We’ve put together a quick guide of the dates of school terms and school holidays. This is based on Public/State Schools around Australia, check the term/holiday dates with your school direct if your child attends a private, catholic or other type of non state school.

Western Australia

• Term 2 –  Tuesday 20 April – Friday 2 July
• Holiday Break - Saturday 3 July – Monday 19 July
• Term 3 - Tuesday 20 July – Friday 24 September
• Holiday Break – Saturday 25 September – Monday 11 October
• Term 4 – Tuesday 12 October – Thursday 16 December

New South Wales

• Term 2 - Tuesday 20 April – Friday 2 July
• Holiday Break – Saturday 3 July – Monday 19 July
• Term 3 – Tuesday 20 July – Friday 24 September
• Holiday Break - Saturday 25 September – Monday 11 October
• Term 4 - Tuesday 12 October – Wednesday 15 December

South Australia

• Term 2 - Monday 19 April – Friday 2 July
• Holiday Break – Saturday 3 July – Sunday 18 July
• Term 3 – Monday 19 July – Friday 24 September
• Holiday Break – Saturday 25 September – Sunday 10 October
• Term 4 – Monday 11 October – Friday 10 December

Northern Territory

• Term 2 - Monday 12 April – Friday 18 June
• Holiday Break - Saturday 19 June – Monday 19 July
• Term 3 – Tuesday 20 July – Friday 24 September
• Holiday Break – Saturday 25 September – Sunday 3 October
• Term 4 – Monday 4 October – Friday 10 December

Victoria

• Term 2 – Monday 12 April – Friday 25 June
• Holiday Break – Saturday 26 June – Sunday 11 July
• Term 3 – Monday 12 July – Friday 17 September
• Holiday Break - Saturday 18 September – Sunday 3 October
• Term 4 - Monday 4 October – Friday 17 December

Australian Capital Territory

• Term 2 - Tuesday 27 April – Friday 2 July
• Holiday Break – Saturday 3 July – Sunday 18 July
• Term 3 - Monday 19 July – Friday 24 September
• Holiday Break – Saturday 25 September – Sunday 10 October
• Term 4 - Monday 11 October – Friday 17 December

Queensland

• Term 2 - Tuesday 13 April – Friday 25 June
• Holiday Break - Saturday 26 June – Monday 12 July
• Term 3 – Tuesday 13 July – Friday 17 September
• Holiday Break - Saturday 18 September – Sunday 3 October
• Term 4 – Monday 4 October – Friday 10 December

Tasmania

• Holiday Break - Saturday 29 May – Monday 14 June
• Term 2 – Tuesday 15 June - Friday 3 September
• Holiday Break – Saturday 4 September – Sunday 19 September
• Term 3 – Monday 20 September - Thursday 16 December

Remember to check with your school about pupil free days.

For more information go to: http://australia.gov.au/topics/australian-facts-and-figures/school-term-dates

Please visit Haggus and Stookles E-store. We sell Kids Backpack and other high quality products for your kids there. Visit now,  you can find variety of products to choose from!

More interesting posts you will surely enjoy reading:

Travelling in the car – tips and a checklist

Tips when planning a family holiday

Travel Checklists – forms to help when travelling with kids

Travelling in the car with kids can be challenging at times. Here’s a checklist for keeping kids well fed and comfortable in the car – to make car time more enjoyable for all!

1. Always pack snacks, water bottles and if applicable, 2-3 baby bottles (with the correct water in each bottle and pre-measured formula in separate containers). You never know how long you can be held up in traffic or delayed at your destination so always take more food or drinks than required. There is an in car bottle warmer available so you can easily feed when on the go.

2. If travelling with more than one child, have a snack bag for each (with same contents to avoid fights). Include things like dry fruit, rice crackers, sandwiches, mini muffins and maybe a few small treats. Don’t fill them up on too much sugar though as they will then want to run around not sit in a car! There are some great food containers available that keep the contents cold for up to 8 hours – so you can safely take milk,  yoghurt and cheese on long trips.

3. If you are on a long car trip, pack an “in car” and an “in boot” bag with snacks. Take enough snacks and drinks from home so you can refills for the first few days of the trip so you don’t have to go to the shops straightaway.

4. Always keep in the boot of your car – a hat for each child, sunscreen, a few nappies and wipes, a portable potty, nappy sacks, pram/stroller, books/toys/activities, a blanket if it’s cold weather, first aid kit (include insect bite relief, burn cream, insect repellant).

5. If you are on a long trip, plan to stop every couple of hours for a toilet break, drink, something to eat and depending on the time of day some activity time. You can take a basketball or soccer ball so the kids can have a run around. If your kids get restless in the car and you have a very long drive, travel at night so they sleep in the car.

6. If your child is toilet training, you can take a travel potty with you and keep it always in the car, even if your child is well trained. Use a seat protector so if your child wets in the car, their car seat is protected.

Blog us your thoughts and any ideas for keeping kids comfortable in the car and any great in car snacks for kids.

Please visit Haggus and Stookles E-store. We sell Kids Water Bottles, Baby Utensils, Travel Potty and other high quality products for your kids there. Visit now,  you can find variety of products to choose from!

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Travel tips for holidays with young children

Planning a family holiday can be great fun and something every member of the family can be involved in. See below a few ideas and tips to make sure you plan the right holiday for your family.

When Booking a Holiday

1. Holidays are for parents and kids. A great place to go is a holiday resort that has a kids club and lots of kids activities suitable to your kids age group. A lot of these places offer kids stay and eat for free (at certain times), and really welcome young travellers. Remember that kids club doesn’t mean your kids are in there all holiday. Plan it so the kids go a few times in the holiday and while they are there, plan some alone time or couple time. If you are not going to a resort, check on local and surrounding activities to make sure there is enough to do to keep the family entertained.

2. When you are booking ask about room facilities – eg for safety (balcony type, courtyards that are closed off), kitchen, microwave.  It’s also handy to ask about room configurations to ensure they will suit you and your children and whether bedrooms have balconies or unsafe windows.

3. We recommend booking at least a one bedroom apartment (separate bedroom to living area) with a baby and two bedroom if you have two or more children. Remember babies and small children still need to sleep in the day and go to bed around 7pm, so if they are sleeping where you are living you won’t have a holiday at all.

4. Also check if you are booking adjoining rooms that it is guaranteed 100% they will be adjoining before you book and pay.

5. If booking a rental car, ensure you book a car seat to suit the ages of your children. Most rental companies offer this service or you could use a baby equipment rental company.

6. Baby equipment rental companies operate in a lot of major and regional areas, and offer portcots, prams, car seats and toys for hire.

7. Check on dates and times on local festivals which might attract or deter you from travelling there at that time.

Just Before you Travel

1. Pack some plastic bottles or jars and fill them up with enough dishwashing liquid, napisan and washing powder for your holiday.

2. If you are bottle feeding, take your bottle brush, bottles, steriliser, formula container and formula. The brand and type of formula may not be available where you are travelling, especially if going overseas.

3. A great tip is pack the long life milk in 200 or 250 ml cartons. You can put these in your carry-on drawstring bag so your child can have milk on the trip.

4. Order some groceries online and have them delivered to your hotel or holiday accommodation the day you arrive. This will save you having to go to the supermarket to buy supplies the minute you arrive.

5. If travelling overseas or to a remote location, check medical facilities available, whether that is at the hotel, or local hospital or medical centre. You do not want to be looking for this information when your child is sick. Always pack a comprehensive medical kit appropriate to your destination. Also, check on outgoing flights so if you have to leave in an emergency, you have an idea if flights go daily or early morning/evening.

6. Leave details of your holiday with a family member or close friend at home and also keep a copy in your luggage/hotel safe. Details include flights, hotel details, insurance policy details, copy of passport and birth certificates and lost/stolen credit card phone numbers. Here’s an easy to complete form to hold all of these details.

7. When travelling overseas or to remote areas, check that your mobile has coverage. Take a phone card if not.

8. If you will be relying on taxis for transport, check with a taxi company at your destination whether you can order a taxi with a child seat or whether you will need to take yours with you.

9. For older children, a child safety harness (and booster if needed) is a great alternative for travel, as it still bolts into the vehicle but is compact to take with you.

Please visit Haggus and Stookles E-store. We sell Formula Container, Child’s Safety Harness and other high quality products for your kids there. Visit now,  you can find variety of products to choose from!

More interesting posts you will surely enjoy reading:

Travel Checklists – forms to help when travelling with kids

Baby Tips – what to take when out and about with Baby

School Term and School Holiday Dates – by State

Packing up for a holiday, especially one with kids, cannot be done 5 minutes before you leave, it takes time and careful planning.

The Travel Forms below are designed to help you get ready for your trip, as well as when you are en route.

Things to Do/Things to Take List
Helps you organise your trip with ease and less stress. Keep it on the fridge while getting ready for your holiday and when you think of something you need to do or take, fill it in.

Download  Things to do, things to take form

Important Information – Leave at Home – Take With You Form
If you are travelling overseas, going away for a period of time or interstate this form will help you keep in one place important information like passport numbers, flight details, hotel information, insurance details and so on. Take this with you and also leave one at home with your next of kin, family or friend.

Download Important information – leave at home, take with you form.

Arrival Card and Details Form
Use this form to keep your passport, visa and hotel information in one place – great for when you are completing landing cards or travelling to your hotel.

Download arrival card and details form.

Please visit Haggus and Stookles E-store. We sell Kids Suitcase and other high quality products for your kids there. Visit now,  you can find variety of products to choose from!

More interesting posts you will surely enjoy reading:

School Term and School Holiday Dates – by State

Travelling in the car – tips and a checklist

Baby Tips – what to take when out and about with Baby

The following blog post about what to take when out and about with baby is courtesy of Scott Lancaster from http://www.diyfather.com/ and one of the authors of the fantastic new book Call Me Dad!

Scott and Pyper sailing

I always like to make sure I know how the day is going to look, am I going to meetings, am I going to town or anywhere else that may cause a problem for my little girl Pyper when out for a few hours. I am a stay home dad so when I am not working on DIYFather.com I am going to meetings or doing errands for my wife and her business, then I am looking after Pyper.

Everything in our household can be put off to the last minute – especially with newborns, you have to wake them, and do you feed them? Do you change them? What about their clothes? Are we ever going to leave? Now if you’re organised and sometimes we are and sometimes we aren’t – we already have a baby bag ready to go with the following supplies:

Baby Bag

1. Portable change mat or wrap to change them on or cover them up if they vomit etc

2. 3-4 disposable nappies

3. Thin portable pack of baby wipes

4. Separate cold sterile water to put in the hot water to help make the correct temperature

5. Hot boiled water in a sterile bottle up to your babies normal feed, less enough for cold water plus formula. Place in a thermos bag to keep cool they usually stay warm for around 2-3 hours depending on the bag.

6. Change of clothes from head to toe and in between

7. 2-3 muslin clothes for wiping up spills and also any other foreign objects

8. Smallish toy to keep them occupied

Make sure they all fit into a good bag that can go over your shoulder and isn’t too small or bulky but is comfortable.

Whilst out on your travels – how are you going to transport your child around?

1. Buggy/pram with blanket

Pyper zooming along

2. Capsule with blanket

3. Front pack

4. Carrying via a sling

I personally always use a capsule, it can be a little heavy at times, if I keep feeding her she keeps getting heavier right!

Anyway I use a capsule that has a base that is already strapped into the car, I can just unclip her from the base and leave her in the capsule and take her to where ever I’m going without disturbing her, and this is great especially if its during her sleep time which mostly it always is – inconsiderate daddy!

This means I never have to take her out of the capsule and I don’t have to worry about her getting restless too much of the time anyway.

I make sure the baby bag and capsule are ready to go when I walk out the door, now I just have to remember to get the keys to the car!

Scott

Please visit Haggus and Stookles E-store. We sell Baby Bag and other high quality products for your kids there. Visit now,  you can find variety of products to choose from!

More interesting posts you will surely enjoy reading:

School Term and School Holiday Dates – by State

Travelling in the car – tips and a checklist

Tips when planning a family holiday