Looking for holiday activities the whole whānau can enjoy? From deep-sea discoveries to farm escapades and everything in between, here’s the top 10 ways to keep everyone entertained, active and inspired across Auckland these school holidays.
1. Tune in to the fun at your local library
Our libraries are bursting with more than just literary adventures throughout the year, but especially over school holidays. Bring Tamariki along to your local library where you can build bug hotels, discover 3D studio & design animation, even build your own robots and bring them to life! The whole whānau can also tune in to Encore! a new exhibition at Central City Library launching April 15, which celebrates live music events and encourages visitors to relive their wildest concert memories; or come along on April 18 to Opening Act, a full day of unique music related fun from Vinyl Vibes taking over the speaker system with their DJ skills to vinyl giveaways!
2. Active adventures await at Auckland Council’s Pools and Leisure Centres
Check out the range of affordable school holiday programmes available at your local pools and leisure centre. Discover the range of activities available, like easter egg hunts, cooking, navigation and exploring nature, rock climbing and much more! You can also make the most of the lingering summer vibes with tamariki at a local splash pad or head to an Auckland Council pool where children aged 16 and under swim for free.
3. Step outside with the whānau
For those keen on outdoor adventures, check out rural life at nearby working farms! Visit Ambury Regional Park to see peacocks and cows or head out to the foreshore and take in wader bird populations, including Kuaka (Bar-tailed Godwits), Kōtuku ngutupapa (Spoonbills), Huahou (Red knot), Ngutuparore (Wrybill), Tōrea (Oystercatcher) and much more; camp at Barn Paddock Campground and spot the pigs and cows roaming the surrounding Karamatura Farm, or feed the resident donkeys at Highfield Garden Reserve.
4. Dive into ‘Abundance’ at Maritime Museum
Explore Ngā Huhua: Abundance, an immersive exhibition that celebrates the outer Hauraki Gulf. The little ones can follow the Ōka Hoa Moana - My Ocean Friends trail to discover vibrant sea life, meet the delightful Tina the Turtle, and even craft their own miniature honu (turtle) souvenir to take home.
5. Free art sessions at Auckland Art Gallery
Get creative at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki! Check out Giacometti: Without End, an exhibition that brings Alberto Giacometti’s artistic style to life. Step into his world with friends and whānau at the gallery's Parisian cafe pop-up scene where you can make a vase in Giacometti’s style and imagine yourself in one of his drawings!
6. Become a conservation hero at the Zoo
Pick up a free ‘We Share the Same World’ activity booklet. Follow the Climate Trail to discover how we are all part of Te Taiao (the natural world) and how small everyday choices we make at home can make a big difference for our planet - and all the animals we share it with!
7. Win big at Auckland Botanic Gardens
For more climate trails and family fun on foot, visit Auckland Botanic Gardens (ABG). Grab a free booklet to learn green tips and enter the draw for incredible prizes, including a $200 gardening kit or an e-scooter! Or bring tamariki along for flower themed craft sessions. From designing delicate flower pendants and vibrant paper bouquets to giving botanical print art a go, there’s plenty on offer to keep the little hands busy.
Discover the ‘science of fun’ as MOTAT turns data into a playground. Visitors can jump, test, and vote their way through interactive exhibits that bring statistics to life, showing the whānau exactly how data shapes the world around us.
Dive into a live puppet show created with the world-renowned Erth theatre company or or come face-to-fin in the Sharks exhibition. With life-sized models and fossils, get ready for a deep dive into the diversity of the ocean’s greatest predators.
Make the most of the longer nights ahead! Gather with friends and whānau and visit your favourite local viewing spot to watch Vector Lights on the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Celebrating Auckland, the regular dynamic light and sound show plays every 15 minutes from sunset to midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Go to vector.co.nz/lights to find the best viewing locations and to listen to the show's soundtrack live.