What’s on in Dunedin in the Spring School Holidays
- By: Auckland for Kids
- Updated:
Check out these fun family-friendly events in Dunedin to keep the kids entertained during the 2023 Spring School Holidays. We’ll be updating this page with additional events throughout the school holidays, so be sure to revisit later to discover new exciting activities added to the line-up.
Otepoti Dunedin Heritage Festival 2023
Where: Various Dunedin Venues
When: 1 to 29 October 2023
Event information
Explore heritage buildings, and learn about how they have been preserved, restored and repurposed. Dress up for a Vintage family picnic in the Dunedin Botanic Gardens on Sunday 8 Oct. Build your own Gasworks Machinery at the Dunedin Gasworks Museum on 5 and 7 October, Go on and OCHO Chocolate Factory Tour on 5 October and more fun family-friendly events.
Gold Panning at Lan Yuan School Holiday Workshop
When: Saturday 23 and Saturday 30 September at 2pm and 3:30pm sessions
Where: Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Garden, 31 Queens Gardens, Dunedin, Otago New Zealand
Event info
Join Lan Yuan staff as they share stories of early migrant Chinese gold miners who came to Otago, then learn how to pan for gold just like they did in the 1800s. All materials are provided, and there is guaranteed to be gold in your pan! Limited spaces, bookings are required.
Lantern Making Workshop With Jenny Chen
When: Saturday 30 September: 10:30am to 12:30pm
Where: Lan Yuan Tea House, Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Garden, 31 Queens Gardens, Dunedin, Otago New Zealand
Get ready to celebrate the Moon Festival by making your own festive lantern at this drop-in workshop. Use the templates supplied, or get creative with your own drawings, using crayons and dyes to make a bright and colourful lantern Participants under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a guardian for the duration of the workshop. The workshop is free to attend but standard garden entry fees apply.
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Cookie Decorating Workshop
Where: Toitu Otago Settlers Museum, 31 Queens Gardens, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
When: 25 September: 10am to 11am
Join Creative with Jess to decorate your very own cookies themed on the Mad Hatter’s tea party. Learn to work with fondant while colouring, rolling, moulding and stamping your Mad Hatter’s designs onto your vanilla cookie joined together with a vanilla buttercream. Take your tasty creations home in your very own Mad Hatter’s tea party box. These workshops are suitable for all cake decorators young and young at heart. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a guardian for the duration of the workshop. Bookings are essential.
Toddler Time at Toitū
Where: Toitu Otago Settlers Museum, 31 Queens Gardens, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
When: 25 September: 10am to 11am
Event info
Bring your babies, toddlers and under-fives into Toitū for Toddler Time! Story time starts with Josephine, the beloved locomotive, then make tracks into the museum for an interactive adventure. Come ready to boogie with a child friendly tour throughout the museum and then finish with craft and play in the NZR kid’s area.
Celebrate Space Day at Tūhura Otago Museum
When: Sat 7 October 2023: 10am to 5pm
Where: Otago Museum, 419 Great King Street, Dunedin, Otago New Zealand
Event info
Celebrate the World Space Week at Tūhura Otago Museum with experiments, demonstrations, films, talks, crafts, a kids’ space quiz, a rocket launch and more activities for your family.
Stories Under the Stars
When: 23 September to 8 October 2023: Daily at 1:30pm and 2pm
Where: Perpetual Guardian Planetarium, Otago Museum, Dunedin, Otago New Zealand
Event info
Step inside the planetarium and listen to the stories led by the museum storytellers of the stars while gazing up at them. Enjoy the tales of the astronomical world above us in Otago Museum’s beautiful planetarium.
The Monster Illustration Workshop at the Otago Museum
Where: Otago Museum, 419 Great King Street, Dunedin, Otago New Zealand
When: 25 September, 27 September, 2 October, 4 October at 11:15am
Event info
Unleash your creative side with a free monster illustration workshop at Tūhura Otago Museum! The talented drawing duo, Quinn and Christine, will take you step by step through the process of creating all kinds of crazy monsters. All workshop materials are supplied but limited spaces are available.
Suitable for children ages 4 and over. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Youth Music Workshop at the Otago Museum
Where: Otago Museum, 419 Great King Street, Dunedin, Otago New Zealand
When: 25 September, 27 September, 2 October, 4 October at 11:15am
Event info
Tweens aged 10 – 14 can join Jae Bedford of the Bedford School of Music Entertainment to make music in this practical music workshop, with a focus on vocal training, basic instrumentation, karaoke, and fun! Spaces are limited, so book now!
The Cat in the Hat Live on Stage
Where: Regent Theatre, Octagon, Dunedin
When: 30 September 2023: 10:30am and 1pm shows
Event info
360 Allstars
Where: Regent Theatre, Octagon, Dunedin
When: 7 October 2023: 2pm show
Event info
Spring Scavenger Hunt at Orokonui Ecosanctuary
When: 23 September to 8 October 2023
Where: Orokonui Ecosanctuary, 600 Blueskin Road, Mount Cargill 9081, New Zealand
Event info
Enjoy the Spring Scavenger Hunt at Orokonui in the September and October 2023 school holidays. Orokonui is a 307 hectare biodiversity sanctuary near Dunedin. It is home to many threatened species and habitats and has a long term goal to ensure its species thrive.Plus Kids go free for the Spring 2023 school holidays!
Orokonui Walk for Wildlife
When: 1 October 2023: 8:30am to 4:30pm
Where: Orokonui Ecosanctuary, 600 Blueskin Road, Mount Cargill 9081, New Zealand
Event info
Get active with your whānau and support biodiversity with the Orokonui Walk for Wildlife. This 10 km walk starts from the Orokonui visitors centre, heading down through the wildlife rich Orokonui valley, past the tallest tree in New Zealand, and out and around the Orokonui Lagoon, before heading back to the visitors centre to finish up. This is one of the few opportunities to enter and exit through the Orokonui lower gate so it is not to be missed. Get the whole family moving in the outdoors, with stations along the walk to entertain and educate participants about the wildlife, history and conservation work of Orokonui.