Where to find the winter fun this school holidays
Brace yourself, the winter school holidays are upon us!
“School holidays are creeping up on us but I’m excited by what’s happening across our city that will keep young people of all ages busy,” Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said.
“We’ve got lots of creative and fun activities that take advantage of the chilly season, and parents, I can assure you there’s something for everyone.
“You can nestle into the library and build robots, follow Little Red Riding Hood in the Botanic Garden, take a free baking class, or bring out the beauty of nature through art.
“There’s lots of reasons not to stay inside, and let’s be honest, the cold never bothered the kids anyway. So, head out and enjoy your family break!”
Read on to find the winter wonders that’ll fill your holiday calendar.
Lots of Library love
Movies, bedazzling and robots. What more could you want from your local library? Check out all the details below.
See the Library website for dates and locations.
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Teddy Bear Winter Sleepover 3+ years old | Bring your teddy for a sleepover at the library and tuck them in with a bedtime story. |
| Winter Storytime 3+ years old | Warm up with some cosy tales to escape the chill outside. |
| Winter Holiday Movie 5+ years old | Check out this movie with the family about Pete and his dragon friend. |
| Viking Helmet 5+ years old | Create your own Viking Helmet in preparation for the new dragon movie. |
| Origami Peace Cranes 8+ years old | Learn how to fold your own paper cranes. |
| Digital Art Workshops 8+ years old | Sketch up your own digital masterpieces on your personal devices. |
| Robotics Workshop – Battle Robots 8+ years old | Explore the wonders of STEM through robot combat. |
| Book bedazzling 12 to 17 years old | Add a bit of sparkle to your favourite book, we’ll provide the gems. |
| Robotics Workshop – MechMasters: Build, Power, Drive 12 to 17 years old | Step into the world of real-world mechanics and discover what drives machines. |
Fun in the winter sun at the Botanic Garden
Wander with wonder in the Botanic Garden. If you’re more of an outdoor family, check out the events below.
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Budding Bookworms 3 to 5 years old | Stories, sing-alongs and smiles! |
| Dig'n'Play 4 to 7 years old | Nature games with a focu on winter survival shelters as well as hands-on gardening activities |
| Tracks and Scats 6 to 10 years old | Explore the tracks and scats of some well-known Australian animals and learn to identify them by the clues the leave behind. |
| Junk Play Up to 14 years old | Come play with Junkyard Rascals in the ever-changing loose parts for 2 hours of child-led fun. |
| Little Red Riding Hood 4 to 8 years old | Follow the classic tale through a roving interactive performance. |
Teenagers only, no adults allowed (sorry)!
If you’re not aged between 12 to 18 years old, you can skip this section…
The Youth Services team are running some great activities these holidays to explore your imagination and independence. Visit our website for all the details.
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Self-care day in collaboration with Headspace | Come along and wind down by doing your makeup, nails and hair as well as having a chat and a free goodie bag. |
| Baking with Bri | Learn how to bake some yummy treats to warm you up. Cookies, protein balls and banana bread are on the menu. |
| Itch to Stitch | Create your own makeup bag or scrunchies. |
| Dapto Outreach | Meet our staff, giveaways and more! Will be held at the Dapto Mall and Dapto Skate Park. |
| NAIDOC | Come long to celebrate NAIDOC, giveaways included! There’ll be one at Warrawong, Koonawarra and Bellambi. |
| Hang Out | Drop-in sessions to enjoy the comfy lounges, free WiFi, table tennis, pool, art, crafts and more! |
For the future artists in making
Wollongong Art Gallery is the perfect place for our young creatives! From beginners to those who are looking to build their portfolio, our classes offer expert advice with artistic stimuli.
Make sure to walk through our current exhibitions to make the most of your visit.
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Discover the Art of Tapa: Free Family Printmaking | This family-friendly workshop will provide a hands-on introduction to the traditional Pacific art of tapa making! |
| Stencil Stories: Free school holiday printmaking fun | Inspired by the bold prints in our Greetings from Wollongong exhibition, this drop-in stencil printing workshop invites families to explore the art of printmaking in a fun and relaxed setting. |
| Flower Power: Yayoi Inspired Art Workshop 5 to 8 years old | Create your own bold, polka-dot floral artworks – just like Kusama. |
| Surreal Sunflowers workshop 5 to 8 years old | Draw a sunflower from real-life observation and then let your imagination run wild to transform it into something surreal. |
| Junior Art Trail 3 to 5 years old | This free and fun tour explores the Gallery’s art works for the littlest artists. |
| Print and Place – Exploring the Natural Environment Through Printmaking 9 to 14 years old | Deep dive into advanced printmaking techniques with a focus on the natural environment. |
| Marks of Nature: Advanced Art Workshop for Teens 15 to 18 years old | Explore the textures, patterns and beauty of the natural world through expressive mark making. |
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