Activities these school holidays include a teddy bear sleepover at Whanganui Regional Museum.
Activities these school holidays include a teddy bear sleepover at Whanganui Regional Museum.
Winter school holidays can be the most difficult of the lot, with the challenge of keeping children entertained when activities may be limited by rain and cold weather.
Here are 10 things to do during these school holidays in Whanganui and surrounding areas to keep the kids occupied.
Puanga and Matariki-inspired crafts at Whanganui Libraries
Whanganui District Library has a craft event planned for every weekday of the school holidays the Hakeke St, Davis and Castlecliff libraries.
Each craft is inspired by Matariki and Puanga, including making clay stars, marae art, fern printing, starlight glitter jars and kite-making.
For $5 you can blend electronics and crafts with the Scribble Bot class. It will teach participants about simple physics and electronics to create their own Scribble Bot, a little robot that moves and draws as it goes.
Another session will allow kids to make their own faux stained glass frame using glue, paint and foil.
The usual school holiday Teddy Bear Sleepover and shared morning tea is on Wednesday, July 9, to Thursday, July 10.
To prepare your plushy friends for an overnight stay at the museum, there will be a class on July 8 to learn to sew and make a small pillow for them.
Booking is required for all events. To learn more or book, head to wrm.org.nz
Play to Win at Play2Win
Whanganui’s Play2Win has plenty to keep the hordes entertained.
The central Victoria Ave facility features an 18-hole indoor mini golf course, eight 10-pin bowling lanes, pool tables and arcade games, including a mechanical bull.
The newest section of the Mountains to Sea trail, Te Hangaruru, was opened on June 19, ahead of Matariki.
Sustainable Whanganui is hosting craft events for the winter school holidays which aim to blend learning how to reuse materials and fostering creativity.
On Monday, June 30, kids can experiment with collage using magazines. On Tuesday, July 1, the session will be to create mobiles using natural driftwood.
The crafting sessions will both run from 10am to noon at the Envirohub on Drews Ave.
Something for everyone in South Taranaki
South Taranaki’s school holiday programme is jam-packed with events for kids of all ages.
There’s a range of free, no-booking-required crafts to get stuck into, including making a fairy or troll home, making your favourite sea creature with hama beads, science experiments, and making seed bombs and seed cards.
There are events for those who prefer to just hang out, including Woolies and Uggs where you can dress cosy and enjoy some books and a hot chocolate, and the Teen Hangout with VR, Nintendo, and keychain and scrunchie making.
Some events require booking and/or payment, including Movie Magic at Hāwera Cinemas featuring the brand-new Smurfs and live-action How to Train Your Dragon.
Get the kids moving with the acrobatics workshop, rugby skills sessions, roller skating or the mini-lifeguard course.
There will also be the Big Day Out for kids aged 9-14 which departs from Hāwera to visit Crux Indoor Rockclimbing, followed by a catered lunch, and then hits the movies to see new Disney release Elio in a private cinema room.
Information on booking, times, dates and costs is available at southtaranaki.com/holidayprogramme
Have some thrifty fun
For a cheap activity with prolonged benefits, visit one of the many local op shops to stock up on things to do at home.
Op shops offer a variety of fun things for kids, from a new addition to the dress-up box to toys, books, DVDs and games.
Use your trip to scout some woolly winter jumpers for a bargain.
There's plenty to do on the slopes including sledding, beginners' skiing and sightseeing.
Hit the slopes on Mt Ruapehu
For those wanting to embrace the winter weather, rather than sheltering from it, there’s no better place to visit than Whakapapa and Tūroa.
The ski fields offer great options for children with sledding, sightseeing, snow play areas, and the Happy Valley at Whakapapa or the Alpine Meadow at Turoa.
An event, designed for ages 4-10, will take the kids on an adventure scavenger hunt through Tūroa’s base area on July 5. By solving puzzles and finding treasures, they will have the chance to win prizes.
Be sure to check road and mountain conditions at whakapapa.com or pureturoa.nz before heading up the mountain.
One of the best parts of the winter school holidays is that they coincide with the American summer holidays, meaning we have new blockbusters to keep us entertained during the cold and rainy months.
A visit to Embassy 3 Cinemas gives a choice of new movies including Karate Kid: Legends, Elio, How to Train Your Dragon and Smurfs.
You can also see some classic kids’ movies with the Embassy’s Disney Family Sundays.
Interactive learning opportunities with the Sarjeant Gallery
Other holiday activities at the Sarjeant include a waiata and reading session, star-making workshops, and a poi presentation followed by a workshop.
You can also explore the usual happenings at the gallery, such as exhibitions Kanapa Ki Runga – Kanapa Ki Raro, Offering It Up, and the 2025 Pattillo Whanganui Arts Review where you can submit your vote for the People’s Choice Award.
For more information, visit sarjeant.org.nz
Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
