Enjoy science-related activities during the winter school holidays. Below are a selection of events held around Aotearoa New Zealand. Many of the providers have additional non-science activities that could also be of interest. Follow the weblinks to see the full listings.
NOTE: If you know of any science-related events we have missed, please get in touch: enquiries@sciencelearn.org.nz.
Also see our Matariki event listing for a range of events being held all over Aotearoa during June and July.
Auckland
MOTAT
MOTAT is New Zealand's largest transport and technology museum and offers a fun and exciting learning experience for visitors of all ages, including the Solar tsunamis – Parawhenua kōmaru science showcase. At the end of the holidays on 21 July it is Live day: energy!.
Find out more: www.motat.nz
Stardome
Daily: Astronomy shows, sci-fi films, and night sky presentations for all ages. Come and enjoy the magic!
Find out more here: www.stardome.org.nz
- Want to know more, see our resources under our astronomy topic.
Auckland Zoo
Daily: Auckland Zoo is a great place for the whole family. Plan your visit to include one of the many a keeper talks, watch the free flight display and more.
Find out more here: www.aucklandzoo.co.nz
Butterfly Creek
Daily: Visit Butterfly Creek these holidays for butterflies, giant salt-water crocodiles, farm animals, monkeys, otters, meerkats, kiwis and more. The Lace Monitors exhibit and Adventure Playground has just opened. During the holidays look out for the life-sized walking dinosaurs, art and craft activities and face painting.
Find out more here: www.butterflycreek.co.nz
- Want to know more about butterflies? See our resources under our Butterflies and moths topic.
Botanic Gardens
Daily: Visit the Auckland Botanic gardens these holidays for fun for the whole family. Explore the range of gardens: from African plants, the Podocarp valley, Potter's Childrens Garden, the threaten native plant garden, edible plants and much more.
Find out more here: www.aucklandbotanicgardens.co.nz
Auckland Museum
Daily: For what's on at Auckland museum: www.aucklandmuseum.com/whats-on
Little Scientists!
8–19 July: This science based school holiday programme in Auckland is run in two locations: Herne Bay Playcentre and Hillsborough Playcentre. The programmes are designed for 5–10 year old children to encourage participation and increase engagement in science.
Find out more: www.littlescientists.co.nz/holiday-programme-auckland.
Waikato
Waikato Museum
Daily: Lots to see and do at this museum and the interactive science gallery Exscite will be full reopened just in time for the holidays and it will be your last change to get face to face with some of history’s largest and deadliest predators in Six Extinctions. See the Whaanau Fun activity sheet and Cue Cards. For a complete list of events at Waikato Museum, visit: https://waikatomuseum.co.nz/exhibitions-and-events/current-exhibitions.
Bricks 4 Kidz school holiday programme
8–19 July: Experience LEGO® like never before at Waikato Museum! This epic holiday programme is perfect for children aged 5 to 12 years old. With hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) learning we will discover robotics and coding, conduct science experiments, and complete exciting Master Builder challenges!
For more information and to book: https://waikatomuseum.co.nz/exhibitions-and-events/view/2145883834/bricks-4-kidz-school-holiday-programme
Te Awamutu Space Centre
Daily: Museum and activity centre suitable for all ages. The heart of the space centre is the collection of artifacts and memorabilia, along with information displays about space and astronomy. There are many interactive displays, games, toys, puzzles and more. Occasionally thee are also telescope viewings.
Find out more here: www.spacecentre.nz
- Want to know more, see our resources under our astronomy topic.
Hamilton Gardens
Daily: Visit the Hamilton gardens these holidays for fun for the whole family. In the variety of Enclosed Gardens you will be transported to a different times and cultures throughout the ages. oin the friendly and knowledgeable tour guides for a journey of hidden stories, secret symbols, interesting snippets and new insights into some of the most popular gardens. Include a visit to Te Parapara Garden – New Zealand's only traditional Māori productive garden.
Find out more here: https://hamiltongardens.co.nz
Te Parapara Garden
Kūmara plants, growing in Te Taupa at Te Parapara Garden.
Te Parapara is designed to incorporate two realms representative of both wild, uncultivated foods and cultivated or farmed foods. Te Ara Whakatauki (Path of Proverbs) lies between the Piazza (section of garden) and the waharoa (gateway). This realm represents the unculivated foods under the care of Haumiatiketike. Te Taupa sits beyond the waharoa and is under the care of Rongomātane renowned as atua of cultivated foods such as the kūmara.
The garden takes its name from the pre-European Māori settlement that occupied the site.
Hawkes Bay
The National Aquarium of New Zealand
Daily: The aquarium is home to a wide range of saltwater, freshwater and land animal exhibits from New Zealand and around the world. Visit Penguin Cove and watch the world famous little penguins feed and play. See stingrays, kingfish, hapuku, snapper and other majestic native species swimming over you in the 1.5 million litre oceanarium tunnel. Spot New Zealand’s native wildlife – the tuatara and kiwi, and book a Close Encounter with the little penguins or terrapins. Guided tours can also be booked and run daily at 10.30am.
Find out more and book: www.nationalaquarium.co.nz
Holiday Program
8–19 July: There are five new daily topics where your budding scientist can discover all about the different marine habitats – from the deep to the kelp forests and the coasts! Get ready to make a splash and immerse yourself in a world of excitement and discovery, aimed at 6–12 year olds.
Find out more and book: www.nationalaquarium.co.nz/learn/holiday-programmes/
MTG Hawke's Bay
Daily: Visit this award-winning museum, home of the Hawke’s Bay region's taonga and other treasures, including the 1931 Hawke’s Bay Earthquake Exhibition and Gabby O’Connor: All the Colours – All the Light.
Find out more: www.mtghawkesbay.com
Manawatū-Whanganu
Te Manawa Museum
Daily: Te Manawa draws art, science and heritage together to reflect our past, illuminate the present and inspire a creative and sustainable future for our people. Keep an eye out for what is happening during the July school holidays here: www.temanawa.co.nz/holidays.
Find out more here: www.temanawa.co.nz
Wellington
Capital E
Daily: There is a wide range of activities for children. PlayHQ has open-ended activities, workshops and play for children under five years of age. There are workshops for older children during the holidays such as code-making and breaking and 3D Game Design.
Find out more and book: www.capitale.org.nz/whats-on-at-capital-e
Police Museum
Daily: Explore fascinating resources on New Zealand policing and forensics. Take one of the free children trail activities: Junior Detective Trail or the Senior Detective Mystery.
Find out more about the museum events and activities here: www.police.govt.nz/about-us/history-museum/museum
- Use our activity DNA detective and the Mobile forensic kit – unit plan to explore the use of forensics in crime scene investigations.
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Daily: A great place to take the kids during the holidays, for a list of events at Te Papa, please visit: www.tepapa.govt.nz/visit/events.
Holiday program
9–12 July: This holiday programme offers tamariki a chance to experience the museum with experts and spend the day in Hīnātore, a state-of-the-art learning lab alongside Te Papa's experienced educators, where they will be able to participate in a range of engaging activities and creation, from stop-motion to game development, robotics, coding and more.
Find out more and to book: www.tepapa.govt.nz/visit/events/te-papa-learning-school-holiday-programme
Wellington Museum
For fascinating stories of the Wellington region, the museum is open daily: www.museumswellington.org.nz/wellington-museum/
Space Place
Daily: Visit Space Place these summer holidays for lots of resources on astronomy and fun for the whole family. See the school holiday planetarium schedule here.
Find out more here: www.museumswellington.org.nz/space-place
School Holiday science workshops
9–17 July: Get hands-on with gooey fun and squishy discoveries this July! At Squishable Science tamariki learn all about different states of matter. From dancing oobleck to aqua beads, instant crystals and surface tension, tamariki will come home bubbling with new discoveries about how the world around them works. The workshop finishes with a planetarium show in the dome theatre. This is for ages 8–12.
Find our more and to book: www.museumswellington.org.nz/squishable-science
- Want to know more, see our resources under our astronomy topic.
Wellington Zoo
Daily: Wellington Zoo is a great place for the whole family to visit. Is was the world's first carboNZero certified zoo and is passionate about connecting people with animals and saving animals in the wild.
For more information, bookings and to find out the various talk times, see here: https://wellingtonzoo.com
Holiday program
8–19 July: Aimed at 5–12 year olds, the Zoo’s holiday programmes are perfect for kids who want to learn about animals and conservation. Each session will explore a different side of the Zoo and its inhabitants.
Find out more and book here: https://wellingtonzoo.com/visit/plan-your-day/things-to-do/holiday-programmes
New Zealand Maritime Museum
8–19 July, 10 am–2:30 pm: Brilliant seabirds July holiday programme. Squawk! Enjoy a day of creativity and discovery at the exciting new exhibition, Sentinel! Dive into the fascinating realm of sea birds, where science and art intertwine. Get hands-on and craft your very own Seabird Mask. Find out more and book here: www.maritimemuseum.co.nz/events/july-school-holiday-programme
Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne
Daily: Set around a picturesque reservoir, Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne is home to some of New Zealand's most rare and extraordinary wildlife – all thriving wild in a world-first protected sanctuary.
Find out more: www.visitzealandia.com
Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne
Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne in the heart of Wellington City was conceived in 1995 and opened in 2000 after the erection of an 8.6 kilometre long predator proof-fence. The sanctuary has a 500 year plan to restore the reserve to how it would have appeared before humans arrived in New Zealand. It is home to many endangered species of birds, plants and animals such as saddleback, tuatara, giant wētā and little spotted kiwi.
Pūkaha Junior Rangers Holiday Program
Daily: Visit this wonderland of native wildlife and bushwalks. With gentle tracks through the towering bush and you can view a variety of New Zealand wildlife in their enclosures, including the kiwi nursery, where they raise kiwi chicks for release. You can also watch kai whakairo (carvers) in action at the whare whakairo (carving studio) located just off the carpark.
Ngā Manu Nature Reserve
Daily: This 14 hectare reserve preserves one of the largest remnants of coastal lowland swamp forest on the Kāpiti Coast and provides a haven for native birds. It makes a great day out with hands-on experience with nature and education.
Find out more: https://ngamanu.org.nz
Wellington Botanic garden
Daily: Visit the Wellington Botanic Gardens these holidays for fun for the whole family. There is an amazing range of beautiful, botanical plant species to see from all over the world as well as collections that pay tribute to New Zealand's natural heritage.
Find out more here: https://wellingtongardens.nz/our-gardens/wellington-botanic-garden/
Ōtari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush Reserve
Daily: The Ōtari-Wilton's Bush plant collections contain about 1,200 species, hybrids, and cultivars and is the only public botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated solely to native plants.
Find out more here: https://wellingtongardens.nz/our-gardens/otari-wiltons-bush
Christchurch
International Antarctic Centre
Daily: Experience real snow and ice and survive an indoor Antarctic storm. Learn about life at Scott Base and see what it takes to work on the ice. Hang out with little blue penguins and get close up to a husky. There’s also the exciting Hägglund Field Trip, an awesome 4D Theatre, a massive HD screen and lots, lots more.
Antarctic penguin keeper programme
Various dates in July: Become a Penguin keeper for a day! An immersive journey into the world of the smallest penguin in the world.
Find out more and book here: www.iceberg.co.nz/education/school-holiday-programmes
- Want to know more, see our Penguins article and our resources under our Antarctica topic.
Kororā – Little blue penguin
An injured kororā – little blue penguin Eudyptula minor in the care of the Taranaki Wildbase Hospital, rereleased back into the wild in March 2016.
Orana Wildlife Park
Daily: A great place to visit during the holidays for an animal adventure the whole family will enjoy, including New Zealand's only gorillas. You can hand feed majestic giraffes, view the magnificent white rhino, see the kiwi or view the lions in their reserve. During the July school holidays kids visit Orana for FREE!
Find out more here: www.oranawildlifepark.co.nz
Christchurch Botanic gardens
Daily: Visit the Christchurch Botanic Gardens these holidays, for fun for the whole family with a range of gardens or if you're feeling the cold, visit one of the multiple conservatories.
Find out more here: www.ccc.govt.nz/parks-and-gardens/christchurch-botanic-gardens
Otago
Tūhura Otago Museum
Daily: Tūhura Otago Museum shares the natural, cultural and scientific stories of Otago, Aotearoa New Zealand and the world. There is so much to see and do including visiting the science centre, planetarium and the Tropical Forest full of butterflies. Keep an eye out for the wide range of events here.
Find out more: https://otagomuseum.nz
Tarantula tales
8–19 July (weekdays): Planned and led by trained educators, each day is full of fun and a great opportunity to make new friends. Kids will spend time crafting in the arts centre, exploring the galleries, stargazing in the planetarium, experimenting in the science lab, and playing in the science centre, where a three-storey slide and a tropical forest full of exotic butterflies await.
Find out more: https://otagomuseum.nz/whats-on/tuhura-holiday-club
Dunedin Botanic Garden
Daily: Visit the Dunedin Botanic Gardens these holidays, for fun for the whole family. The Garden has hill views from sunny lawns, there are over 6,800 plant species and you can hear the song of wild native bellbirds, kererū and tui.
Find out more here: https://dunedinbotanicgarden.co.nz
Kiwi Birdlife Park
Daily: Experience New Zealand’s native wildlife up close, with exciting encounters and education talks. There’s something for everyone to enjoy in the heart of Queenstown.
Find out more: www.kiwibird.co.nz
- Explore our resources on New Zealand’s iconic bird and on conserving our native birds.
Nanofest 2024
10–14 July: this festival features guests from wider New Zealand and abroad alongside amazing local talent, transforming Dunedin into a city alive with science with a huge range of events.
Te Nohoaka o Tukiauau / Sinclair Wetlands
Daily: Visit this wetlands reserve these holidays and see if you can spot all 46 bird species that live there.
Find out more here: www.tenohoaka.org.nz
Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary
Daily (except Tuesday and Wednesday): Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary is a 307 hectare biodiversity sanctuary near Dunedin and home to many threatened species and habitats.
Find out more: https://orokonui.nz
- Find out more about the creation of Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary.
Vanished World
Daily: Take a walk along the vanished world trails or visit the Vanished World Centre and see a range of geological finds including fossils.
Find out more here: https://vanishedworld.co.nz
School Holiday Programme
8–19 July:Vanished World offers specific activity days to young people and parents to learn about fossils and geology during these School Holidays.
Find out more and book here: www.vanishedworld.co.nz/school-holiday-programme
- Want to know more, see our resources under the fossils topic.
Related content
We also have a list of Matariki events happening around the country.
Winter is the perfect time to have lots of science fun – check out our blog article for inspiration.
Try some of these fab science ideas and activities from our Winter science Pinterest board.
If you want to continue the learning at home during the holidays whilst still keeping it fun – see Learning science from home – ideas to deepen learning before you begin. Science for young learners is about discovery, curiosity and observation. Two key outcomes of any activity can simply be enjoyment and the conversations that arise from the experience.
