Community
5 April, 2024
There’s no excuse for kids to be bored during vacation
A RANGE of activities is being hosted at Cairns Libraries to keep youngsters occupied these school holidays.
From workshops and learning sessions to creative experiences and craft activities, the Cairns Regional Council is hosting facilities and activities that intend to keep the whole family occupied.
From diving into the mysterious world of underwater creatures to discovering the secret life nocturnal insects, learning about rocket building to creating monsters out of cereal boxes, the Cairns Libraries school holiday program provides activities for a range of ages and interests.
Running until Saturday, April 13, activities also include building a fort out of newspaper, creating glow-in-the-dark scorpions, flashlight art, and puppet making activities.
The Cairns Libraries school holiday program includes:
Make a magical item
Turn everyday items into something magical to take home, drawing inspiration from the captivating world of Harry Potter. At Babinda Library on Thursday, April 11 from 10am to 4pm.
Deep Great Barrier Reef life
Delve into the mysteries of the deep sea with renowned scientist Robin Beaman from James Cook University. During 2020 and 2021, Rob led a series of expeditions to explore the deep Great Barrier Reef using the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s RV Falkor. At Smithfield Library on Friday, April 5 from 9.50am to 11am.
Drop in and build – light and shadow adventures
Use translucent blocks and light tables to create and learn about light, shadows and colour. At Gordonvale Library on Thursday, April 11 from 10.30am to 4pm.
Drop in and build newspaper forts
Learn basic structural engineering as you design and assemble your towering creations using newspaper. At Stratford Library on Wednesday, April 10 from 10.30am to 4pm; and City Library on Saturday, April 13 from 10am to 11.30am.
Flashlight art
Create a mysterious dark landscape and use a magic torch to reveal its hidden secrets. At Stratford Library on Friday, April 5 from 10.30am to 11.30am and City Library on Tuesday, April 9 from 10am to 4pm.
Blacklight Art
Use neon paper, tape and cardboard to create a unique piece that will shine under black light. At Gordonvale Library on Friday, April 5 from 10.30am to 11.30am.
The White Wizard
Get ready for a mesmerising magic show featuring the White Wizard. At City Library on Sunday, April 7 from 10.30am to 11.30am.
Rockets 101
Embark on a rocket building adventure and gain insights into astronaut training from a NASA space camp graduate. At Smithfield Library on Monday, April 8 from 9.50am to 11.30am.
Drop in and build – cereal box monsters
Armed with cereal boxes, scissors, paint and an assortment of craft supplies, transform ordinary packaging into extraordinary monster companions. At Edmonton Library on Monday, April 8 from 10.30am to 4pm.
Lifesaver for a day
Get beach savvy and hands on with Surf Life Saving Queensland and find out fascinating facts about marine creatures, learn about rip currents and water safety.
At Smithfield Library on Tuesday, April 9 from 9.50am to 11am.
D’n’ D and board games
Dungeons and Dragons is a game of storytelling where everything is your decision, from what you look like to how you act to what happens next – the dice just helps you along. At Earlville Library on Tuesday, April 9 from 2pm to 4pm.
Youth Week – loud in the library
Enjoy an interactive showcase of beatboxing and hip-hop dancing as part of Youth Week. Unleash your creativity with blacklight art and enjoy a bite of pizza.
At Manunda Library on Wednesday, April 10 from 2pm to 4pm.
Discovering stars and planets
Explore stars and planets with STEM expert and astrophysicist Emma Brown. Learn what makes a planet habitable and explore the possibility of extra-terrestrial life.
At Earlville Library on Thursday, April 11 from 9.50am to 11am.
The glowing dark
Learn about night creatures that bring the light to their dark worlds, then create glow-in-the-dark creatures of your own. See your creation glow and take part in scorpion races, while you learn about the amazing natural world.
At Stratford Library on Friday, April 12 from 10.30am to 11.30am.
Mini-beasts at night
Delve into the mysterious world of nocturnal insects and discover the fascinating lives of minibeasts that come alive at night. Get up close and personal with real live specimens and learn about their unique adaptations and behaviours.
(Recommended for children aged five and over.) At Edmonton Library on Friday, April 12 from 10.30am to 11.30am.
Dark academia – light box and puppet making
Create a shadow puppet light show and bring the night to life through imaginative storytelling. (Recommended for ages 10 and over.) At Smithfield Library on Friday, April 12 from 2pm to 3pm.
Check out the Cairns Libraries website for details of all the events, activities and programs: www.cairns.qld.gov.au/library
