School holidays sound great in theory. Kids get two weeks off, you all sit at home spending quality family time. And then day two hits. Requests begin, can we go somewhere? can we do something?, and suddenly you’re staring at the ceiling at 7am trying to figure out how to fill another entire day without defaulting to screens again.
We understand you and we know that the struggle isn’t a lack of love for your kids, it’s a lack of a solid plan. There are too many options that feel the same. Too many venues which are either too babyish or too far away. Then by mid-holidays the whole family is a bit frazzled.
To solve this here we are, EKPE Activate Games, Queensland’s first Activate Games Sport Arena, right here in Chermside. And we’ve rounded up the best chermside kids activities to give you a proper holiday plan. High-energy days, easy outdoor days, budget-friendly options, and everything in between. This is your go-to guide for the best fun family activities near me on Brisbane’s northside. Let’s get into it.
Why Chermside is Such a Winner for School Holidays?
Chermside is well placed for families. School holidays are the perfect time to figure it out. It’s only about 9km north of the Brisbane CBD. This means we are close enough for easy day trips and it have our own brilliant little ecosystem of things to do without ever leaving the suburb. Chermside offers a massive shopping centre, green space on the doorstep, and some genuinely exciting entertainment venues (including us!) that have opened up in recent years.
The other thing parents love about Chermside is that It works whatever the weather. Brisbane summers can be brutal and the storms roll in fast, so having a solid mix of indoor and outdoor options means you’re never stuck. You can plan ahead, but you can also pivot. And honestly, on school holidays, that flexibility is everything.
The Best Chermside Kids Activities to Add to Your Holiday List Right Now
1. EKPE Activate Games, The One That'll Blow Their Minds
We might be a little biased here, but hear us out. EKPE is Queensland’s first-ever Activate Games Sport Arena, and it’s right here in Chermside. What actually is that we offer? Our concept is like sport meets technology. We are all focused on delivering unadulterated fun. Kids run, jump, react, and compete inside a fully interactive arena where the games literally respond to what they’re doing. It’s loud, it’s exciting, and it is absolutely one of the best school holiday activities in Chermside, full stop.
What makes EKPE different from your standard indoor playground Brisbane experience is that there’s no passive fun here. You will not find any family members just sitting and watching. The Activate Games format means kids are physically moving the entire time , dodging, sprinting, working as a team, and they’re having so much fun they genuinely don’t notice how much energy they’re burning. As a parent, that is deeply satisfying.
It also works brilliantly for different ages playing together, which if you have multiple kids is an absolute godsend. We’re one of those rare activities to do in Brisbane where a seven-year-old and a twelve-year-old can both have the time of their lives at the same time. Book online in advance, especially in peak holiday periods, because sessions fill up fast.
EKPE Activate Games — The Quick Facts
| Where | Chermside, Brisbane QLD |
| Best For | Kids aged 5 and up, groups, birthday parties |
| Rain proof? | 100% indoors,weather never matters |
| How to Book | Online at ekpe.com.au or walk-in |
| Groups & Parties | Yes, schools, clubs, birthday packages available |
2. Chermside Hills Reserve : Free, Beautiful, and Underrated
Not every school holiday day needs to be a big production. Sometimes the best thing you can do is get outside, breathe some fresh air, and let the kids just roam. Chermside Hills Reserve is exactly that kind of place, free, beautiful, and genuinely one of the most underrated fun family activities near me on the northside. There are bushwalking trails, open grassy areas perfect for a picnic, and if you’re lucky you’ll spot some native wildlife along the way. Bring a frisbee, pack snacks and leave the screens at home.
Local parks around the wider Chermside area are also really well set up for younger kids, with adventure play equipment, flying foxes, and water play during the warmer months. These spots cost nothing and don’t require a booking, just show up and go.
3. A Brisbane CBD Day Trip : Worth Every Minute
When you want to make a proper day of it, the things to do in Brisbane CBD are genuinely spectacular for families. South Bank is the obvious drawcard, Streets Beach is a free swimming lagoon right in the middle of the city, the Queensland Museum has free general admission and kids absolutely love it, and the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) runs brilliant holiday programs specifically for children. It’s one of those days where you arrive thinking you’ll do two things and end up staying until dinner.
From Chermside it’s about a 20-minute drive or you can hop on a bus and make it part of the adventure. Personally? Do the museum in the morning before it gets crowded, grab lunch at South Bank, then let the kids loose at Streets Beach in the afternoon. They’ll sleep well that night, and so will you.
4. Westfield Chermside: Your Rainy Day Plan B
Look, we all have those days where the weather just isn’t cooperating and you need a backup plan fast. Westfield Chermside is genuinely more than just a shopping centre during school holidays, there’s a great cinema, loads of casual food options that work for kids, and the centre often runs holiday activation events with face-painting, craft activities, and characters. It won’t be the most adventurous day of the holidays, but as activities to do in Brisbane go, it’s easy, it’s covered, and it gets the job done.
Finding a Great Indoor Playground in Brisbane, What to Actually Look For
Let’s be honest, not all indoor venues are equal. Some look amazing on Instagram and then you arrive and realise it’s designed for toddlers when you’ve got an eight-year-old who’s bored in ten minutes. When you’re scoping out the indoor playground Brisbane options for school holidays, here’s what’s actually worth paying attention to. (Spoiler: EKPE ticks every single one of these boxes, which is why it keeps coming up on northside parent groups as the top pick.)
What to Check Before You Book an Indoor Activity
| Age-appropriate activities | Keeps kids engaged instead of losing interest quickly | Designed for ages 5 to adults |
| Truly active gameplay | Encourages movement and reduces screen dependency | Fast-paced, high-energy games |
| Simple booking process | Saves time and avoids peak-hour hassle | Easy online booking + walk-ins welcome |
| Group & party packages | Makes it perfect for birthdays and celebrations | Customisable party experiences available |
| Indoor & climate-controlled | Comfortable experience regardless of weather | 100% air-conditioned indoor venue |
A Sample School Holiday Week Built Around the Best Chermside Kids Activities
You don’t need to plan every second, but having a rough shape to the week makes a huge difference. The trick is to mix the big energy days with some quieter ones so nobody, kids or adults, burns out by Wednesday. Here’s a loose week that works really well if you’re based in Chermside or nearby.
Your Chermside School Holiday Week:
- Monday: EKPE Activate Games: Start the week with a bang. Book a session online, rock up, and watch the kids lose their minds in the best possible way. They’ll be tired by lunchtime. You’re welcome.
- Tuesday: Chermside Hills Reserve: Come down a gear. Pack a picnic, hit the trails, and spend a few hours outside with no agenda. Free, calm, and genuinely lovely.
- Wednesday: Brisbane CBD Day Trip: Make a full day of the South Bank. Museum in the morning, swim at Streets Beach in the afternoon. Probably the highlight of the week for most kids.
- Thursday: Westfield Chermside: Easy day. Movie, lunch, check out the holiday activities. Low effort, still fun.
- Friday: Back to EKPE (they will ask): Seriously, the kids will bring it up themselves. Round out the week with another session and let them finish on a high.
The great thing about Chermside as a base is that everything on this list is within 30 minutes. You’re not spending half the day in the car, which means more time actually doing things and less time listening to “are we there yet?”
A Few Practical Tips Before You Head Out
Book EKPE Early,Seriously!
School holidays are our busiest time and sessions do sell out, especially the later afternoon slots that everyone wants. If you know you want to come in during the holidays, jump on ekpe.com.au and lock in your time at least a week ahead. It takes five minutes and saves a lot of disappointment on the day.
Mix It Up So Nobody Burns Out
One thing experienced school holiday parents will tell you: don’t pack every day full of big activities. The kids hit a wall around day four if every single day is go-go-go. Give yourself a couple of chill days in between the exciting stuff and everyone will actually enjoy the big days more. Trust us on this one.
Use EKPE for Birthdays and Group Bookings
If your kid’s birthday falls in the school holidays, which is either brilliant timing or a logistical nightmare depending on who you ask, our birthday party packages are genuinely special. You get the arena, the energy, the whole experience, plus a dedicated space for the party itself. School groups, sports teams, and community organisations are also well catered for. It’s a much more memorable option than a standard party venue.
School Holidays Don't Have to Be Stressful, Really
Here’s the thing about school holidays: they go fast. Like, blink-and-they’re-gone fast. And the bits the kids remember aren’t the days they spent on screens, they remember the days that were actually fun. The days that were a bit different. With the range of chermside kids activities available right now, from the incredible EKPE Activate Games experience to easy nature days and big Brisbane adventures, you’ve got everything you need to make this a school holiday they’ll actually talk about.
Don’t overthink it. Pick a few things, book the ones that need booking (hi, that’s us), and give yourself permission to wing the rest. The best school holidays usually have a bit of both.
Ready to get the holiday started? Head to ekpe.com.au to check out session times, birthday packages, and group options. We’d love to see you here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best school holiday activities in Chermside for kids aged 5 to 12?
EKPE Activate Games is honestly the top pick for this age group, it’s physical, exciting, and works for a wide age range all at once. Pair it with a morning at Chermside Hills Reserve for something free and outdoors, and a CBD trip to South Bank for something a bit more cultural. That combination covers pretty much everything a 5 to 12-year-old could want. And if you’re Googling fun family activities near me from the northside, those three options alone will fill your week beautifully.
Is there a good indoor playground in Brisbane for older kids and tweens?
Great question, because this is actually a real gap in the market. Most soft-play centres feel way too babyish for kids over nine or ten, and tweens are notoriously hard to impress. EKPE Activate Games is the answer here, the Activate Games format is genuinely challenging and exciting for older kids, and it doesn’t feel childish at all. It’s one of the only indoor playground Brisbane options that a 12-year-old will actually thank you for.
What are some free or cheap fun family activities near Chermside?
Loads, actually. Chermside Hills Reserve and the local council playgrounds cost nothing. Things to do in Brisbane CBD day at South Bank are largely free. Streets Beach, the Queensland Museum and GOMA admission are free. You could have a brilliant day for lunch. For paid activities, EKPE has flexible ticketing to suit different budgets.
How easy is it to get from Chermside to the Brisbane CBD with kids?
Really easy. It’s about 9km and roughly 20 minutes by car. There are also regular bus services if you’d rather not drive and deal with parking. For a South Bank day, catching the bus actually makes it more of an adventure for the kids, and you can relax on the way home instead of navigating traffic with tired little ones in the back.