Nine fun family activities to do this summer, from outdoor movies to Auckland Art Festival

The Auckland Museum opened its 3D Pop-Up Cinema just before Christmas and it’s eliciting oohs and aahs from all who attend.

3D movies and wildlife photography at the museum

Just before Christmas, the Auckland Museum opened its 3D Pop-Up Cinema and it’s eliciting oohs and aahs from all who attend. There are two films playing daily: Museum Alive and Dinosaurs of Antarctica. The former has David Attenborough taking you on an adventure through the National History Museum in which long-extinct creatures from the museum’s collection come to life in front of your eyes through 3D animation. Dinosaurs of Antarctica takes you back in time to explore the ancient south polar landscape that, during the Cretaceous Period, was a lush dinosaur playground. While you’re at the Museum, you and your little animal enthusiasts might also want to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit (free for children under 15) or sign them up for the Wildlife Snap-Happy Safari, an actor-led safari adventure searching for wildlife throughout the Museum.

3D Pop-up Cinema. Daily until late 2024. Tickets $6 child (5 - 13), $12 adults, $9 concession (students and seniors), $34 family pass (2 adults + 2 children).

Wildlife Snap-Happy Safari: Daily until February 2, 11am and 12.30pm. General admission $15, members $13.50.

Visit aucklandmuseum.com for session times and to book tickets.

Give your kids screen time and outdoor time with Auckland Council’s Movies in Parks series, which kicks off early next month.

Movies in Parks

Give kids their two favourite things at once - screen time and outdoor time - with Auckland Council’s Movies in Parks series, which kicks off early next month. This year’s programme includes the biggest hit of 2023, Barbie, as well as family favourites Paddington 2, Encanto, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, The Super Mario Bros Movie and more. The movies don’t start until sunset so it can be a bit of a late night for the youngest film buffs but there’s pre-movie entertainment and food trucks on site so come early to get the most out of your night. Each week is at a different park so check the schedule to find out when the silver screen’s popping up near you.

February 9 - March 9. Various parks in Tāmaki Makaurau. Visit moviesinparks.co.nz for the full schedule. FREE.

On Wednesday, you’ll find Mātātoa - Time2Train hosting a session where kids of all ages can learn to play traditional Māori games. Photo / Bryan Lowe

Fun in Mahuhu Ki Te Rangi Park

The park outside Spark Arena, Mahuhu ki te Rangi, might not be the first place you think of for an outing with your kids (unless Taylor Swift was playing at Spark of course). But, on Wednesday, you’ll find Mātātoa - Time2Train, a Māori initiative, hosting a session where kids of all ages can learn to play traditional Māori games. And, on February 11, Circability is holding a free circus skills workshop there as well. They’ll be teaching juggling, hula hooping, acrobatics, ribbons and spinning plates. Organised by Auckland Council’s Out and About team, along with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, these two somewhat under-the-radar events could be just what you need as we enter the homestretch of the school holidays, when funds are running low, and you need to get the kids out of the house, away from a screen and learning something new.

Māori games: January 24, 9am-12pm. Circus skills: February 11, 2pm-4pm. Mahuhu ki te Rangi Park, Mahuhu Crescent, Auckland CBD. FREE.

The Weetbix Tryathlon is a triathlon training cleverly disguised as summer fun.

Weetbix Kids Tryathlon

Ok, so this one’s still a wee way off but now’s the perfect time to get the kids doing some stealth training i.e. running, swimming and riding bikes. It’s triathlon training cleverly disguised as summer fun. The big event, now a Kiwi tradition, is being held on March 24 at Point England Reserve. Kids aged 7-15 do a beach swim, a bike ride and a run, with distances varying for the different age groups. Six-year-olds can enter the “splash and dash” event, which forgoes the biking leg. There are no winners or losers at the Weetbix Tryathlon, it’s about encouraging kids to get out and give it a go. There’s always a great, supportive vibe on the day and some big prizes to be won.

March 24. Pt England Reserve, Pt England, Auckland. Visit tryathlon.co.nz to enter. Early bird discount available until February 25.

The teenage members of the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir are on tour, singing their hearts out in Northland. Photo / Supplied

Choral Singing School Kids

Your own teenagers might be hanging around like a bad smell until school’s back but the teenage members of the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir aren’t, they’re on tour, singing their not-yet-fully-developed hearts out in Northland. The group of 56 students aged 14-18 will be performing in Kerikeri on Wednesday and at Christ Church in Whangarei on Thursday. With auditions every two years, the choir selects members from all over the country, so these are Aotearoa’s best high school-aged choral singers. They’ll be performing a varied repertoire of choral music, gospel, jazz, modern and local music, including a newly commissioned work by Ngāpuhi composer Reuben Rameka. If you’re in Northland next week, get yourself tickets to see what these passionate young people have been working on in preparation for an international choral festival in Beijing later in the year.

January 24, 12pm. Turner Centre, 43 Cobham Road, Kerikeri.

January 25, 7.30pm. Christ Church, Whangarei. Tickets $1-$25 + booking fee from nzsschoir.com

This Saturday, there’s a homemade ice cream-making workshop where facilitators will guide participants to make their own delectable ice cream from scratch.

Ice cream on the Wharf

Summer on Queen’s Wharf actually kicked off last year but if this is the first you’re hearing about the Eke Panuku Development Auckland initiative, don’t panic, the best is yet to come. This Saturday, there’s a homemade ice cream-making workshop where facilitators will guide participants to make their own delectable ice cream from scratch without the need for a fancy ice cream maker. Anyone can drop in throughout the day and you’ll walk away with a delightful summer treat and a dangerously simple recipe to try again at home. Next weekend, there’s a tie-dye workshop and future events include a sewing repair workshop, sunrise yoga classes and, the piece-de-resistance, a mermaid parade.

January 20, 10am-4pm. Queen’s Wharf Hub, 89 Quay St, Auckland CBD. FREE. Visit the Queen’s Wharf Facebook page for the full schedule of events.

A group of 20 young refugee, migrant and local creatives have been devising a performance that speaks to the joys and challenges of juggling multiple identities. Photo / Supplied

I AM…and…I AM

While many of us have been lazing around in the sun, a group of 20 young refugee, migrant and local creatives have been devising a performance that speaks to the joys and challenges of juggling multiple identities and making Aotearoa home when home is a loaded word. The summer intensive is run by Mixit, an organisation that works with young people from diverse backgrounds to build self-confidence through creativity and performance. They’re performing the devised piece I AM…and…I AM this weekend at Oratia Settlers Hall and it’s a great opportunity for young and old to witness the stories this talented group of young people would like to share with the world.

January 20-21, 1pm and 5pm. Oratia Settlers Hall, 567 West Coast Road, Oratia, Auckland. Gold coin entry.

Let your kids enjoy a day of outdoor games and activities at the Wild Street Festival of Play.

Wild Street Festival of Play

If your kids are starting to resemble wild animals these holidays then the Wild Streets Festival of Play might be just what they need. It’s a day of outdoor games and activities, some run by a group of energetic facilitators - read people who are being paid to play with your kids so have a lot more energy than you - and some you can pick up and play on your own. This weekend it’s being held at Stanmore Bay Park but it’s popping up at different parks over the next few weeks including Bucklands Beach Domain, Bedingfield Memorial Park, Albert Park, Totara Park, Hobsonville Point Park and Rogers Park so you should be able to find one not too far from you. Bring a picnic and let the kids loose outdoors for a day.

January 21, 10am-2pm. Stanmore Bay Park, 149 Brightside Rd, Stanmore Bay, Whangaparaoa. See The Open Fort on Facebook for future event details. FREE.

The Auckland Arts Festival features boundary-pushing theatre, art and dance and loads of whānau-friendly events. Photo / Camille Beaumier

Auckland Art Festival

When the Auckland Arts Festival rolls into town in March don’t forget that, along with thought-provoking, boundary-pushing theatre, art and dance, there are loads of whānau-friendly events and most of them are free. Some highlights include ILL-Abilities: No Excuses, No Limits, a group of talented Bboy dancers, all differently-abled, who are making their Aotearoa debut at the festival with a high-energy performance that can’t help but be inspiring; The Biggest Little Circus perform aerial acrobatics, world-class juggling and more at several outdoor locations across Tāmaki Makaurau; City Beats invites you to bring something to bang on and be part of a mass drumline led by Demetrius Savai’inaea; and, down at the waterfront, RoZéO features gasp-worthy French aerialists dancing in the sky, plus many more wonder-inciting events.

March 7-24. Various locations. Visit aaf.co.nz for the full programme.