KEY POINTS:
Motat's "Way Back When" holiday exhibition takes children back 100 years to Victorian times. They can learn how Kiwi kids lived in 1899, explore Motat's coal mine, learn to read, write and do maths the Victorian way, make a miniature hot-air balloon, play traditional games and plant flowers in Motat's Village Green to watch them bloom in summer.
More school holiday ideas:
* Recombobulate your old toys at the Auckland Museum. Bring in your old, broken and unwanted toys and toy parts and build them into new ones. Tuesday, October 7, 10.30am and 1pm. $20 per child or $10 for Dinomite members. Suitable for ages 7-13 years. Bookings essential, call 09 306 7048 ($3 booking fee per transaction applies) or visit aucklandmuseum.com
* Explore the universe at Stardome. Watch the exclusive Dome Theatre show, Heart of the Sun, and join Space Room activities to make a piece of sun-art to take home with you. October 6-10. $15, groups of 20-plus $10 per person. One free adult with every eight children attending with a holiday programme group. Bookings essential, phone 624 1246 or visit stardome.org.nz
* Explore Woodhill Forest on two wheels at Woodhill Mountain Bike Park. 10am-3pm daily, Wednesdays only 10am-10pm. Bike hire available. School holiday programme co-ordinated by Bigfoot Adventures, call for pick-up points. Woodhill Mountain Bike Park, Restall Rd, Woodhill. Phone 027 278 0969 or visit bikeparks.co.nz
* Daily shows on the centre stage at Rainbow's End during the school holidays. Phone 262 2030.
* Kidactive runs holiday programmes for kids with a wide range of activities. Horseriding, tennis, junior pet keeping, arts and crafts, cooking, electronics, trampolining, karate soccer, touch rugby and more. Bookings via kidactive.co.nz or phone 0800 Kidactive.
