Keep the kids entertained these school holidays

> Artspace Mackay

Artspace Mackay will be closed Monday, December 4, to early May, 2024 for critical facility maintenance works. Dudley Denny City Library will host Artspace Mackay pop-up during this time. Due to the closure, no school holiday activities will be held.

> Libraries

LIBRARY KIDS CLUB (five to 12 years)

Friday, December 1 to Wednesday, January 31
Sign up for Library Kids Club and keep the kids' reading and entertained over the summer school holidays. The club is suitable for children aged five to 12 years. The club features a reading challenge with prizes up for grabs and events and activities to fill your social calendars.

Register for Library Kids Club and join in the free fun at your local library: http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/librarykidsclub

Bookings are required for all Library Kids Club activities via Eventbrite.

Library Kids Club - Christmas Craft for Kids (BOOKED OUT)

Monday, December 11, 10am to 11am, Sarina Library
Tuesday, December 12, 10am to 11am, Walkerston Library (SOLD OUT)
Tuesday, December 12, 2pm to 3pm, Mirani Library
Wednesday, December 13, 10am to 11am, Gordon White Library
Thursday, December 14, 10.30am to 11.30am, Dudley Denny City Library
Hey kids, get into the spirit of Christmas at your local library! Suitable for kids aged five to 12 years old. Bookings required.

Library Kids Club - Movie Matinee

Friday, December 15, 2pm to 4pm, Gordon White Library
Friday, January 12, 2pm to 4pm, Gordon White Library
Join us for an afternoon movie and popcorn. This event is for children aged five to 12 years old. Want to know what we are watching? Follow us on Facebook to find out. The movie will be announced prior to screening. Bookings required.

Library Kids Club - Christmas Puppets and Pyjamas (BOOKED OUT)

Thursday, December 21, 5pm to 6pm
Gordon White Library
Join Ros from Wild Puppets for an evening of family fun. Suitable for children aged two to ten years of age and their families. Limited spots available. Bookings required.

Library Kids Club - Henna for Tweens

Monday, January 8, 9.30am to 10.30am, Sarina Library
Tuesday, January 9, 9.30am to 10.30am, Walkerston Library
Wednesday, January 10, 9.30am to 10.30am, Mirani Library
Thursday, January 18, 1pm to 2pm, Gordon White Library 
Friday, January 19, 1pm to 2pm, Dudley Denny City Library
Come and learn about this ancient form of body art that you can then show off (for a few days at least). Suitable for tweens aged nine to 12 years. Bookings required (see above).

Library Kids Club - The Didgeridoo Guys

Monday, January 15, 9.30am to 10am, Mirani Library
Monday, January 15, 11am to 11.30am, Walkerston Library
Tuesday, January 16, 9.30am to 10am, Sarina Library
Tuesday, January 16, 11.30am to 12pm, Dudley Denny City Library 
Wednesday, January 17, 9.30am to 10am, Gordon White LibraryJoin us for a performance filled with fun and laughter for children aged five to 12 years.  Showcasing the history and significance of the didgeridoo with the mesmerising sounds to go with it. Bookings via Eventbrite above required.

Drop-in Days

Monday, December 11 to Friday, December 22, 8.30am to 5pm
Mirani, Sarina and Walkerston libraries
Imagine, connect, construct, create, build and design. Children aged five to 12 years are invited to drop in during library open hours to explore and discover our educational construction resources. Follow on Facebook events. No bookings required, drop-in activities.

> Mackay City and Waterfront

The Great Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Friday, December 1 to Tuesday, December 12
Mackay City Heart
Gather your family and friends and uncover Christmas trinkets scattered throughout your favourite city stores. Solve each clue or riddle to find your destination, there are 12 locations to tick off the list. Upload a photo of you/your team completing the scavenger hunt to go in the random draw for extra prizes! Find out more at www.mackay.qld.gov.au/christmashunt.

Active Squirtz Mackay

Wednesday, December 13, at 9am
Wednesday, December 20, at 9am
Wednesday, January 10, at 9am
Wednesday, January 17, at 9am
River Wharves, River Street
Join in Active Squirtz’s awesome adventures for two to five year olds. The 40-minute sessions are free to attend. Register via their Facebook events.

> Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

Tibbles Hunt

Monday, December 4 to Wednesday, December 20, 9am to 4pm
Tropical Shade Garden
Tibbles the friendly garden gnome is adventuring through the Tropical Shade Garden during the holidays. Pick up an activity sheet from the Visitor Information Centre and find all the hidden gnomes to discover the secret festive message. A free activity suitable for kids aged five to 12 years.

Additional self-guided activity resources can be found here: mackayregionalbotanicgardens.com.au

Board Games at the Botanic Gardens

Wednesday, December 13, 9.30am to 10.30am – Bookings required
Wednesday, December 13, 11am to noon – Bookings required
Friday, January 19, 9.30am to 10.30am – Bookings required
Friday, January 19, 11am to noon – Bookings required
Botanic Gardens Meeting Room
Bring the whole family or a couple of friends and enjoy a relaxing atmosphere as you challenge each other to win. Try a classic like Scrabble, Cluedo and Checkers or take the challenge with Stardew Valley, Sushi Go and Bananagrams to name just a few. FREE family friendly activity.

Create a Mini Terrarium Workshop (BOOKED OUT)

Wednesday, December 6, 2pm to 4pm
Botanic Gardens Meeting Room
Cost: $5
Suitable for children ages ten years and older. Parental supervision required. Bookings are essential by phoning the gardens on 4952 7300. Payment is required at the time of booking to confirm your spot. Places are limited.

Christmas Card Creations Workshop

Monday, December 4, 10am to 11am
Tuesday, December 19, 10am to 11am
Botanic Gardens Meeting Room
FREE drop-in activity, suitable for all ages. Create a festive card using found materials and a splash of Christmas colour.

Christmas Decorations Kids’ Workshop

Wednesday, December 20, 10am to noon
Botanic Gardens Meeting Room
FREE drop-in activity, suitable for ages five to 12 years. Create a Christmas decoration inspired by the botanic gardens. All materials provided.

Family Picnic Photo Competition

Open all school holidays. Drawn January 19.
What is your favourite family picnic spot in the gardens? Send a photo of your family enjoying a picnic in the gardens to botanic@mackay.qld.gov.au for a chance to win a picnic basket set!

Bocce with a Buddy

Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, except during Christmas closure period
Malta Garden Bocce Court
Cost: $5 to hire a bocce set
Enjoy a game of bocce with a friend on our sand bocce court. Bocce sets are available to hire from Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre or bring your own to play. Please note bocce hire not available from Thursday, December 21, 2023 to Sunday, January 14, 2024.

> MECC

The Wiggles Wiggly Big Day Out!

Thursday, December 7, 10am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm
MECC Auditorium
A spectacular live show for the whole family! The world’s most popular children’s entertainment group, The Wiggles! Are bringing their ARIA award winning live show back for their annual arena tour as they embark on their biggest & brightest show yet! Book your tickets today!.

DBCT Kids’ Theatre Season – The Beanies

Saturday, January 20, 10am and 12.30pm
MECC North Foyer

Due to unforeseen, essential maintenance at the MECC, the performance of The Beanies will be postponed to a new date and time. Visit www.themecc.com.au for more information.

Join us for this delightful picnic-style performance on comfortable pillows and mats in the North Foyer. The Beanies are sincerely silly. In fact, they’re full-time silliness professionals! But beneath the comedy lies a heartfelt mission to be every child’s BFF and champion their right to be gloriously and unapologetically themselves. Find out more and book!

> Sarina Sugar Shed

Special kids tour of the Sarina Sugar Shed

10.30am every day of the school holidays, except Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Field of Dreams Parklands, Railway Square, Sarina
Cost: Adult entry at the children’s price of $14,
Bookings are essential: www.sarinasugarshed.com.au

This fun, interactive session focuses on the kids, with the added bonus of adults being welcome at kids' prices! During the 45-minute tour, the kids will discover the growing and harvesting of the sugar cane and complete a hunt for the critters that live in our sugar cane patch. They’ll enter our miniature sugar mill to see how sugar cane is crushed, and sample deliciously sweet sugar cane juice straight from our miniature mill, 'Bill the Mill Junior’.

Special stickers help the kids to understand how the machines work to transform sugar cane juice into sugar – they can touch and feel the different stages of the production from the bagasse to the sugar, to tasting the molasses! They’ll also receive a free information sheet at the end, which is great for school projects, and the quick, fun quiz will help to keep the young ones engaged. They are guaranteed to learn something!

> Sarina Youth Centre

All events run 10am to 2pm
The Sarina Youth Centre will host a range of school holiday drop-in activities for young people aged 10 to 21 years. There are limited spots, so please register to attend by calling 4961 9278 or email sarinayouthcentre@mackay.qld.gov.au

WEEK ONE
Monday, December 11: Cooking Strong (Day 1)
Tuesday, December 12: Cooking Strong (Day 2)
Wednesday, December 13: Christmas card making for local aged care facility
Thursday, December 14: CLOSED
Friday, December 15: Movie Day

WEEK TWO
Monday, December 18: Gingerbread making
Tuesday, December 19: First Aid Course (free)
Wednesday, December 20: Christmas community party, Rugby League grounds 11am to 3pm
Thursday, December 21: Christmas lunch
Friday, December 22: CLOSED

WEEK THREE
Monday, January 8: Puzzle challenge
Tuesday, January 9: Taco Tuesday
Wednesday, January 10: Swimming
Thursday, January 11: Movie Day
Friday, January 12: CLOSED

WEEK FOUR
Monday, January 15: Cooking Strong (Day 1)
Tuesday, January 16: Cooking Strong (Day 2)
Wednesday, January 17: Board games
Thursday, January 18: Arts and crafts
Friday, January 19: CLOSED