School Holiday Programmes and Activities
Our exciting programmes ignite imagination, foster curiosity, and create lasting memories. From captivating technologies to creative arts and crafts, our activities engage young minds, and provide a safe, inclusive environment for fun and discovery.
We offer a range of programmes including drop-in sessions and classes that require advance bookings (both free and paid options).
Please read our Parent/Guardian Agreement for Child Participation in Christchurch City Libraries Programming: Terms and Conditions.
What's happening at your local library
Holiday events at libraries
School holiday programming at libraries
Free, drop-in sessions and events
Free school holiday events
DIY bunting
10 to 24 December
Selected libraries
Celebrate the festive season. Make it, hang it, love it! This is an unsupervised activity. Free, no booking required.
Robot Week @ Shirley Library
Free holiday events, bookings required
Robot Week at Shirley Library - Colouring Competition, part of a series
Dec 15th, All day
Collect a robot colouring in sheet from Shirley Library or download from the library website.
Junkbot Building Workshop - 8-12 years
Jan 12th | 10:00am - 12:00pm
Bookings/Free. Build your own robot masterpiece using recycled bits and bobs. Get crafty and create your own junkbot.
Demystifying AI: How Smart Technology is Changing Our World
Jan 13th | 10:00am - 11:00am
Bookings/Free. UC Professor Kathryn MacCullum will introduce the basics of AI in a friendly, easy-to-understand way.
Hands-on Activity: The AI Playground - 5 years +
Jan 13th | 11:30am - 12:30pm
Bookings/Free. A fun & interactive session to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) works, no coding or experience required!
Robot Week at Shirley Library - Colouring Competition, part of a series
Dec 15th, All day
Collect a robot colouring in sheet from Shirley Library or download from the library website.
Junkbot Building Workshop - 8-12 years
Jan 12th | 10:00am - 12:00pm
Bookings/Free. Build your own robot masterpiece using recycled bits and bobs. Get crafty and create your own junkbot.
Demystifying AI: How Smart Technology is Changing Our World
Jan 13th | 10:00am - 11:00am
Bookings/Free. UC Professor Kathryn MacCullum will introduce the basics of AI in a friendly, easy-to-understand way.
Hands-on Activity: The AI Playground - 5 years +
Jan 13th | 11:30am - 12:30pm
Bookings/Free. A fun & interactive session to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) works, no coding or experience required!
Free, Bookings Required
Free holiday events, bookings required
Junkbot Building Workshop - 8-12 years
Jan 12th | 10:00am - 12:00pm
Bookings/Free. Build your own robot masterpiece using recycled bits and bobs. Get crafty and create your own junkbot.
Demystifying AI: How Smart Technology is Changing Our World
Jan 13th | 10:00am - 11:00am
Bookings/Free. UC Professor Kathryn MacCullum will introduce the basics of AI in a friendly, easy-to-understand way.
Hands-on Activity: The AI Playground - 5 years +
Jan 13th | 11:30am - 12:30pm
Bookings/Free. A fun & interactive session to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) works, no coding or experience required!
Librarian for a Morning - Intermediate 10-12 years
Jan 14th | 9:30am - 12:00pm
Come & see what happens behind the scenes at your local library. Sort & shelve, use the catalogue, share stories & more.
Junkbot Building Workshop - 8-12 years
Jan 12th | 10:00am - 12:00pm
Bookings/Free. Build your own robot masterpiece using recycled bits and bobs. Get crafty and create your own junkbot.
Demystifying AI: How Smart Technology is Changing Our World
Jan 13th | 10:00am - 11:00am
Bookings/Free. UC Professor Kathryn MacCullum will introduce the basics of AI in a friendly, easy-to-understand way.
Hands-on Activity: The AI Playground - 5 years +
Jan 13th | 11:30am - 12:30pm
Bookings/Free. A fun & interactive session to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) works, no coding or experience required!
Librarian for a Morning - Intermediate 10-12 years
Jan 14th | 9:30am - 12:00pm
Come & see what happens behind the scenes at your local library. Sort & shelve, use the catalogue, share stories & more.
$ Paid, Bookings Required
Paid, Bookings Required
Ready, Set, Read! - 4-6 years
Jan 12th | 10:30am - 11:30am
Enjoy stories, songs and activities. Tamariki make a book bag with librarian-picked books matched to their interests.
Minecraft Build Challenge - 8-12 years, part of a series
Jan 12th | 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Build amazing structures, and make new friends. Required skills: Basic game knowledge & ability to use a mouse/keyboard independently.
Vex Build & Drive Challenge - 10-14 years
Jan 14th | 10:00am - 12:00pm
Build a VEX Basebot and tackling obstacle courses and surprise driving & control challenges.
Robot Tote Bag and T-Shirt Workshop - 7 years +
Jan 15th | 10:00am - 11:30am
Bookings/Paid. Create your own robot design and see it printed onto your own library tote bag or t-shirt (byo).
Ready, Set, Read! - 4-6 years
Jan 12th | 10:30am - 11:30am
Enjoy stories, songs and activities. Tamariki make a book bag with librarian-picked books matched to their interests.
Minecraft Build Challenge - 8-12 years, part of a series
Jan 12th | 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Build amazing structures, and make new friends. Required skills: Basic game knowledge & ability to use a mouse/keyboard independently.
Vex Build & Drive Challenge - 10-14 years
Jan 14th | 10:00am - 12:00pm
Build a VEX Basebot and tackling obstacle courses and surprise driving & control challenges.
Robot Tote Bag and T-Shirt Workshop - 7 years +
Jan 15th | 10:00am - 11:30am
Bookings/Paid. Create your own robot design and see it printed onto your own library tote bag or t-shirt (byo).
Imagination Station holiday activities
Explore Imagination Station Holiday Brick School & other great STEAM-based holiday activities at libraries.
Online stories
DIY Wā Kōrero: Storytimes
Use library resources to make a storytime at your place!
LOTE4Kids
Storytime in your language! Kids can enjoy a digital collection of books in Languages Other Than English, including NZSL and te reo Māori.
DIY Wā Kōrero: Storytimes - Guess What?
Do a Wā Kōrero: Storytimes at your place! We recommend eBooks and eResources for home about Guessing.
DIY Wā Kōrero: Storytimes - Kindness
Do a Wā Kōrero: Storytimes at your place! We recommend eBooks and eResources for home about Kindness.
DIY Wā Kōrero: Storytimes - Aotearoa New Zealand
Do a Wā Kōrero: Storytimes at your place! Use library eResources to create your own Aotearoa Storytime at home.
LOTE4Kids
Storytime in your language! Kids can enjoy a digital collection of books in Languages Other Than English, including NZSL and te reo Māori.
DIY Wā Kōrero: Storytimes - Guess What?
Do a Wā Kōrero: Storytimes at your place! We recommend eBooks and eResources for home about Guessing.
DIY Wā Kōrero: Storytimes - Kindness
Do a Wā Kōrero: Storytimes at your place! We recommend eBooks and eResources for home about Kindness.
DIY Wā Kōrero: Storytimes - Aotearoa New Zealand
Do a Wā Kōrero: Storytimes at your place! Use library eResources to create your own Aotearoa Storytime at home.
Listen in! Librarians and authors want to tell you a story.
Mrs McGinty and the Bizarre Plant, written and read by Gavin Bishop
Hear Gavin Bishop read his legendary Christchurch book Mrs McGinty and the Bizarre Plant in the Edmonds Factory Gardens.
Mrs McGinty and the Bizarre Plant, written and illustrated by Gavin Bishop. Published by Oxford University Press, New Zealand 1981. Reprinted as a NZ Classic by Random House NZ Ltd 2007.
Everyone Counts by Kathryn Otoshi, read by Elisabeth
Elisabeth reads One by Kathryn Otoshi, a story with a focus on anti-bullying and being an Upstander, with an introduction by the author.
Faitauga Tusi: Samoan Storytimes in Samoan and English, with Tiresa
Learn the Samoan alphabet and sing a favourite song!
Hello World by Paul Beavis, read by Amy
Amy is reading Hello World, written and illustrated by Paul Beavis. Published by Gecko Press.
Mrs Mo's Monster by Paul Beavis, read by Emily
Emily is reading Mrs Mo’s Monster, written and illustrated by Paul Beavis. Published by Gecko Press.
Niue Language Week story and song with Malo
Super Felix by Phoebe Morris, read by Bronwen
Bronwen is reading Super Felix - written, illustrated and published by Phoebe Morris
More online stories
Christchurch School Holiday Programmes, Events, & Activities
Find out what's on this school holidays for children in Ōtautahi Christchurch.