Is vacation care run by the same providers as before and after school care?

Often yes, but not always. Some before and after school care operators run holiday programs and some don't, so it's worth checking directly.

How far ahead should I book school holiday care on the Gold Coast?

Popular weeks, especially early and late in the summer break, can fill up well in advance, so booking as soon as holiday dates and programs are published is safest.

Does the Child Care Subsidy apply to vacation care?

It can apply to approved outside school hours care providers running vacation care, subject to your approved hours and activity test. Confirm with the individual provider.

School holiday and vacation care on the Gold Coast

Vacation care is a different booking to the daily before and after school run. It's full-day supervision during school holiday weeks, usually run by the same operators who do before and after school care but structured around a longer day and a holiday activity program rather than drop-off and pick-up around school hours.

Not every before and after school care provider runs a holiday program, and the ones that do often need bookings made well ahead of the holiday period because places fill fast, especially over the summer break. This page is about identifying which Gold Coast providers actually run vacation care, as distinct from the standard term-time before and after school service.

Confirm whether the provider runs vacation care at all, some only do term-time before/after school hours
Ask about the daily program structure since it usually covers a full working day, not just morning and afternoon blocks
Book early for peak weeks like the first and last weeks of summer holidays
Check whether excursions or incursions are included or charged separately

What it costs

Vacation care is typically billed as a full-day rate rather than the shorter before/after school session rate, and can include extra charges for excursions or special incursion activities. Costs vary by provider and by whether a particular day includes an outing.

Top 3 by our score

Ranked from our published scoring of public Google reviews for before & after school care.

1. Little Scholars Nerang
5.0★ · 83 reviews

90
2. Coastal Babysitters Gold Coast
5.0★ · 1362 reviews

91
3. Kool Kids Early Learning Centre Nerang
4.8★ · 65 reviews

87

See the full ranking → · Browse all providers

FAQ

Is vacation care run by the same providers as before and after school care?: Often yes, but not always. Some before and after school care operators run holiday programs and some don't, so it's worth checking directly.
How far ahead should I book school holiday care on the Gold Coast?: Popular weeks, especially early and late in the summer break, can fill up well in advance, so booking as soon as holiday dates and programs are published is safest.
Does the Child Care Subsidy apply to vacation care?: It can apply to approved outside school hours care providers running vacation care, subject to your approved hours and activity test. Confirm with the individual provider.

We may share your enquiry with partner providers who can do the work, and we may earn a referral fee. Our rankings are based solely on our published scoring method and are not affected by referral fees.