Children’s author Deano Yipadee headlines a jam-packed two weeks of fun activities organised by the Ashburton Library during the coming school holidays.

The musician and author of Nee Naw, The Little Fire Engine, Deano Yipadee will be starring in a live performance at the Ashburton New Life Church on Friday 4 October.

Tickets are free, and can be booked online at ashburtonlibrary.co.nz – but get in fast!

Library manager Jill Watson said the live show was at a venue that could accommodate a huge crowd, but all other activities were based at the library.

“We’ve drawn on Alice in Wonderland as a theme with a twist for teens, while younger children will have six other spring-themed craft activities to take part in, as well as a movie to keep them entertained.”

The teen activities include making a wall clock, designing a custom tee-shirt, making a travel bag, building a mini garden and creating a felt hat. There is a cost for some materials.

• 3 Oct, 2-4pm - Custom tee-shirt
• 6 Oct, 11am-3.30pm - Make a bag
• 8 Oct, 2-3.30pm - Mini garden
• 10 Oct, 1-4pm - Make a felt hat

Younger children can have fun folding and decorating origami frogs, invent a FrankenToy or make a bouncy ball. These activities are free, all start at 10.30am:

• 30 Sept - Make a bouncy ball
• 2 Oct - Create a blossom tree collage
• 4 Oct - Build a 3D spring portal
• 7 Oct - Minute to win it games
• 9 Oct - Origami frogs
• 11 Oct - Make a FrankenToy

The event space at Te Whare Whakatere will host a spring-themed movie on the big screen at 2pm on Sunday 6 October.

Waterworld Wipeout will be making a splash at EA Networks Centre on October 4, 5 and 6, with an inflatable course for ages five and up. Session times vary, and booking is essential – terms, conditions and costs are on the facility’s website eanetworkscentre.co.nz.

The Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum will also have an array of holiday fun for youngsters, including its Clever Crustaceans exhibition, being toured by Te Papa and NIWA.

NIWA scientists will be running a build your own crustacean workshop at 1pm on 7 October, for children aged 5-12 years.

Eco Educate will at be the gallery and museum on 2 October from 2-4pm, for a trash to treasure activity, and there are a host of other drop-in activities.

Outreach programmes, with all the facilities and Eco Educate, are also happening on 1 October at the Mt Hutt Memorial Hall in Methven (10am-12pm) and at Mayfield Hall (1.30pm-3.30pm).