The cold hits differently when kids are home all day and it’s dark by five. Ringwood parents know the drill — you can only do so many laps of Eastland before everyone is irritable and over it. The Victorian school holidays run 27 June to 12 July 2026, which lands squarely in the coldest stretch of the year. Here are eleven things worth actually doing, ranging from free afternoons in the suburb to full-day trips that need a little planning.
1. AFB Long Reserve — Cold-Air Run When the Sun’s Out
Free
On a clear winter morning, AFB Long Reserve earns its keep. Kids need to move, and a proper open reserve lets them do it without costing anything. Bring a thermos, dress them in layers, and get out before lunch while the sun is still climbing. You will not regret the ten minutes of freezing hands — they sleep better after.
2. Maroondah Library — Council Holiday Programs
Free (book early)
Maroondah City Council runs free school-holiday programs through its library branches during every break. Think craft sessions, storytime, coding workshops — the kind of structured hour that gives younger kids something to focus on and gives you a moment to breathe. These sessions fill fast. Check Maroondah’s library website or Eventbrite listing as soon as holidays are announced and book immediately. Walk-ins are rarely available by the time holidays actually start.
3. Warm Cafes in Ringwood — Hot Chocolate Run
Budget (around $5–7 per hot drink)
Ringwood has a real cafe scene, and winter is when it matters. A slow morning in a warm cafe — hot chocolate for the kids, a proper coffee for you — is not a guilty indulgence; it is an actual plan. Ringwood’s cafes cover everything from relaxed neighbourhood spots to places with cabinet food good enough to make it brunch. Check the Ringwood cafe listings on our site for places with full details, including whether they have space for a pram or a table of four.
4. Daisy Street Reserve — Quick Afternoon Break
Free
When the cabin fever peaks at 3pm and the weather is holding, Daisy Street Reserve is the kind of local spot that solves the immediate problem. It is not a destination — it is a twenty-minute intervention. Kick a ball, let the dog run, let the kids argue about something outside instead of inside. On a dry winter afternoon, this kind of local reserve is underrated.
5. Maroondah ARC — Heated Indoor Pool
Budget (entry fees apply; check the council website)
The Maroondah Aquatic and Recreation Centre is your default wet-weather anchor for this school holidays. The indoor heated pool handles the cold entirely, and kids who swim for an hour or two are genuinely tired afterward. It also has gym and court facilities if older kids need more variety. Check session times and holiday pricing on the Maroondah City Council website before you go — public lap sessions and leisure sessions run on different schedules, and holidays can change the timetable.
6. Council Vacation Care — Full Days Covered
Paid (subsidised for eligible families)
If you are working through any of the holidays — or just need a structured week for your kids — Maroondah Council and YMCA both run vacation care programs in the area. These typically run 8am to 6pm, include activities and excursions, and operate under child care subsidy rules for eligible families. Book well before the holidays start; popular programs close their lists early. Search “Maroondah vacation care 2026” to find current options and pricing.
7. Indoor Play Centre or Trampoline Park — Rainy Day Anchor
Budget (entry fees apply)
When it is raining sideways and you need a plan before 9am, an indoor play centre or trampoline park covers the day. There are several options within a short drive of Ringwood across the eastern suburbs. Worth booking ahead online for peak holiday periods — Saturday afternoons in particular can sell out. Search for the nearest indoor play centre or trampoline park to Ringwood and lock in a session for at least one of the rainy days; assume at least one rainy day.
8. Firelight Festival, Docklands — Free Night Out
Free entry | 3–5 July 2026 | Drive ~35 minutes
The Firelight Festival runs at Harbour Esplanade in Docklands on 3, 4 and 5 July. Light and water shows at 6.30pm and 8.30pm, food trucks, free entry. For Ringwood families, this is about a 35-minute drive into the city depending on traffic — plan for the 6.30pm show if you have primary-school-age kids who won’t survive a late night. It is genuinely worth the trip. This is also a good excuse to make a night of it: dinner from the food trucks, light show, home by 9pm. Check the official Docklands website closer to the date for confirmed show times and any weather notices.
9. NGV Winter Masterpieces — Cartier Exhibition + Free Galleries
Ticketed (Cartier exhibition) | Free (permanent collection) | St Kilda Road, ~40 minutes
The NGV International’s Winter Masterpieces season this year is Cartier (12 June to 4 October). It is ticketed and aimed squarely at older kids, teens, and adults who are genuinely interested in jewellery, watches and design history. If your kids are ten-plus and curious, it is a strong wet-weather day in the city. But here is what many Ringwood families miss: the NGV’s permanent galleries are free, always. Younger kids can do an hour of impressionist paintings, Ancient Rome, or the stained-glass ceiling in the Great Hall at no cost. Pair it with lunch near the Botanic Gardens and you have a full city day for a reasonable budget.
10. Ice Skating, O’Brien Icehouse, Docklands
Budget (entry + skate hire; under-8s area available) | ~40 minutes
O’Brien Icehouse in Docklands has a dedicated area for under-eights with skating aids, which makes it genuinely manageable for first-timers and nervous skaters. Older kids can go on the main rink. It is busy during school holidays — book sessions online ahead of time rather than turning up and hoping. This works well combined with the Firelight Festival if you time it right: skate session in the afternoon, Firelight at 6.30pm, home by 8.30pm.
11. Lake Mountain Snow Day — Full Commitment Required
Paid (park entry + toboggan hire ~$33 for ages 6+) | ~2–2.5 hours each way from Ringwood
Lake Mountain near Marysville is the honest snow option for Melbourne families. It is closer than Mt Buller, has a designated snow-play area, and toboggan runs for kids from age six (around $33 per person for toboggan hire at time of writing — check the Lake Mountain website for current pricing). The season runs approximately 6 June to 6 September, snow conditions permitting.
The honest framing: this is a full day. You are looking at two to two and a half hours each way from Ringwood, plus time on the mountain. Leave by 7.30am, bring chains or snow-ready tyres if conditions are heavy, pack warm layers, food, and a change of clothes because kids get wet. Check road conditions and mountain updates the morning you go — conditions change fast. On a good day with fresh snow, kids talk about it for months. Do not attempt this as a half-day.
Planning Tip
Two things to do this week: book the council library holiday program (they go fast) and check whether your kids’ vacation care is confirmed. Everything else on this list can be decided closer to the date, but those two have firm cutoffs. For city trips — Firelight, ice skating, or the NGV — check websites for booking requirements and updated times as July approaches.
The eastern suburbs in winter are underrated. You do not have to drive far to have a proper school holidays.