Winter school holiday fun

BOTANICAL BEAUTY

July 6 - November 4

Art Gallery of WA

Spend a rainy day at the Art Gallery of WA admiring nature’s wonders. The Botanical: Beauty and Peril is a free exhibition that shows off our kingdom of plants in all its glory and danger. Look out for children’s labels in the exhibition created by City Beach Primary School students through a project to show children's voices in gallery spaces. There are workshops and activities associated with the exhibition, including the chance to draw your own winged beauty and a Dancing with Rain workshop with artist Marnie Orr. See artgallery.wa.gov.au for details of the exhibition and holiday activities.

WINTER FEST

Runs until July 21

Perth City

Magicians, acrobats, comedians, jugglers, singers, dancers star in Winter Fest Theatre, one of the reasons to head into the city for Winter Fest. Food, drink, skating, rides, activities and fake snow bring wintry magic. See visitperth.com.au.

WINTERWORLD

Runs until July 21

Fremantle Esplanade Park

Snow, ice and wintry activities bring northern winter hemisphere style to the Esplanade. Winterworld Fremantle features an open-air ice rink with falling snow, a snow pit, the Synergy power slide, art activities, lessons in circus skills and other wintry delights. There’s a skating silent disco, kids’ shows and the Snow Sisters Enchanted Forest. Get cosy with fire pits and marshmallow toasting. You might even spy a unicorn. Entry to Winterworld is free but tickets are required for some activities. Visit winterworld.com.au.

ARCTIC ZONE

10am-2pm, July 8-19

Cockburn Gateway, Success

Instead of escaping winter, embrace it in a free arctic chill zone. There’s a snow-storm entry, a wintry plunge ball pit, an icicle toss and winter-themed craft activities. See cockburngateway.com.au.

MILITARY HISTORY

National Anzac Centre and

Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum, Albany

Make a history pilgrimage to Albany. The National Anzac Centre overlooks the harbour from which 41,000 Australians left for WWI. Follow personal stories and learn about “The Great War” with the help of photographs, multimedia and artefacts. The Princess Royal Fortress was one of Australia’s first coastal defences. See original gun batteries, coastal gun defences and see the barracks that housed officers. Do a treasure hunt activity sheet along the way.

FOX

July 6-20

Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, Fremantle

In Spare Parts Puppet Theatre’s holiday show, injured Magpie and one-eyed Dog become friends in the harsh Australian outback. They show what being best friends is all about. But then along comes Fox - jealous, sneaky Fox. The play is adapted from the book written by Margaret Wild and illustrated by Ron Brooks and features colour and movement to tell a story of complicated emotions. Booking is essential. Visit sppt.asn.au for details and bookings.

PUPPET IN THE PARK

9am-3pm, July 6, 13 & 20

Pioneer Park, 1 Short Street, Fremantle

Be inspired by Spare Parts’ puppet magic and create your own. Make a hand puppet from mixed materials and with the guidance of puppet tutors who will show you the tricks of puppet making. Pay $5 in cash or at the Spare Parts box office. Call 9335 5044 for information.

PRATCHETT ON STAGE

The Truth at Roxy Lane Theatre, Maylands, July 12-27

Lords and Ladies at Roleystone Hall, July 5-13

The colourful and wacky humour of the late, great sci-fi writer Terry Pratchett features in not one but two amateur theatre productions these holidays. There’s more than enough time to catch these productions that take place in Pratchett’s marvellous, satirical Discworld. Book The Truth tickets at TAZTix.com.au or call TAZTix on 9255 3336. See roleystonetheatre.com.au for information about Lords and Ladies.

MUSICAL JOURNEY

10.30-11.30am, Monday July 15

Ruth Faulkner Public Library, Cloverdale

Children aged 4 years and older are invited by the City of Belmont to take a musical journey. Kaleidoscope Theatre use the melodic sound of a guitar and violin in a storytelling performance of Somewhere Else by Gus Gordon. Experience the sounds of a melodica, pan flute, chimes and a cacophony of hooters and whistles! No bookings required for this free event.

PLAY AT ROTTO

The summer vibes have long gone but there’s still plenty to do at Rottnest during the holidays. Visit for information about travel and accommodation deals. For information about travel and accommodation deals, see rottnestisland.com, sealinkrottnest.com.au and rottnestexpress.com.au/winter-escapes.

PIRATE PETE

9.30am, July 12 and 19

Thomson Bay North Beach Shelter

Children aged 10 and under are invited to join Pete’s crew, learn mysteries of the deep and hunt for hidden treasure. Free.

FAMILY QUIZ NIGHT

7pm, July 11 and 18

Karma Golf Club

Bring family and friends to make a table of eight and join in for a chance to win prizes. Adults $12, children $6. Family concessions available. Book at the Salt Store.

MOVIE NIGHT

Rottnest Island Picture Hall

See new release movies. Movie session times and guide available at the Family Fun Park and Visitor Centre. Adults pay $15, child $10, student $12.50, family $40. See rottnestmoviesandminigolf.com.au.

FUN AND GAMES

Open every day

There’s mini golf, trampolines and arcade games to play at the Family Fun Park. Or hit the golf course for 9 holes. There’s also lawn bowls. Equipment is available to hire. Bookings are encouraged but not essential.

A*MAZING LEGO HUNT

July 6-21

The Maze, Home of Outback Splash,Bullsbrook

Visit the Maze for a chance to win a share $1500 of Lego prizes. Hidden throughout the six mazes are three golden bricks. Each brick is a ticket to $500 worth of Lego. Plus, there are Lego bricks that can be redeemed for prizes.

ACTIVITY TRAIL

11am-2pm, July 8-12

Midland Gate Shopping Centre

The School Holiday Activity Trail has five activities for kids and families. Five activation zones will be set up around the centre: Bricks 4 Kidz, Slime Workshop, Bouncy Castle, Swan Valley Cuddly Animal Farm and a Craft Workshop inspired by Toys Story 4. Collect an activity trail map and get a stamp after you complete each activity. After your map is filled present it to the Customer Service Desk to collect a $5 food voucher and an entry to win a Toy Story 4 prize pack valued at $129.95. Conditions apply.

TOONWORLD

July 8-19

Belmont Forum

Toonworld is a program to encourage kids to be creative. Belmont Forum is hosting Toonworld’s first visit to Perth. You can enrol in a cartooning workshop and go on a drawing adventure. Or take part in a stop motion clay animation workshop and learn about the magic of film production. See belmontforum.com.au for info. Visit toonworld.com.au for activities to print out.

OLD-SCHOOL GAMING

The Nostalgia Box, Perth

The Nostalgia Box is Australia’s first interactive video game console museum. Every admission ticket includes the museum and unlimited play time on arcade machines and consoles. The museum is home to a collection of more than 100 consoles dating from the beginnings in the 1970s. School’s Out readers get 15 per cent off the price of admission by quoting the code “SchoolsOut” when booking at thenostalgiabox.com.au.

YOUTUBE

1-3pm (8-12 years); 3:30-5:30pm (10-14 years)

Thursday, July 11

Ruth Faulkner Public Library, Cloverdale

The City of Belmont is hosting How Do You YouTube. Join Filmbites for a workshop on presenting for You Tube. Focus on the essentials such as voice and posture while learning about crew roles, film equipment and staging the scene. Tickets are $5 per child. To book, visit belmont.wa.gov.au/librarykidsevents.

BOOK REVIEWS

THE LITTLE WAVE

By Pip Harry

(UQP)

The Little Wave is, on the surface, a story about the beach. But, like the mysteries of the ocean, there’s a lot going on underneath. It’s told from the point-of-view of Lottie, Noah and Jack in a style that is poetic and captures the thoughts and feelings of the three characters as they learn how the other half lives.

RRP $16.95

ALPHABET JOB BUDDIES

By Karen Weaver, illustrated by Kat Box

(Serenity Press)

A is for Alex the Astronaut. Learn about the world of work through colourful characters and catchy rhymes. Get to know a bricklayer, a golfer, a journalist, a vet and hear their stories. Kat Box’s illustrations are bright and funny, resembling heads on a game of Guess Who. Now guess what they do.

RRP $26.99

KAT WOLFE TAKES THE CASE

By Lauren St John

(Macmillan Children’s Books)

You know a book will be a jolly romp when the lead characters are called Kat Wolfe and Harper Lamb. And indeed this is an adventurous story, filled with glamour, danger and mystery. It’s the second Kat Wolfe book by Lauren St John and is a perfect read to occupy a rainy day.

RRP $14.99

MY CULTURE AND ME

By Gregg Dreise

(Puffin Books)

Starting with sensations and colours, Gregg Dreise writes and illustrates a journey through his Aboriginal culture. He brings the landscape alive and then ties it to his culture. Learn about his role and responsibility in a long line of people.

RRP $24.99

NULLABALOO HULLABALOO

By Fleur Ferris

(Puffin Books)

What happens when you check your science project bug catcher and find a fairy? And how do you help a fairy colony in crisis? Gemma Hart of Nullabaloo is battling issues on the family farm, school rivalry and, of course, her responsibility to the endangered fairies.

RRP $14.99