By ANNA USHER

Two weeks off, three councils and a day trip or two. Here are the best cheap and free things to do across Mosman, North Sydney and Willoughby, plus a few worth the trip into town.

The July school holidays are officially here, with kids not back in the classroom until Monday 20 July. That is a full fortnight to fill, and our local councils have stacked their programs with workshops, walks, sport and craft. Many sessions are free. Most need a booking, and the good ones fill fast. Here are the picks in your patch, and a few bigger days out in the city.

North Sydney

FARTastic Storytime. Fart books, fart jokes and a guaranteed stinker for the little ones.
Tuesday 7 July, 11am to 12pm. Stanton Library, 234 Miller Street, North Sydney. Free. Bookings essential.

Winter Bush Walk. A guided walk around Balls Head Reserve with harbour views and a lesson on native plants. For ages 12 and up.
Saturday 4 July, 10am to 1pm. The Coal Loader, Waverton. Free.

Primrose Park tennis camp. A week of coaching, team games and a Friday tournament with trophies and caps, on the courts beside the bushland at Primrose Park.
Winter camps run 6 to 10 July and 13 to 17 July, 9.30am to 3pm (Friday finishes at 2pm). Matora Lane, off Young Street, Cremorne. $340 a week or $95 a day. Book online.

Also on: Sydney FC holiday clinics at Cammeray Park, week-long drama workshops at Ensemble Theatre in Kirribilli, and Dungeons & Dragons sessions for young people at Stanton Library. See the full program here.

Mosman

Saltwater School holiday camp. Nature-based camps on Sydney Harbour for ages seven to 12, with kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, bushwalks, arts and craft, STEM and team challenges. Small groups and qualified instructors. Weekdays across the July break, 8.30am to 3.30pm. Chowder Bay, Mosman, run from Clifton Gardens Reserve. From $110 for one day, $300 for three days or $450 for five days. Book online here.

Balmoral water sports camp. Sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding and windsurfing off Balmoral Beach for ages seven to 15, all levels welcome. One, three or five-day options. Kids need to be confident swimmers. Weekdays, 9am to 3pm. Balmoral Sailing Club, The Esplanade, Mosman. Check the site for July dates and prices.

A day at Taronga. Our own harbourside zoo is a classic holiday day out. Wander the trails, catch a keeper talk and ride the cable car for the best views in town.
Open daily. Taronga Zoo Sydney, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman. Admission applies, cheaper booked online. Note: the structured Zoo Adventures holiday camp is sold out for July.

Bubble Soccer. Climb inside a giant inflatable bubble and play a game where staying on your feet is half the fun. Expect collisions and a lot of laughs. Monday 6 July, 2pm to 4pm. Mosman Youth Centre, 30 The Crescent, Mosman. $10.

CSI for Tweens. Dust for prints and crack the case in this hands-on crime lab for school years 5 to 8. Wednesday 15 July, 10.30am to 11.30am. Barry O’Keefe Library, Mosman. Free. Bookings essential.

Christmas in July Movie Day. A warm, no-fuss morning at the movies for school years K to 6. Friday 17 July, 10.30am to 12pm. Barry O’Keefe Library, Mosman. Free. No booking needed.

Also on: Art Explorers and clay workshops at Mosman Art Gallery, a bread baking workshop, and an Australian Museum excursion for teens. See the full program here.

Willoughby

Robotics for beginners. Kids aged six and up learn the basics of coding and robotics with hands-on Edison robots. Self-guided, with kits and instructions ready to go. Thursday 9 July, 4pm to 5pm. Artarmon Library, 139 Artarmon Road, Artarmon. Free.

Storytime in Mandarin, Japanese and Cantonese. Songs, rhymes and stories in three languages for kids aged three to six. Very Chatswood. Monday 13 July. Chatswood Library, 409 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood. Free.

Also on: STEM workshops for little ones, a winter crafter-morning, and the MOSAIC holiday workshops on Victor Street in Chatswood. See the full program at libraries.willoughby.nsw.gov.au.

Worth the trip into the city

A short hop on the train or over the bridge opens up some bigger days out. These sit outside our patch, but they are worth it.

Alchemy of a Rainforest. Step inside The Calyx for an immersive rainforest with more than 18,000 plants, one of the largest green walls in the southern hemisphere, and bright sculptures made from recycled plastic. Daily, 10am to 4pm. The Calyx, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Entry by donation.

200 years of wonder at the State Library. A free drop-in centre packed with holiday fun, marking the library’s 200th year. There are free family tours in the second week too. Drop in Monday 6 to Friday 10 July. State Library of NSW, Macquarie Street, Sydney. Free.

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. The new Animal Crossing: New Horizons adventure lets kids hunt for marine creatures, collect stamps and meet Isabelle. Daily through the holidays. Darling Harbour. Aquarium admission applies.

Winterfest at Hay St. Haymarket turns into a winter playground from 1 July to 2 August, with food, lights and family fun. Daily. Hay Street, Haymarket. Check the City of Sydney site for what is free and what is ticketed.

Taste of Country (for the grown-ups). A First Nations educator walks you through the Cadi Jam Ora garden and its bush foods, then a three-course shared lunch with native ingredients at Botanic House. One for parents, or families with older kids. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. $105 a head. Bookings essential.