The long summer break is a chance for children to rest, play and be bored in the best way. It’s also a time when a little reading and maths, done lightly, can keep skills ticking over without any fights. Here’s a gentle plan of school holiday activities at home for Prep (Foundation) to Year 3: about ten minutes a day, mostly free, and easy to fit around beach days and family visits.
When are the summer school holidays in Victoria?
In Victoria, Term 4 2026 ends on Friday 18 December 2026. Term 1 2027 starts on Wednesday 27 January, and students in government schools start on Thursday 28 January 2027. That gives most children a break from 19 December to 27 January, almost six weeks.
If you’re in another state or territory, your dates will be different, so check your state’s education department. Catholic and independent schools can also set their own dates. If your child is starting Prep in 2027, ask the school about the first days, because some schools organise Prep starts in their own way.
Do children need to keep learning over summer?
You may have heard of the “summer slide”, the idea that children forget a lot over the holidays. Most of that research comes from the United States, where the summer break is much longer. A 2024 review led by the University of South Australia looked at 76 studies. 80% were from the US and none were from Australia. It found maths results declined over summer more often than reading results.
Australian evidence is thin. Evidence for Learning notes that the summer slide “has not been researched in Australia”, possibly because our break is shorter. One Victorian study of schools in low-income communities did find slower progress across Terms 4 and 1.
So there’s no need for a holiday workbook marathon. Children need rest. A few minutes of reading every day and some playful maths are plenty to help them start the new year feeling confident.
A gentle 10-minutes-a-day plan
| How often | What to do | Ideas |
|---|---|---|
| Every day | A book | Read aloud to your child, and let them read a short book to you. Re-reading favourites counts. |
| 3 times a week | Maths in 10 minutes | Count coins at the shop, play “friends of 10” with cards, read the clock before an outing. |
| 2 times a week | Real writing | A postcard to Nan, a shopping list, a label for a sandcastle photo, their name on a card. |
| Once a week | Something new | A short lesson in science, geography, history, music or health, or a kitchen experiment. |
- Pick a time that already exists. After breakfast, or before the afternoon swim, works better than “sometime today”.
- Keep it short. Ten minutes, then stop while it’s still fun. Little and often beats one long session.
- Make it real. Holiday life is full of reading and maths: menus, maps, prices, recipes and road signs.
- Let your child choose. Their own book, their own game. Choice keeps them coming back.
For quick maths games you can play anywhere, see our post on number bonds to 10.
Free things to do over summer in Victoria
- The Big Summer Read. Victorian public libraries run a free summer reading program for children and teenagers aged 0 to 18. In 2025–26 it ran from 1 December to 31 January, and children who logged 5 days of reading or 5 books could enter a prize draw. Check with your local library for this summer’s dates.
- Your local library. Joining is usually free through your council library. Borrow a big pile of books before Christmas, and look out for holiday story times.
- Museums Victoria. Children up to 16 get free general entry to Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and the Immigration Museum. Adults pay, and some special exhibitions cost extra.
- State Library Victoria. The Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter is a free space for children up to 12 and their grown-ups, open 10am to 6pm most days. It’s closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday.
- Your own backyard. Puddle science, shadow tracing, bug hunts and cubby building cost nothing at all.
The Premiers’ Reading Challenge usually runs from about March to September, so it isn’t on over summer. Books read in the holidays are still great practice for when it opens. The 2027 dates haven’t been announced yet.
Starting Prep in 2027?
If your child starts school in late January, the holidays are a lovely time for gentle getting-ready. Practise the self-care skills that matter most, like opening a lunchbox, going to the toilet and putting on shoes. Then add a little play: tracing their name, a few letter sounds, and spotting how many dots are on a dice without counting. Our calm checklist for starting Prep has a full summer plan.
A sun-smart summer
Summer in Australia means strong sun. Protect your child’s skin whenever the UV Index is 3 or above. In Victoria that is usually from mid-August to the end of April. Remember the five SunSmart steps: slip, slop, slap, seek and slide. Use SPF50 or 50+ sunscreen and reapply at least every two hours. Our guide to sun safety for kids explains hats, sunscreen and the free SunSmart app.
Screens over the holidays
Holidays can tip into a lot of screen time. Australia’s guidelines for children aged 5 to 17 suggest at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each day and “no more than 2 hours of sedentary recreational screen time per day”. They also recommend 9 to 11 hours of sleep a night for 5- to 13-year-olds, with no screens in the hour before bed.
When your child does use a learning app, sit with them for the first few minutes and stop on a win. In KidStudy’s apps for children, the screen goes dark for a 20-second eye break after 20 minutes of learning. Our post on screen time that helps has more ideas.
Questions parents ask
When do the summer school holidays start and end in Victoria?
Term 4 2026 ends on Friday 18 December 2026. Government school students go back on Thursday 28 January 2027, so the holidays run from 19 December to 27 January. Other states have different dates.
When does school go back in Victoria in 2027?
Term 1 2027 starts on Wednesday 27 January, and students in Victorian government schools start on Thursday 28 January 2027. Check with your school, especially for Prep.
Should my child keep learning over the summer holidays?
A little, lightly. Most research on the “summer slide” is from the US, where breaks are longer. A few minutes of reading every day and some maths games are enough, alongside lots of rest and play.
How much reading and maths is enough over summer?
About ten minutes a day is plenty for Prep to Year 3: a book every day, and short maths games three times a week. Keep it fun and stop before your child gets tired.
What can kids do at home in the school holidays for free?
Read library books, join the Big Summer Read, grow a bean in a jar, write postcards, play card games that use numbers, and try kitchen science. KidStudy’s books, maths and lessons are free too.
How do I keep my child sun-smart over summer?
Protect skin when the UV Index is 3 or above: covering clothing, SPF50 or 50+ sunscreen reapplied every two hours, a broad-brim, legionnaire or bucket hat, shade and sunglasses.
Sources
- School term dates and holidays in Victoria, Victorian Government
- Changes in children’s outcomes over the summer holidays: a scoping review, Eglitis et al., Children, 2024
- Summer schools: Australasian research summary, Evidence for Learning
- Growth in literacy and numeracy achievement: a summer slowdown in low socio-economic schools, Vale et al., Victoria University
- Big Summer Read, ReadBooks (Public Libraries Victoria)
- Plan your visit: Melbourne Museum, Museums Victoria
- Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter, State Library Victoria
- Physical activity and exercise guidelines for children and young people (5 to 17 years), Australian Government Department of Health
- Protect your skin, SunSmart, Cancer Council Victoria
