Kids go free these school holidays at SKYCITY Auckland, with a huge range of activities and special offers for the whole family.

Join SKYCITY  from 13 to 28 April and have the best schools’ holidays ever!

Activities and offers include:

• The Great SKYCITY Easter Egg Hunt; join The Great SKYCITY Easter Egg Hunt. Find the giant eggs and crack the code to win 1 of 5 $2,000 SKYCITY Experiences. The hunt is on until 30 April 2019. Hop to it!
• Movies in the Theatre; bring the kids to watch HOP, Madagascar, Ice Age and How To Train Your Dragon on the big screen at SKYCITY Theatre these school holidays. Kids go free with a paying adult.
  View the movie schedule here https://www.skycityauckland.co.nz/whats-on/theatre/kids-go-free-movies-at-skycity/.
• Sky Tower; one kid (6-14 years) goes free with a paying adult. View the city from 220m above street level and spot key landmarks including the Harbour Bridge, Mt Eden and Rangitoto.
• Sky Walk; take a walk on the wild side! One kid  (10 to 15 years) goes free with any paying adult – there’s no better time to give it a go!
• Sky Café; sprinkles, chocolate or lollies? Whatever your favourite topping, you can get it for free this school holidays with any ice cream or milkshake purchase.
• Andy’s Burgers & Bar; bring the kids and enjoy a free Keri juice with any kids’ meal purchased.
• Gusto at the Grand; one free kids meal with a paying adult for lunch or dinner. Bring the whole family!
• Park at SKYCITY for $10 when you visit Sky Tower as part of the SKYCITY Auckland’s Kids Go Free campaign from 13 to 28 April. (When you go to the Sky Tower ticketing counter to purchase your Sky Tower ticket as part of the campaign, pass your parking pass over and the team will have it validated for a new $10 pass valid until 10pm on the day.)

Sky Tower is open from 9am to 1pm daily. For more information and full T&Cs for each offer, visit skycityauckland.co.nz/holidays.

Flamingos dancing, whio diving, servals jumping – learn all about animal movement at Auckland Zoo these holidays, and at the animal-themed silent disco, have fun moving it yourself!

Upon arrival, kids can pick up their “Show us your moves!” activity book and journey through the Zoo to learn about and compare how different animals walk, slither, run, jump and fly and follow the clues to identify them by their tracks and traces.

Silent disco and creative activities are in The Domes (daily 9.30am – 4.30pm)

Opening for the first time since the Bug Lab exhibition, Auckland Zoo’s undercover Domes will host a silent disco, where you can show your moves and  ‘move it, move it’ with your family and friends to some of your favourite animal tunes.

Within the Domes there will also be a host of indoor interactive activities for all ages to enjoy – from colouring in your own animal headband to building an animal home.

The Zoo is open from 9:30am to 5:30pm (last entry at 4:15pm) each day during the school holidays, including public holidays.

The MOTAT Adventurers’ Society is seeking new members – do you have what it takes?

These school holidays come to MOTAT 1 and test your treasure hunting clue busting skills on our four different ‘treasure trails’. Each trail has a different theme and is a little tougher than the last. There is The Pirate, The Mechanic, The Adventuress and The Researcher

Find out how well you know MOTAT’s collection treasures, test your attention to detail, crack some curly riddles, and challenge your problem solving skills..

Then head to MOTAT 2 for the ultimate bonus round – the Aviation Treasure Trail!  You will need to draw on everything you’ve learned from the challenges you’ve already finished to complete this final epic chase.

Finish each trail, collect your badge, and level-up – the MOTAT Adventurer’s Society awaits!

Shake it in Aotea Square!

Auckland’s favourite urban dance floor returns! Plug in your phone or music device, pick your favourite song, push the red button and cut loose to the beat – bring the whānau for a fun day out in the city. 

Dance-O Mat is open from 8am to 10pm daily.

ABOUT DANCE-O-MAT

Beautifully designed as an urban space to bring people together via spontaneous dancing, the Dance-O-Mat was originally designed in post-quake Christchurch to make use of the newly vacant spaces in the city.

Auckland Live commissioned Auckland’s very own Dance-O-Mat, which made its debut in Aotea Square in 2017. It’s very cool – and no skill or experience is required!

Parris Goebel was at the opening in 2017 and the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall have also strutted and shaken their stuff on the dancefloor in Christchurch.

To learn more about the creation of Dance-O-Mat and its creators, Gap Filler, please visit gapfiller.org.nz

Mandela My Life: The Official Exhibition opens at 10am on Saturday 13 April at the iconic Eden Park, where in 1981 flour bombs were dropped in protest at the Apartheid regime and the ongoing imprisonment of the future South African president.

The exhibition will provide visitors with a glimpse into the extraordinary personal life of Nelson Mandela. Produced by iEC Exhibitions, Museums Victoria, and TEG Live in full collaboration with The Nelson Mandela Foundation based in South Africa, this brand-new world class exhibition arrives direct from the prestigious Melbourne Museum, exhibiting in Auckland as part of a 5-year worldwide tour.

Expertly curated by a team of Museums Victoria staff headed by iEC Exhibitions’ Samantha Heywood, Mandela My Life: The Official Exhibition features over 200 original artefacts, documents, personal items and artworks from The Nelson Mandela Foundation and Nelson Mandela’s private collection. This is the most comprehensive collection ever to be shown outside of South Africa.

Book online, or purchase at box office on the day

The exhibit is open from 10am to 4pm each day until Sunday 4 August 2019*

*Hours may be subject to change due to private events, so please check with the organiser before you go.

Dedicated to exposing discrimination in the art world, in politics and in the film and music industries, the Guerrilla Girls is an anonymous collective of feminist activist artists. Formed as a collective more than 30 years ago, the Guerrilla Girls’ gorilla-mask costumes, bold visual language and frank, humorous messages have rendered them iconic in the history of art and as part of wider social movements. Guerrilla Girls: Reinventing the ‘F’ Word – Feminism! follows the collective’s artistic practice from 1984 until 2016 and explores how they employ bold, fun and provocative poster art to criticise ongoing biases in art and society.

The exhibition is recommended for teenagers aged 13 years plus as there is some mature subject matter relating to oversexualisation of Hollywood and reproductive rights. 

The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 5pm.

Image credits: Guerrilla Girls © George Lange 1990

Celebrate ‘15 Years of Muddy Puddles’ with Peppa Pig on her Aquarium Adventure these April school holidays at Kelly Tarltons!

Guests will begin their experience with a Peppa Pig hat and a special edition activity book before embarking on an underwater journey to find Peppa’s friends and family among the marvellous sea life creatures.

Keep a lookout for Daddy Pig, Mummy Pig, George Pig, Suzie Sheep and Rebecca Rabbit amid the regal blue tang, sea anemones, penguins and clownfish!

An exclusive Peppa Pig photo opportunity will allow guests to share their SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium “pigture” with family and friends.

Daily from 11am to 2pm in the school holidays.

A pop-up Games Park featuring over 50 giant outdoor games and fun puzzles to challenge your skills and co-ordination. Open for two weeks only. Fun and entertainment for all ages, excellent school holiday outing for the whole family.  Are you up for the challenge?

The games park will be open everyday from 9am to 5pm for those two weeks including Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday and Anzac day at the Albany Stadium Pool Complex.

Any queries contact Brian Alley on 021 158 0156

Butterfly Creek is alive with Mythic Creatures these school holidays. Check out the Mythic Creatures exhibit and see dragons, unicorns, mermaids & much more. Plus have fun making dinosaur and butterfly masks. Get up close to Dinomite or Dixie the roaming dinosaurs and make sure you visit the Easter bunny who will be handing out Easter treats on Easter Sunday.

There’s heaps to do regardless of the weather as Butterfly Creek is 3/4’s under cover.

Butterfly Creek is daily from 9am to 5pm. and will be open on  Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday and Anzac Day.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT & ENCOUNTERS

Week 1

• Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 April – Dinomite Walkabout from 11am to 2pm
• Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 April – Dino and Butterfly Mask Making  from 11am to 2pm
• Saturday 20 and Easter Sunday 21 April – Dinomite Walkabout  from 11am to 2pm
• Easter Sunday 21 April – Easter Bunny  from 11am to 2pm
• Daily encounters on each day: Butterflies, eels, otter, weta, tarantula, croc, farm and small reptiles

Week 2

• Easter Monday 22 April – Dinomite Walkabout  from 11am to 2pm
• Tuesday 23 April & Wednesday 24 April – Dino & Butterfly Mask Making  from 11am to 2pm
• Daily encounters on each day: Butterflies, eels, otter, weta, tarantula, croc, farm and small reptiles

FIND OUT MORE HERE

Diggers and Divers: April Holiday Programme

Monday 15th – Friday 26th April
Weekdays only 10am-2pm (public holidays 10:30am – 1:30pm)

Discover shipwrecks, make your own fossils and learn about the life of a marine scientist in our April holiday programme.

SHOW: SAM THE MARINE SCIENTIST 
An interactive show in the Kiwi Bach with the character Sam the Marine Scientist.
Kiwis and The Coast Gallery, 15mins

GALLERY TRAIL: EXCAVATION STATIONS
A self-guided trail through the Museum with excavation activities to uncover artifacts from different shipwrecks.
Begin trail at The Learning Space, 45mins – 1hr

CRAFT WORKSHOP: FOSSIL MAKING
Press and fill your own replica fossil to take home.
The Learning Space, 20mins

This Autumn, get outside and get curious! The Museum is filled with examples of native birds, insects and plants, and with taonga (treasures) created from native wood. With the help of our Nature Quest trail, you can explore the living, natural world surrounding the Museum – listen out for birdsong, discover who is hiding in the leaf litter, who is making pretty patterns on tree trunks, who is climbing waterfalls and much more.

On daily from 10am to 5pm

PICK UP TRAIL FROM MUSEUM GRAND FOYER

Above and Beyond presented by Boeing and developed in collaboration with NASA and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum brings the wonder of flight to life.   Design your own virtual jet and race against other players in a high-speed flying competition, be transformed into virtual birds through motion-sensing technology and ascend to Earth’s orbit in a simulated space elevator.

The exhibition has been extended and is now on until 28 April 2019.

Join Auckland Museum this Anzac Day for commemorative services, tours, music and poetry. After the Anzac Day services, visit the commemorative galleries for your own personal reflections and discover more about New Zealand’s history and involvement in WWI and WWII.

Dawn Service
6AM, COURT OF HONOUR

Civic Service
11AM, COURT OF HONOUR

Entry to the Museum is free to everyone on Anzac Day. The Museum will open immediately following the Dawn Service.

Esquire – from One Tree Hill College
APPROX 6.40AM, DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THE DAWN SERVICE WWI SANCTUARY, LEVEL 2
As the sun rises on Anzac Day, join Esquire as they welcome the Dawn in the evocative surroundings of the WWI Sanctuary.

Discover your Connection
6.45AM – 5PM, POU MAUMAHARA MEMORIAL DISCOVERY CENTRE, LEVEL 2
Discover more about New Zealand service men and women in our this Memorial Discovery Centre. Our friendly staff can help you research your family members’ service records.

Pou Kanohi New Zealand at War
6.45AM – 5PM, LEVEL 2
Pou Kanohi is dedicated to educating young people about the First World War. Rich with collections, the gallery shares New Zealanders’ experiences of WWI from multiple perspectives through accessible and interactive experiences.

Library War Collections Displays
6.45AM – 5PM, LIBRARY, LEVEL 2
Discover WWI stories through photographs, diaries, letters, and ephemera.

Anzac Badge-making
6.45AM – 11AM, WEIRD & WONDERFUL
Bring the kids along to colour and create their own ready-to-wear badge.

WWI and WWII Tours
7.15AM, 8.15AM, 9.15AM, 12.30PM 1.30PM, 2.30PM AND 3.30PM
MEET OUTSIDE PACIFIC LIFEWAYS, GROUND LEVEL
Join our experienced guides and explore the stories of the First and Second World Wars.

Auckland Youth Choir
8.30AM, WWI SANCTUARY
On this day of remembrance, Auckland Youth Choir perform a selection of poignant pieces under the musical direction of Lachlan Craig and Grace Francis as we contemplate what Anzac Day means to us.

Lest We Forget Poetry Competition Finalists
9.30AM, WWII HALL OF MEMORIES
Join us in support of the finalists of our Lest We Forget Poetry Competition, as they read out their winning entries. Finalists were asked to create a response in poetry or prose to reflect on what peace means in this 100th anniversary year of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

Reflection and Remembrance – Macleans College Chorale
12 NOON, DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THE CIVIC SERVICE, WWI SANCTUARY
Macleans College Chorale will present a programme of reflection and remembrance in our WWI Hall of Memories. The Chorale is the premiere choral ensemble at Macleans College and is made up of students in years 9 – 13. Last year, they earned a Silver Award at the New Zealand Choral Federation’s Big Sing Finale in Wellington.

Commemorate Anzac Day 2019 at the Navy Museum on Thursday 25 April. Remember those who have served and lost their lives in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. 

Torpedo Bay Navy Museum will have a range of activities on offer through Anzac Day. Activities are suitable for all ages and include:

• Poppy making
• Share your memories and or remember a loved one in our Remembrance Book
• Anzac cookie baking
• Swing Dancing: 11am to 12pm
• M’Lasses 40s Trio at  1.30pm.

Join NZ Maritime Museum on the heritage motor launch, NAUTILUS, for a special ANZAC sailing of remembrance on Thursday 25th April.

1 hour ANZAC Sailings, departing at 11:15am & 1:15pm on Thursday 25 April

About the NAUTILUS

In 1913, Frederick H.E. Chester who was based in Belfast, Christchurch had Nautilus built by prominent boat-builders, Collings and Bell, in St Mary’s Bay, Auckland. As part of a public campaign, spearheaded by the Governor General, in 1915, Chester offered her for use onboard the New Zealand hospital ship, Marama. When in service for the war, Marama was doing harrowing trips in the Mediterranean and across the English Channel. Nautilus undertook several trips back to New Zealand with recuperating soldiers, stopping at ports for coal and supplies along the way.

Bookings essential. Please call (09) 373 0800 or email info@maritimemuseum.co.nz to reserve your place.

Enjoy the fun school holiday activities at Bounce & Beyond.

There are 1 hour holiday fun sessions at  11am and 2pm sessions with sack races, treasure hunts, relays and many more competitions where loads of prizes are to be won. (Note: on ANZAC day there will only be the 2pm session.)

Bounce & Beyond is Auckland’s largest inflatable bounce centre of 1800 sqm with  fun inflatables including inflatable slides, obstacle course, bounce houses, interactive games, toddler activities and more.

ACTIVITIES at 11am and 2pm:

Monday 15 April: Treasure Hunt
Tuesday 16 April: Krafty Kids Fun
Wednesday 17 April: Relay Racing
Thursday 18 April: Sack Races
Good Friday 19 April: Egg and Spoon Race

Easter Monday 22 April:  Treasure Hunt
Tuesday 23 April: Krafty Kids Fun
Wednesday 24 April: Relay Racing
Anzac Day Thursday 25 April: Sack Races at 2pm session only
Friday 26 April: Egg and Spoon Race

Become a little scientist at NorthWest, and create your own kinetic sand to take home!

Kinetic sand is sand that only sticks to itself, making clean up easily! Come along to get kitted up with labcoats and safety goggles and make sand that you can play with.

Bring a friend to get your hands stuck into the kinetic sand pool too!

Sessions run every half hour from 10am ending at 2pm and 1pm, apart from on Thursday 25 April (ANZAC Day) when they run from 1pm to 4pm . No booking required.

Join the WestCity Explorers for  fun, free & educational Bee Inspector activities in the second week of the April school holidays.

Buzz on down to WestCity these school holidays to get close to nature and become a bee inspector! 

Special appearance by the Bee Lady NZ herself who will teach you all about bees, why they’re important and how we can help save them. 

If that’s not enough, you will get the chance to get up close and personal to the observational bee hive and finish off by making your very own beeswax candle. You will also get your own informative brochure to take home. 

Bookings will be taken on the day of the activity.  Activities take place on Centre Court, level 1.

Monday 22 April: 10:30am to 2:30pm
Tuesday 23 April: 10:30am to 2:30pm
Wednesday 24 April: 10:30am to 2:30pm
Thursday 25 April (Anzac Day): 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Friday 26 April: 10:30am to 2:30pm

Sinarella is a heartfelt twist on the children’s story Cinderella performed with a South Auckland flavour.

Each year, the award-winning team from Māngere Arts Centre – Ngā Tohu o Uenuku brings together the local community and the performing arts industry to present an  annual school holiday show, supported by the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board.

The show is directed by Brady Peeti and Rokalani Lavea, featuring a cast of 40 community performers and live band. The show is full of dream-big optimism, joy and cheeky humour that will have you laughing and wanting to get up and join in.

Sinarella is a must-see theatre production for this April School Holidays that the whole family will enjoy – and a true South Auckland community collaboration.

Thursday 18  ­–  Saturday 27 April, 11am, 2pm and 7pm – show times vary depending on the day.

The Vantage Black Sticks men and women are about to embark on an epic year with a game-changing, new global competition – the FIH Pro League.

On Thursday, April 25, our Vantage Black Sticks men AND women will play the final home DOUBLE HEADER for the 2019 FIH Pro League against Trans-Tasman rivals Australia.

Not only will you get to be apart of the EPIC world class hockey action, but you’ll enjoy an ANZAC Day extravaganza with a food festival, music and other fun activities for the whole family.

Sinarella is a heartfelt twist on the children’s story Cinderella performed with a South Auckland flavour.

Each year, the award-winning team from Māngere Arts Centre – Ngā Tohu o Uenuku brings together the local community and the performing arts industry to present an  annual school holiday show, supported by the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board.

The show is directed by Brady Peeti and Rokalani Lavea, featuring a cast of 40 community performers and live band. The show is full of dream-big optimism, joy and cheeky humour that will have you laughing and wanting to get up and join in.

Sinarella is a must-see theatre production for this April School Holidays that the whole family will enjoy – and a true South Auckland community collaboration.

Thursday 18  ­–  Saturday 27 April, 11am, 2pm and 7pm – show times vary depending on the day.