and Auslan interpreting to  STEM learning labs and creative therapy. 

Information on each activity below is in the link. Please contact the provider to book sessions directly, or follow the link for online activities. If you would like help to find activities in your area or online, our Information Officers are available to help you. Call us on 1800 029 904 or connect with us through LiveChat or email. We are open from 8 am – 8 pm Monday to Friday. 

This information was correct at time of printing. Please check with updates to regulations around COVID-19. Also, confirm directly with the provider that programs will still operate and that they can meet your accessibility needs under any COVID-19 rules.

Exotic Safari

For something with a difference, a Free Virtual African Safari is on October 7th. 

Join a guide and photographer Munya on a virtual Safari. He will introduce you to Hwange National Park and Zimbabwe.
You will experience the Safari that he leads every day.
He will describe the pickup location, safety guidelines, the environment, and the animals we are likely to see. There will also be a few breaks and meals.

Let Munya tell his story of an African Safari.

 

Australia-Wide Programs

Australian Camps Association

Australian Sports Camps – Holiday sports coaching for 6 to 16-year-olds.

Bricks 4 Kidz – Hold virtual workshops of educational play with Lego ®.

Cocky Guides – Adventures for people of all ages who are blind, visually impaired and sighted - available in some states.

Class Bento have deliverable kits with online classes. From crafts to watercolour painting for beginners, learning calligraphy, making kokedama balls, terrarium or ikebana classes. There are cooking classes, baking classes and even cocktail-making sessions. See Class Bento for the full online workshop list. Learn more about Class Bento and the NDIS.

Eventbrite - Search for online events that interest you and meet your accessibility needs. There are many free events, and you can use the search filter to choose only "Free" events. There are many to choose from - about Nature Art, Online Wildlife encounters, Library Online, Science, Illustration, Cooking, Dance, Music trivia, Photography, and Languages.

Skills for Kids – "Conversation Club" is about social skills for making and keeping friends.

State by State Information

Some are online activities or programs, you might find something of interest in another state too.
ACT
NSW
QLD
SA
VIC
WA

Read more: What to do in isolation in the school holidays for activities you can do at home, focussed on offline distractions and boredom busters.

Four teenage girls, one with disability on a lounge. The girls have snack food and a labradoodle sits at one end. They are laughing, smiling and relaxed.

 

ACT

Communities @ work School Holiday Programs across Canberra 

Marymead Autism Centre has a range of community activities like Board games, Supported Playgroup, Aspie Girls Social Group, Programming workshops

Mov'in car - Canberra Drive-In Cinema, this time at Questacon Science Garden parking. Movies on the program include: Jumanji The Next Level, Spies in Disguise, Coco, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead men tell no tales, Frozen 2, Aladdin, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Zootopia, Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, The Greatest Showman, The Lion King, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Knives Out, the Notebook, Titanic, Casablanca, Dirty Dancing and The Castle. One screening of each only. Between Thursday 24th September and Sunday 25th October.

Questacon – 90-minute guided experiences. – Questacon Mission to Mars and Questacon Mission to Mars Junior (3-5 years). Each tour has a maximum of 15 people (including adults, children and babies) to comply with physical distancing and public health guidelines.

YMCA Spring Vacation Programs are available.

NSW

In case you missed it - Noteworthy changes to Creative Kids Vouchers  for NSW residents

In response to COVID-19, you can redeem Creative Kids vouchers for:

  • Cultural and creative activities that support the 2020 school curriculum,
  • Activities and programs delivered online, and
  • Creative supplies, equipment and materials through approved Creative Kids providers.

Find Creative Kids providers offering online programs.

NEW The City of Sydney Art and Maker Classes Online have Auslan interpreting and closed captions. The videos are step by step and presented by experienced artists and makers.  Projects for complete beginners aged 15 years and over. Classes are Origami Lampshades, Self-Portrait drawing, building a Robotic Hand and Still-life drawing. Downloadable PDF Instructions, materials list and templates are available.

Autism Community Network – Online Support and Clubs

Active OT – Holiday Intensive program  - An increased intensity of specific therapy.

Art Gallery of NSW – Children's Trails (Timed entry for this attraction) for children aged 6-12 

Cerebral Palsy Alliance Have activities through selected NDIS fund categories, like Improved Health and Wellbeing, Community Participation, Increased Social and Community Participation.

Early Ed Online Storytime

Clarence Valley Youth - have a range of programs, see their Facebook page for details.

Coastlink – Weekend Club, after School hanging out and Holiday programs

Growing Early Minds Clever Kids Camp, Lego Club (eligible under NDIS funding)

Learning Links – children aged 4-12, Play and Social Learning, Anxiety Management, Emotion Regulation programs are running in the Sept-Oct School Holidays

LuzAllabilities - for children with any difficulties with cognitive, motor coordination, communication and social skills. Explorers Holiday Program.

Macarthur Disability Services – Campbelltown. For children and young people with a mild to moderate disability aged (7 – 17 years.)

Northern Beaches Council – Have long-day care, fun environmental programs, art exhibitions, swimming lessons and library programs.

Playgroup NSW – Explore Play Baby and Parent Resources this site is a wealth of fun activities to do at home for babies and toddlers.

Quirky Kids – Social Skills and Communication - Best of Friends - covering topics like Making Friends, Social Expectations, Importance of Compromise, Empathy in Friendship, Peacemaking and conflict resolution, Basecamp – Helps anxious children/youth to manage symptoms of worry and stress.

State Library Kids at the Library Series

St George and Sutherland Community College – School-age tutoring

Studio Alessia Art as Therapy.

Sunnyfield – Programs and Hubs.

Taronga Zoo has reopened along with Taronga Western Plains.

Thinklum Robotics School - Online School Holidays Coding Camps

What's On Sydney – A trove of online options to choose from, check with individual events about accessibility options and prices.

 

QLD

Autism Queensland Cool Conversations for children aged 8 and over to help with conversation and social skills. Fun, Friends and feelings for children aged 5 – 7 years and their parents. Lego® Club holiday program.

Camp Cooby For ages 3 to 16. Or Leadership camps for ages 12 to 16.

Chessmates Holiday Programs and Tournaments, Online Tournaments, An NDIS Registered Provider.

Colour My Pot Transform a pottery piece into a work of art.

Inclusion Plus family Support Fun activities on the sunshine coast

Speak Up Online Learning – Creativity Kits and Online Learning- Communication and Drama

SA

Adelaide North Special School – Vacation Care Program

Autism SA Have Art Steps, Kids Aqua Skills and Lego ® Club programs

 

A blonde haired boy wears a superhero cape and outfit in blue and red. He is sitting in a Yoga pose, his feet are crossed, hands on his knees with thumbs to fingers and his eyes are closed.

VIC

Arts Centre Melbourne – Digital Content Hub

Building Blocks Therapy – Zoom Sessions on Mindfulness, Dance group, Happy Hands and Fit fingers, Chop like its Hot, and On Point writing

Gateways Support Services – Some programs operating through Zoom

Melbourne Museum – Museums from Home. Competitions,  Quizzes, Lectures, Puzzles, Online Collections and more.

City of Melbourne Lots of Online activities for Families and Kids like Storytime, Audio play, STEM learning labs, and Home Publishing too.

Melbourne Zoo – Livestream Animal House.

Parks Victoria Junior Ranger Make and Do – Downloadable activities

YMCA Children's Programs – Various Locations. A childcare permit is required to access metropolitan services.

Sealife Melbourne Aquarium Online event – Livestreams

YMCA Children's Programs Children 5 – 12 years old - Monday 21 September – Friday 2 October.

WA

Helping Minds – Journalling, Positivity, Kindness, Coping with behaviours or emotions range of programs

 

Want more ideas on what to do in the school holidays 

What service providers are doing differently. (Talks about how Service Providers are changing the way they deliver supports)
What to do in isolation in the school holidays (Heaps of OFFLINE activities and boredom busters, this has been one of our popular blogs)
Tips to get you through a staycation or isolation (Distractions and a VIRTUAL roundup of activities to pass some time)

IDEAS does information so you can do life.

Available Resources

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