Rotorua school holiday programmes booking out fast

Rotorua Library youth and early learning lead Kylie Holmes preparing for the Lego Disaster Island activity. Photo / Supplied

School holiday programmes in Rotorua are so popular, one has booked out within a day.

There's lots on offer from April 14 to 29, but parents will have to be quick.

The Rotorua Children's Art House filled its superhero holiday programme in just a day and Arts Village manager Mary-Beth Acres said theirs was quickly filling, too.

Acres said about half of the programmes were already full and the rest were filling fast.

"It's a school holiday programme with a real arts focus for 8 to 12-year-olds," she said.

"We usually book out quite well."

Acres said the programme had been more popular than previous years and the village had branched out to include other arts like felting and performing arts.

"We're excited. A lot of kids come to us every holiday. Over the years it's been really nice seeing them grow up."

Acres said if parents still wanted their children to participate, they needed to "get a hustle on".

Meanwhile, it's the first holiday programme at the new Te Aka Mauri Rotorua Library and youth and early learning lead Kylie Holmes is expecting a big turnout.

"There will be a lot for families to enjoy, learn and discover," Holmes said.

She was looking forward to the first item in the programme, a visit from the creators of the Pipi Ma dolls. Children will get to meet the characters, explore colours in te reo and hear a story.

Max, the border collie from the SPCA, will also make an appearance, as will children's author and musician Mr Yipadee. Other events include Lego challenges and recycled creations.

Most of the activities cost a gold coin but some must be booked.

As well as organised activities, the Great Te Aka Mauri Scavenger Hunt runs all holidays and challenges children to follow clues around the library and answer questions about Te Aka Mauri.

"It is fantastic that our new facilities enable us to offer a wider range of activities to more children," Holmes said.

A taste of what's on:

Rotorua Library
- Meet the Pipi Ma Whanau, April 16, 10.30am to 11.30am.
- Be an Earth Warrior, April 19, 10.30am to 11.30am.
- Lego Disaster Island, April 20 or April 27, 10.30am to 12pm, book online at rotorualibrary.govt.nz.
- Keeping safe around dogs, April 23, 10.30am to 11.30am.
- Oodles of Doodles, April 24, 10.30am to 11.30am.
- Yipadee Musical Show, April 26, 10.30am to 12pm.

Arts Village
- Storytelling, puppets, theatre sports, paper mache, painting, felting, print and more.
- For ages 8 to 12, daily from 9am to 3pm, $25 per day.
- Enrol online at www.artsvillage.org.nz

Whakarewarewa Rugby Club
- The Central Bay of Plenty Rugby Holiday Programme. A day of skills, drills and coaching.
- April 23, 9am to pm.
- $20, call (07) 574 2037.

Virtually on Track
- A Sport Bay of Plenty scavenger hunt. Choose from six free hunts.
- Win prizes for exploring the parks and reserves around the Bay of Plenty.
- Visit www.virtuallyontrack.co.nz.