Parents, wondering how to keep the kids occupied this school holidays? Here is a snapshot of what's on offer.
Friday Night Foodies Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima, Speers Point. January 5, 12, 19, 26.
The Sports Field at Charlestown Square January 8 to 18, 20-minute soccer ball decorating sessions from 10am to 2pm, plus soccer skills with Active Sports from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. Centre Court, level one, outside Myer.
Mitch Revs Decked Out Workshops Various dates in January, book at deckedoutworkshops.com.
Christmas Lights Spectacular Daily, 5.30pm, Hunter Valley Gardens.
Blackbutt Reserve Open daily, 10am to 4.30pm.
Newcastle Jets School Holiday Clinic Janaury 15 and 16, Darling Street Oval, Hamilton; January 18 and 19, Fieldsend Oval, East Maitland; January 22 and 23, Marks Oval, Floraville; January 24 and 25, Corroba Oval, Stockton.
BRICKZ 4 KIDZ Various locations (bricks4kidz.com.au).
ARTSPACE free family artmaking Museum of Art and Culture, yapang. January 28, 10am and 11am.
Giant Flower Sculptures Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima. January 10, 10am. $10. Be inspired by the exhibition Valley of a Thousand Plants by Joel Zika and create your own 3D flower sculpture.
MAP mima Family Immersive Disco January 19, 5pm to 9pm, Location: Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima.
Lake Mac Libraries Hands on Science: working with water, January 9, 11am, Sugar Valley Library Museum, kirantakamyari, $12. Crafternoon, January 9, 3pm, Morisset Library. Fantasy Map Making, January 12, 10.30am, Wangi Library Creative Hub, $15. Sewing for teens: make your own bag workshop, January 22, 10am, Toronto Library, $30. Create a Skateboard, January 24, 11am, Sugar Valley Library Museum.
Australian Deaf Games 2024 January 13 to 20, various locations.
Newcastle Summer Festival - Family Foodies January 14, 4pm to 10pm, Wallsend Park. Open air circus, carnival rides and more.
Auslan Storytime January 15, 10am, Belmont Library, and January 18, 10am, Toronto Library. Ages four to nine.
Australian Deaf Games 2024 Closing Ceremony January 20, 4pm to 6pm, Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima.
Raw Challenge School Holiday Program The Doylo. January 8 (5 to 10 years); January 10 and 23 (10 to 17 years).
Maitland Rail Museum Open Day January 7, 10am to 3pm.
Feel the BEAT Holiday Music Workshops January 10, 17, 24, 31, 110 Scott Street, Newcastle.
Kids Ice Painting Workshop January 8, 10.30am, Rutherford Library. Ages five to 12.
Storytelling Workshop January 9, 10am to 1pm, Maitland Regional Art Gallery. Ages 10 to 12.
From Page to Stage - Site Specific Theatre Teen Workshop January 10, 10am to 1pm, Maitland Regional Art Gallery.
Junior Sleuth: Prisoner Descriptions January 4 and 11, Maitland Gaol. Ages five to 12.
Nature & Nurture School Holiday Workshops East Maitland Scout Hall January 12: Mixed Media/Paper Making; and January 24: Painting Workshop/Nature Craft.
Backyard Biodiversity Animal Show January 11, 10.30am, East Maitland Library.
Morisset Library January 9, 11am, Summer Fun Storytime and Craft; 3pm, Summer Holidays Crafternoon.
MAC Holiday Workshop: Abstract Wall Sculptures Museum of Art and Culture, yapang. January 17, 10am and 11.30am. $15 per student. MAC Holiday Workshop: Printmaking January 24, 10am and 11.30am. $15.
The Yoga Place Blacksmiths January 24, 11am, Ready for High School (yoga, meditation, wellbeing).
PCYC Newcastle School Holiday Activities Dodgeball, team games, craft, cooking, obstacle course, mini Olympics, dancing, music and more.
Lavender Field Walk 10am to 5pm, Hunter Lavender Farm, Broke.
Hunter Wetlands Centre Open daily from January 4, 9am to 4pm, Shortland.
University of Newcastle's The Forum The Sports Holiday Program For kids aged six to 12 years.
Little Festival and Mayfield Arts Trail January 13, Mayfield. A street art walking trail with artists painting live, miniature street art installations, pop-up exhibitions, art activations and workshops.
Soundswell January 13, 3pm to 9pm, Queens Wharf, Morpeth. Kate Miller-Heidke, Boo Seeka, Kira Puru and The Appointments.
TreeTops Adventure Park Blue Gum Regional Park, Minmi (treetopsadventure.com.au).
Lake Mac Festival January 20 and 21, Thomas H Halton Reserve, Eleebana. A community breakfast, family-friendly entertainment, food trucks, kids activities and more.
Dive In Cinema January 26, 5pm to 9pm, Maitland Aquatic Centre. Entertainment, food, lawn games, free popcorn and free swim time, plus movies Paper Planes and Red Dog.
Newcastle City Libraries Summer Reading Club; Poetry Writing Competition; 10,000 Stars Digital Library. Other events include LEGO Blast Off!; Infinity and Beyond: Star Command Mission; Australian Space Stories; Astronaut Training; Extraterrestrial Trivia' Eat the Solar System; Recycled Rockets and Salvage Spacecraft; Chalk the Solar System; It's Written in the Stars - DIY Horoscopes; The Treasure of the Aztecs; CodeKids; Blackout Poetry; Paper Rockets and Space Disco.
Singleton Library Origami Flowers. Make It Sew Beginners. LEGO Master Challenge. Yoga. Teen Creative Writing Workshop. Ozobot Storytelling. Board Games + Pizza Day. VR For Teens. Mario Kart Challenge. Cartoon Workshop. Teddy Bear Picnic.
