Tons of fun for all ages during winter

Published: 05 Jul 2024 9:42am

This year’s winter school holidays will be filled with activities for everyone, from dancing to printing, from making Aussie-animal origami to meeting a great white shark face-to-face while standing on dry land!

Even better, many of the activities on offer are free!

Wagga Wagga City Library is hosting a raft of extra events during the holidays including a Bookmarks and Badgemaking Galore workshop, that will let you use your imagination to make wonderful creations.

Outreach Services Team Leader Wendy Harper said the library was also hosting free family movies on both holiday Fridays, as well as an all-ages bingo tournament and a dancing workshop run by The Australian Ballet.

“Movie titles are a secret – you have to come to find out what’s showing! – but both movies will be G-rated and family friendly,” Ms Harper said.

“The all-ages bingo tournament is a great way for people to meet others in their community, including villages outside of Wagga Wagga like Mangoplah and Uranquinty.”

The Wagga Wagga Art Gallery has activities targeting all age groups. Kids can sculpt their favourite animals or cartoon characters from dry-air clay, or create and decorate cardboard fish hats, and even learn the art of Tetra Pak printing from Art Factory artists Lilly Salmon and Jackerina Meyers.

Teens are also catered for with the opportunity to make art-text books or learn how to transform old polyester canvas banners into a colourful, one-of-a-kind bags.

For animal lovers and those wanting to spend some time outdoors these holidays, the Wagga Wagga Zoo and Aviary is open seven days a week, and entry is free.

Zoo Curator Wendy McNamara said that anyone who turns up before 10.30am on any day except Thursday can join a one-hour Zoo Interaction tour.

“Two of our curators will walk visitors around the zoo, letting them interact with our wonderful animal friends,” Ms McNamara said.

“Guests will have a chance to meet Arnold the olive python and Zeke the desert dingo, Stanley and Basil, our miniature cows, and feed our kangaroos, emus, deer and camels. We also have a baby wallaby and new lamb we love to show off.”

Nearby, the Museum of the Riverina is inviting people to drop in for a free cup of hot chocolate, and while you’re there, why not get involved in one of the museum’s free drop-in activities?

There’s free Aussie animal origamis to make and retro computer games to play.

Museum Education and Public Programs Officer Angus Cawdell-Smith said there was also a range of fun, affordable workshops about hibernating Australian animals, including mixed media, sculpture, watercolours and soup mug decorating.

“As well, the museum will be running its first free LEGO® Minifigure Hunt,” Mr Cawdell-Smith said.

“Visitors who find all the minifigures will go into the draw to win one of three prizes.”

The Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre has some great shows these winter holidays, from workshops with the renowned Sydney Dance Company, to a Taylor Swift tribute performance ‘Shake it Off’, including a full rock band on stage.

If anyone has ever wondered what it might be like to come jaw-to-Jaws with a great white shark, then make a splash with Shark Dive, an unforgettable audio journey and immersive theatre experience.

Why not see The Australian Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty Act III, and Other Works, an exhilarating program of favourite classical pieces and ground-breaking contemporary work?