It's the middle of the first week of school holidays and you're out of ideas on how to amuse the kids already. Don't despair, Genevieve Helliwell finds there's plenty happening in the Bay these school holidays.
MAUAO PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE
Mauao Performing Arts Centre (MauaoPAC), on Totara St, is bursting with
exciting activities for children these school holidays, led by leading tutors in their industries. Art classes, contemporary dance classes, break dancing lessons, screen acting workshops and even guitar lessons are available for beginners. Aucklander Daniel Barnaby Broad is a professional actor and is one of the tutors in the upcoming screen acting workshops.
MauaoPAC's contemporary dance workshop will be led by Sarah Elsworth. She has worked and performed with some of New Zealand's top choreographers such as Fleur De Tier, Michael Parmenter and Douglas Wright.
Phone 0800 11 22 41 or visit www.mauaopac.co.nz
CREATIVITY CORNER AT BAYFAIR
The Creativity Centre features an arts and crafts corner and a story time area to engage children aged 3-12 - kids can create a story, animate it with puppets, dress up, or share it with others using the story-boards.
Located outside Farmers, the Creativity Centre will be open until Friday, from 11am-3pm.
Bayfair Shopping Centre marketing manager Nina Rivett said the Creativity Centre encouraged the whole family to come down to the centre.
Each child may stay for up to an hour at the Creativity Centre, with no booking or payment required.
The number of places is limited and the service subject to availability. It operates on a first come, first served basis.
www.bayfair.co.nz
PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL
Check out performances from more than 700 local children and young adults in the annual Tauranga Performing Arts Competition Society at Baycourt. Over 10 days, performers will show off their skills in more than 3000 individual performances across eight forms, including ballet, tap, dancing, modern dance, speech and drama, singing, piano, instrumental and highland national dancing.
Admission is a gold coin donation of $2 per adult and $1 per child per session - three sessions per day. Doors open 9am-12pm, tickets available from Baycourt TicketDirect.
FUN FOOTBALL
Organised by New Zealand Football, this action-packed programme will be delivered by accredited providers and is a great way for young players to have fun and develop their local football skills.
The holiday programme is suitable for boys and girls aged 7-11. Each session includes skill-based training, so kids can learn the tricks and techniques to become better players.
There are also plenty of chances to play football games to apply these skills in a fun, safe environment.
The ASB Fun Football is designed to appeal to both boys and girls, from total beginners to committed young players. The programme is held at the Mount Action Centre, from 9.30am-3pm on July 21-22 and 28-29. Separate sessions will operate for children aged 5-6 and 12-13. Cost $30 per player per day.
Phone Robyn on 07 574 9862 or email robynking@clmnz.co.nz.
CHIPMUNKS PLAYLAND
From creative cooking to pretending to be a pop star, the Chipmunks School Holiday programme in Tauranga has something to suit everyone.
Different activities will be offered every day for the next two weeks. There will be creative cooking, rocking sports, sensational stories, bowling, games, crazy crafts, movie madness and more. Half (8am-1pm) and full-day (8am-5.30pm) programmes are available.
Phone 07 579 4840 or visit www.chipmunks.co.nz
WAIMARINO WINTER HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
Waimarino Adventure Park and Papamoa Primary School are hosting a winter holiday programme for children aged 5-8 and 9-13. For the next two weeks, children can learn new skills, gain confidence and make new friends. With activities from robot making to scavenger hunts, to an excursion to Waitomo Caves, this holiday programme will excite people of all ages and interests.
A more challenging programme for older children will include trips to Rotorua to take part in the Swoop, Sweeb or Fearfall extreme, or heading to Papamoa and spending the day on the Blokart racetrack.
For people less inclined to be outdoors, fun inside activities include making the biggest banana split and making your own movie. Also, a five-day trip to the snow is available. Contact 07 576 4233 for more information. Hours are 8am-6pm.
CHILL OUT HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
Kids can be kids with a fun, full-on, creative and active holiday programme based at the Papamoa Community Centre.
The programme is suitable for 5 to 12-year-olds and is held at 15 Gravatt Rd, Papamoa, and nearby venues.
Activities include a meet and greet with local sports stars, a movie day, a sports day and tenpin bowling day. There will also be time spent at Baywave pools, as well as a visit to a local dairy farm.
The programme is available in half and full-day options, for $20 per session or $37 for a full day.
For working parents, kids can stay all day from as early as 8am and as late as 5pm.
Children are asked to bring a packed lunch, morning and afternoon tea, drink bottle and sunhat.
Phone 07 577 7362.
TAURANGA ART GALLERY
Tauranga Art Gallery offers practical art workshops throughout the school term and school holidays for a variety of age groups as part of our education programme. The workshops relate to the current Gallery exhibitions, so guests can enjoy their workshops and the surrounding gallery.
The week one programme will focus on working in two dimensions with mixed media (topic - abstract landscapes). Cost $8 per session, times vary according to the age of participants.
Week two will focus on working in two dimensions with mixed media (topic - abstract portraits).
Children need to wear older clothing as shirts provided do not protect clothing, There is also a small charge to cover the cost of materials.
Phone 578 7933 or visit www.artgallery.org.nz.
TAURANGA CITY LIBRARIES
Tauranga City Libraries are offering activities to keep your children entertained and amused. The libraries in Tauranga, Papamoa, Greerton and Mount Maunganui have a range of events for children of all ages.
Dan the Puppet Man will return to all four libraries on various days.
Children aged 3-5 can have fun with clay at the clay day, held at all four libraries.
A more advanced session is also available, for children aged 6-12.
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday both weeks an animation class will be held in the Tauranga Library Learning Centre.
This is the time for children aged 8-12 to get creative with animation.
There is a $4 charge for this class.
Phone 577 7177 or go to www.library.tauranga.govt.nz
It's the middle of the first week of school holidays and you're out of ideas on how to amuse the kids already. Don't despair, Genevieve Helliwell finds there's plenty happening in the Bay these school holidays.
MAUAO PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE
Mauao Performing Arts Centre (MauaoPAC), on Totara St, is bursting with
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