New Zealand School Holidays 2026
Term dates and school holidays for 2026, with the public holidays that fall in each break. See also the full list of NZ public holidays in 2026.
2026 term dates
| Term | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Between Mon, 26 Jan 2026 and Mon, 9 Feb 2026Each school chooses its start date | Thu, 2 Apr 2026 |
| Term 2 | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 | Fri, 3 Jul 2026 |
| Term 3 | Mon, 20 Jul 2026 | Fri, 25 Sept 2026 |
| Term 4 | Mon, 12 Oct 2026 | No later than Fri, 18 Dec 2026 |
2026 school holidays
| Break | Dates | Public holidays during the break |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 holidaysAutumn (April) | Fri, 3 Apr 2026 – Sun, 19 Apr 2026 |
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| Term 2 holidaysWinter (July) | Sat, 4 Jul 2026 – Sun, 19 Jul 2026 |
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| Term 3 holidaysSpring (September–October) | Sat, 26 Sept 2026 – Sun, 11 Oct 2026 | None |
| Summer holidaysSummer (December–January) | Sat, 19 Dec 2026 – Wed, 27 Jan 2027Up to Tue, 2 Feb 2027, depending on when your school starts |
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These are the official dates for state and state-integrated schools, set by the Ministry of Education and published in the New Zealand Gazette. Each school picks its own term 1 start date within the window and may finish term 4 earlier, and private schools set their own terms, so always check your school's calendar. Source: Ministry of Education.
School Holiday Ideas
RotoruaGeothermal parks, the Redwoods treewalk and the Skyline lugeWellingtonTe Papa, Zealandia and the cable car — great for rainy daysQueenstownSki fields in the July holidays, lake adventures in summerChristchurchThe Antarctic Centre, botanic gardens and Banks PeninsulaTaupōHuka Falls, hot pools and easy lakefront cyclingAucklandKelly Tarlton’s, the zoo and island day trips
Browse all our city travel guides for more family-friendly ideas.
Other years: 2027 school holidays · 2028 school holidays