A Matariki-themed escape room and dragon play programme called 'Here be Dragons' will add to the fun at the Ashburton Library during the July school holidays.

The escape room is great family fun and bookings (via the library website ashburtonlibrary.co.nz) are essential because the free activity will only run during the first week of the holidays, from 8-13 July.

There are loads of fun craft activities planned for children and teens throughout the two weeks, plus movies. You can make your own wearable dragon wings, or a dragon key chain.

The dragon theme is because 2024 is the Year of the Dragon and it is 50 years since the game Dungeons and Dragons was created.

The children’s holiday sessions run for an hour, from 10.30am and no booking is required. The programme features:

• Monday 8 July – Make your own dragon from a paper cup
• Wednesday 10 July – Make a polymer clay dragon key chain
• Friday 12 July – Make your own wearable dragon wings
• Friday 12 July – Watch a dragon movie at 4pm
• Monday 15 July – Make your own laser-cut 3D dragon
• Wednesday 17 July – Create dragon-inspired watercolour art
• Friday 19 July – Colour in a beautiful dragon picture
• Friday 19 July – Watch a dragon movie at 4pm

The teen sessions include making dragon masks and heroic quests. The programme includes:

• Tuesday 9 July, 2pm-5pm – Make a full dragon mask that you can wear like a helmet
• Thursday 11 July, 4pm-5pm – Assemble a dice tower and decorate it with decals (charge $5)
• Tuesday 16 July, 2pm-4pm – Make an adventure journal
• Thursday 18 July, 6pm – Watch a movie with us

Library staff are also encouraging teens to book in for a learning session at the AV studio, where they can bring their favourite fantasy reading to life, with immersive audio.

Ash and Burty also return with a mid-winter challenge – collect stamps after completing four activities on the special challenge cards available at any of our facilities, and go into a draw to win a prize.