Pack the school holidays with activities

School holidays are about to arrive, so arm yourself with our hot tips on how to keep kids entertained even when the weather is less than friendly.

Check out the discovery trail

To the kids run off some steam outside, head to the Botanic Gardens for the popular Autumn Harvest Discovery Trail. The trail is designed for ages five to 10 but preschoolers and older kids will still enjoy it. It opens on the first day of the holidays, April 14 and runs until April 27. 

The Botanic Gardens Autumn Harvest Trail leads through the New Zealand gardens.

Get arty

On April 29 and 30 kids and their parents are invited to help transform the Christchurch Art Gallery’s iconic glass facade into a massive stained kaleidoscope-type window using brightly coloured clear vinyl. The end result will be a colourful, large-scale, layered stained glass effect on the windows that will glow and reflect rainbow patterns into the Gallery.

It’s a great free family activity for the last weekend of the school holidays from 11am until 4pm both days. Bookings for the Kaleidoscope are essential and can be made here.

Or try, Pop! Art at the Gallery's education centre, where five to 12 year olds get the chance to make big, bright colourful creature creations. From Wednesday to Friday, both weeks of the holidays, at 11am. Bookings can be made online. 

Have fun at the libraries

On a wet day head to your library. As always in the school holidays, Christchurch City Libraries has a programme of fun, creative activities at their three learning centres, Te Hapua (Halswell) Library, Upper Riccarton Library, and South Library. Some of the workshops on offer include Claymation, Maker Space for family crafting, Lego Mindstorms Robotics, sewing classes, and 3D Tinker Workshops.

There is also a detective-themed Eye Spy April programme happening at most libraries, including alphabet treasure hunts, invisible ink messages, fingerprint art, 3D printing demonstrations, board games and mystery books where you a wrapped book can be issued and you find out what it is when you unwrap it at home. 

Enjoy the great outdoors

Visit some of the city's many parks. At Ouruhia Reserve a virtual Magical Park experience that turns a regular playground into a digital fantasy world continues until the end of June.

The app was launched to encourage families to explore parks through a blended virtual world. Using a mobile device, kids get to interact and explore a fantasy world where they have to herd kittens, run away from the bad fairy or come face to face with a giant T-Rex.

Let them build

Get the kids building at the Imagination Station in Cathedral Junction. Open daily from 10am until 6pm it offers holiday programmes and workshops, including Stop Motion and LEGO Mindstorms. Book online to guarantee entry during busy times.

Go to the theatre

Moby Dick  by Two Productions is on at The Great Hall at the Arts Centre from Wednesday April 18 to Friday April 21.

The Court Theatre has Cinderella in Space from April 19 to April 29, an interstellar version of the classic fairytale.

Canterbury Children's Theatre presents Lost in Oz April 15 to April 30 at the Malthouse. There's a chance for a meet and greet after the show where kids get to chat with their favourite character, take photos and get autographs. 

Take acting classes

For the child who loves drama, internationally renowned dancer and choreographer Rina Chae, who has performed with Beyoncé, Justin Beiber and Neyo, is the guest tutor at St Margaret’s College Theatre Dance Academy ‘On The Stage’; a three day performing arts residency for students aged 11 - 14 during the school holidays.

Limited places have been opened to students, from throughout New Zealand, from Wednesday April 19 to Friday April 21.

Rina will be joined by Jasmine Webster, vocal coach and Ethan Keenan of the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts, to provide mentoring, training and hands-on experience dancing, singing and acting in a theatrical and commercial setting. Available as both a live-in and day student option. Email tda@stmargarets.school.nz for further information and bookings.