Check out these science related school holiday events on around New Zealand during the upcoming April school holidays.

Contact us if you have an event that you’d like added here.

Auckland

Auckland Zoo
This school holiday program lets your child become a zookeeper for a day. They'll work with real zookeepers, learn a ton and have an amazing experience. This fun, interactive and educational program offers kids a first-hand experience of being a zookeeper, along with the opportunity to see wildlife up close. Activities include helping to clean, feed and care for various Zoo animals as well as exploring other parts of the Zoo.
www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/experiences/junior-keeper

Bubble Dome
Bubble Dome runs a range of school holiday workshops where computer learning is combined with lateral thinking problem solving activities. Topics covered include 3D animation, games design, programming, movie-making, and architecture and design.
http://bubbledome.com/index.php?city=33

Conscious Kids
Free play in a natural setting with as little assistance as possible from equipment and technology. Provided will be basic equipment suitable to exploring the outdoors: ropes, tarpaulins, bungees, compass, magnifying glasses, knives (to be used with supervision) and some art equipment.
www.consciouskids.co.nz/holiday-programmes-2017

The Flash Bang Science Club
A fun interactive workshop learning what electricity is, how static electricity occurs and experiment using electrical currents. Inspire your curious kids with practical, hands on experiments in sessions from 9am to noon.
www.flashbangscienceclub.co.nz/holiday-workshops

The Mind Labs
The Mind Lab morphs into a haven for young makers, doers, thinkers and tinkerers. Discover the importance of creativity, teamwork and perseverance by experimenting with the very latest digital technologies.
http://themindlab.com/workshop/school-holiday-camps

Ready, steady, go
MOTAT’s gearing up for another action-packed holiday experience this April, so get ready to race, roll, and ricochet as they explore transportation in its multiple forms. From the thrill of the race track to the intricacies of transportation networks, Ready, Steady, Go, explores the fundamental theories that shape out networks and help to produce champions. Learn about aerodynamics, traction, power, and weight when you create, customise, and test your own car shell on our purpose-built radio-control-car race track in the ‘Turbodrome.’
On 8 April there is also MOTAT's super STEM fair.

Scratch Pad
SCRATCHPAD is a technology learning centre that has a fun and intuitive approach to learning about technology for young people. The SCRATCHPAD programs are for children aged 5 - 18yrs, and develop life skills such as collaboration, problem solving and creative thinking.
https://scratchpad.co.nz/school-holiday-programme/

Hamilton and the Waikato

Eureka: The Inventions of Archimedes
Waikato Museum is the exclusive New Zealand venue to host this international touring exhibition showcasing the inventions and scientific discoveries of Archimedes, the ‘Father of Modern Science’. Visitors will experience an absorbing journey through history featuring the machines of the ancient world. While the concepts are centuries old, many of these pioneering technologies have been adapted for use today. With computer-modeled animations, interactive machines and an activity station, this exhibition is designed for all ages.

Te Awamutu Space Centre
Interactive displays, activities, daytime solar telescope and a collection of space-related artifacts and memorabilia.
www.spacecentre.nz

Dinofest
This Easter, come and step back in time 70 million years ago to an age when dinosaurs roamed New Zealand.

Napier

National Aquarium of New Zealand
These holiday programmes run from 8.30am to 12.30pm with all activities taking place within the aquarium and include a tour of the animals. Swim with the sharks is booked out, but there are still places available for Sharks and stingrays.
www.nationalaquarium.co.nz/education-programmes-and-facilities/holiday-programmes-napier

Wellington

Space place
Explore the miracle of flight! Discover the science behind how heavy planes appear to fly effortlessly through the air and why bats, birds, and bugs can fly, but humans can’t.
Kids will be in a workshop to make their own airborne creation, then race against others to see whose invention glides the furthest. Suitable for children aged 7+ years
www.museumswellington.org.nz/event/space-place-school-holidays-high-fliers-2018-04-18

ZEALANDIA
Immerse your child in nature, culture and science with ZEALANDIA’s popular school holiday programme! It is tailored for primary and intermediate school children aged between 5 and 12 years with a love for nature, getting outside and mucking in to make a difference.
www.visitzealandia.com/Events/ArtMID/2271/ArticleID/15/ZEALANDIA-School-Holiday-Programme

Wellington Zoo
For kids from 5 to 12, in this programme they'll get to meet zoo animals, learn from specially trained Zoo staff and get sneak peeks behind the scenes. Each day is filled with a new action packed theme, for an unforgettable school holiday experience learning about animals and conservation, all while having fun getting stuck into exciting activities.
https://wellingtonzoo.com/experiences/holiday-programmes

Canterbury

Imagination Station
The primary focus is a play area for kids and adults that is FREE to access. Families come, bring their own food and have a relaxing time - for many of them it is their first trip back into the central city. As well as this area, there is also a suite of 12 iMac's that are used for classes in stop motion animation with lego, robotics and digital lego design. When classes aren't running, the computers are available to play on! Also on offer are a range of educational classes to schools and community groups.
www.eventfinda.co.nz/venue/imagination-station-christchurch-city

Sunlight – Ihi Kōmaru
Sunlight – Ihi Kōmaru tells the story of sunlight – how the sun’s energy and light sustain our lives and shape the world around us – through easily-accessible science and 16 different interactives, games and experiences.
www.canterburymuseum.com/whats-on/sunlight-ihi-komaru/

Discovery
Discovery is bursting with weird and wonderful things to explore. Dig for fossils, watch the live tarantulas, gaze at the wall of preserved specimens, look through the drawers of pinned insects and learn all about our amazing world and the creatures that share it.
www.canterburymuseum.com/whats-on/discovery

Otago

Hatch Innovation Lab
There are 3 holiday programmes on offer for ages 7and over.
Spark tank: Students collaborate in teams to solve real world problems with software solutions. Embedded in this course will be opportunities to learn software design in order to create a working prototype of an app, web, AR or VR based solution which solves a problem.
Robotics: Participants learn all about robotics. Robots used will include Edison robots, NXT robots and EV3 robots. The focus will be on building and programming. Choose from a range of fun robotics projects including: catapult, crazy lawn mower, flipping gymnast, wind-up ballerina, pitching machine.
Unicorns and dragons: Combine fantasy with engineering and technology for two fun-filled days to round off the holidays. Activities across the two days will include learning skills in: 3D printing, laser cutting, construction, fabric printing and electronics.
https://hatch.education/school-holidays

Otago Museum
Discovery Squad - Explosions, space, insects and more!
http://otagomuseum.nz/whats-on/do/programme-and-events

More school holiday ideas

If you're looking for more STEM based school holiday events and activities or engaging home and kitchen experiments and ideas, check out our curations on Pinterest and in the Pond.

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