Looking for something to do in the school holidays? Check out some free offerings at our library and art gallery and museum, and other activities at EA Networks Centre.

Ashburton Public Library

Take a deep dive into some fun ocean-inspired crafts and games, for children aged 5-12. There are five sessions to choose from, all running from 10.30am to 11.30am and taking place on April 12, 14, 17, 19 and 21.

Live in the country? No problem. We’ll be taking our Messy Mates session on the road to Methven on 18 April (in the Mt Hutt Memorial Hall) and to Dorie on 20 April (in the Dorie Hall). Messy Mates will run from 10am-12pm and include fun sensory play and St John first aid lessons.

For teens (Year 7 and up), our zine station will be running every day of the holidays, or you can drop in on a Tuesday between 3pm-5pm and make a badge.

What’s a zine? Zines can feature poetry, jokes, cartoons, collage and artwork, essentially anything that can be put down on paper.

Other activities for teens over the break include making a wire and LED lamp on 13 April (2-4pm), painting along with Bob Ross on 14 April (6.15pm-7.45pm), a Marvel quiz night on 21 April at 6.15pm. Our teen book club will run on 27 April from 4-5.30pm.

Bookings are essential for the Bob Ross painting session and the lamp-making activity - you can book here at our Events page.

Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum

The gallery and museum has some interesting exhibitions on both floors of the facility, and some holiday-specific activities for younger visitors.

To coincide with the new exhibition Westerfield Camp – The Army Marches In, which explores the Home Front in Hakatere Ashburton during the Second World War, we are inviting tamariki and rangatahi to create hand-made postcards and write letters of love that will be delivered directly to Ukrainian refugee kids and mums.

During WWI and WWII, New Zealand children wrote letters and sent care packages to soldiers overseas in order to help keep up their morale. Through the similar act of writing a letter and creating a card for those who have been displaced by the conflict and violence in Ukraine, we hope to show them that they are loved and provide some strength for their journey.

In the gallery foyer, from now until 26 May, visitors are invited to play with blue, magenta and yellow vinyl and transport the glass railing in the upstairs foyer. The facility’s learning centre will also be transformed into an interactive space during the holidays for activities inspired by Gabby O’Connor’s exhibition All the Colours, All the Light.

EA Networks Centre

The recreation centre’s holiday programme will run from 11 April to 21 April and caregivers can book in via the centre’s website eanetworkscentre.co.nz.

The pool will also be open for swimming and inflatable fun, and there are also holiday lessons to develop new swimming skills. The disc golf course at nearby Smallbone Drive is also available 24/7 and if you don't have a disc, you can hire one from the centre.

Keep an eye on the centre’s Facebook page for more fun activities.

Check out our Council events page here.