Generations of story lovers can revisit their favourite childhood characters these school holidays, with City of Newcastle bringing beloved books and television icons to life through hands-on activities.
City of Newcastle’s school holiday program offers a mix of free and ticketed opportunities for children to create, build, explore and discover through stories, art, science and technology.
Children can step into the world of Julia Donaldson’s Room on the Broom with a wand-making workshop at Newcastle City Library on 8 July, ahead of the live adaptation at the Civic Theatre later this month.
An adaptation of Room on the Broom presented at The Civic Theatre later in the month will be the inspiration for a crafty wand-making workshop at Newcastle City Library during the school holidays.Families can continue the book-related adventure with the Rainbow Sheep Colour Party at Newcastle City Library on Wednesday 8 July, celebrating the colourful world of Mem Fox’s Where is the Green Sheep? Children are encouraged to dress as their favourite colour and enjoy storytime, sensory activities and the chance to meet cast members from Monkey Baa Theatre’s upcoming production at the Civic Theatre.
Visitors checking out Newcastle Museum’s free exhibition Mr Squiggle and Friends: The Creative World of Norman Hetherington can continue the fun with a range of squiggle-inspired activities across the school holidays. Free and low-cost workshops will be held at Newcastle Museum and Newcastle Libraries including paper collage, collaborative drawing, coding and Minecraft workshops, as well as family-friendly sessions inspired by Mr Squiggle’s signature upside-down drawing style.
City of Newcastle’s school holiday program offers a mix of free and ticketed opportunities for children to create, build, explore and discover through stories, art, science and technology.
Hands-on workshops will bring the Brian Robinson: Multiverse exhibition to life at Newcastle Art Gallery. LEGO Printmaking in the Multiverse invites children to create prints inspired by Robinson’s fusion of pop culture and storytelling, with two sessions daily from 7-10 July, while Blooms in the Multiverse (14-17 July) encourages participants to design colourful three-dimensional sculptures inspired by the artists floral works.
Readers can meet local author Odette Tokin and illustrator Anna Scobie during a special event celebrating their children’s book The Tiny Forest at Wallsend Library on 15 July. Children can also create native seed balls and mini bee hotels while learning about biodiversity and the natural world.
Graphic novel enthusiasts are invited to Newcastle City Library on 13 July for a Genre Journeys session to discover new titles and share recommendations spanning manga, superheroes and indie slice-of-life stories.
NAIDOC Week activities feature in the program including an illustration workshop led by award-winning author and acclaimed First Nations storyteller Dub Leffler on 8 July at Newcastle City Library. Children can also create jewellery inspired by the colours of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at Wallsend Library on 10 July or learn how to make rope from stringybark with Uncle Amos Simon on 9 July before enjoying a mini silent disco celebrating music from First Nations artists.
Budding scientists, engineers and inventors can put their problem-solving skills to the test from 13 to 16 July through immersive STEM experiences delivered by STEM Punks Education at Wallsend Library. The free workshops introduce participants to virtual reality, robotics and 3D design while building problem-solving and collaboration skills.
Young builders can drop in for timed LEGO building challenges at Newcastle Museum on 14 July, tackling timed building activities and race against the clock to build imaginative creations and experiment with ideas.
High school students can build confidence on two wheels through free Bike School city riding workshops on 12 and 19 July. Beginning at Tighes Hill TAFE, the sessions include bike safety checks, route planning, shared path etiquette, safe road positioning and guidance on e-bike legalities before participants head out on to local streets.
More information and bookings are available via the Newcastle Museum’s events webpage, Newcastle Libraries’ what’s on calendar and Newcastle Art Gallery’s events page. Bike school sessions can be booked through the City of Newcastle website. Room on The Broom and Where is The Green Sheep? can be booked through the The Civic Theatre website.