April school activities in the Taupō District

Ah school holidays, every child’s dream, and parent’s nightmare... Kia Kaha! We can get through this together. Here’s some free or cheap ideas to keep everyone entertained this April.

Free activities at Taupō and Tūrangi Libraries and Taupō Museum

Taupō and Tūrangi Libraries are putting on a bunch of events to educate and entertain the kids. Best of all - they're free! Week one has a fairy tale theme with fun, interactive activities based on your favourite stories. Week two looks at archaeology with moas, dinosaurs, and pyramids. Kids can hunt for dinosaurs at Taupō Museum. www.taupo.govt.nz/library

AC Baths and Tūrangi Turtle Pools – for splash or a swim lesson

Under 5s are free to bring for a dip for locals at the Turtle Pools in Tūrangi or Taupō’s AC baths. For the older kids, why not sign them for swim lessons at the AC Baths Swim School to hone their schools? www.taupo.govt.nz/acbaths

Treasure Trails

In Taupō, there are red bikes to be found along the lakefront, green geckos are hiding at the Waikato River Trails in Mangakino and blue ducks are nesting along Tūrangi’s Tongariro River Trail. Ride the trails, find the clues to crack the codes and you could be in to win some awesome prizes. Find out more at www.lovetaupo.com/treasuretrails

Towncentre Taupō’s Easter Bunny Hunt

Those cheeky bunnnies are loose around Taupō’s town centre shops again! Hop into town to find them and you could win an iPad. Find out more at www.towncentretaupo.co.nz

Mangakino Easter Event & Raft Race

Get ready for some good old fashioned fun at the Mangakino Lakefront on Sunday 9 April. The event includes, old fashioned games like sack races, gumboot toss, egg and spoon races, an Easter Egg hunt and a raft race! Find out more at https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2019/mangakino-easter...

Graffiato: Taupō Street Art tour

Did you know that Taupō is home to over 85 murals? Explore the back lanes of the town using the interactive map and discover some artistic hidden gems. Find out more at www.taupostreetart.com

Disc Golf at Spa Park

All you need is a frisbee, some comfortable shoes and a good aim! Spa Park is home to two disc golf courses. Round out your day with a play on the playground, hoon on the pump track and a soak at Otumuheke Stream - fun for the whole family! Find out more at www.taupodiscgolf.com

Have a picnic in Taupō’s new Atea space

Why not enjoy the new community space in Taupō’s CBD with a tasty picnic! This area has been transformed over the past two years. The kids will be blown away by the intricately carved pou. Take a walk before or after your picnic along the lakefront and soak in the views.

Playgrounds

We’ve all got our favourites but why not discover a new one this school holidays? With 57 playgrounds to enjoy around the Taupō District, there is bound to be one you haven’t experienced yet. Find a new one here - www.taupo.govt.nz/recreation/playgrounds

Pump tracks / skate parks

Get the bikes, scooters, trikes, rollerskates or running shoes out at one of the rohe’s pump tracks and skateparks. The new one in Crown Park by Taharepa Road is particularily mean.

Taupō Rockwall

The 12m high adventure wall features everything from beginners’ climbs to advanced overhangs. There is no time limit so you can stay as long as you like, and the friendly instructors will show you how to climb and belay safely. Entry prices start from $12 for adults and $9 for under-16s with all the gear you need to hire available on site. www.taupo.govt.nz/rockwall

Earth Day 2023 Litter Pick Up

Celebrate Papatūānuku and our beautiful district with a lakefront clean-up on Saturday 22 April. Meet at the floatplane at 10am to grab your supplies and get amongst it. The focus is on collecting little bits of rubbish that can be so damaging to our lake’s ecosystem – things like cigarette butts and small plastic wrappers. Best of all, the event finishes with special Earth Day themed pancakes. Yum!

Walks / Hikes

There are so many short and long walks to enjoy in the rohe. Depending on your fitness level and time constraints, you can enjoy a loop walk of Lake Rotopounamu, discover Craters of the Moon (for a small fee for locals) or tackle one of the big guns like Taranaki Falls in Tongariro National Park. Find out more at www.lovetaupo.com/walks