Newcastle has some fantastic Kids School Holiday Activities this Easter, activities your kids will love! They can make their own machines, take part in a spectacular performing arts show or join the circus! See below for more details.

This school holidays during the Edible Art Cooking Workshops, four Junior Masterchef talents, Alex, Anthony, Pierre and Nick from the top 12 2010 will be making an appearance and sharing their creative cooking tips in St Ives Shopping Villages fun filled food demonstrations for kids want to give cooking a go.

All four boys amazed Australia with their inspiring cooking ability on the top rating television show and are excited to be teaching other Aussie kids some essential skills in the kitchen.

The children participating will each get the chance to make and take home their kitchen edible masterpiece and share their experience with the whole family.

Workshops will be held at 10am, 11.30am, 1pm & 2.3Opm daily from the 11th-14th April. One of the four boys will make an appearance each day at the 11.30am session only and will be available to meet participants and sign autographs from 12.15am.

Costing just $5 per session, the kids can join the boys from Junior Masterchef 2010 on their culinary adventures and enjoy 45 minutes of fun and entertainment this school holidays.

Below is the appearance dates of the four star chefs coming to St Ives Shopping Village:

Name: Nick
Age: 10
Specialty Dish: Steak with mashed potatoes, steamed carrots and beans
Appearance date: Monday 11th, roll with a sushi and learn how to do vegetable carving with Nick

Name: Anthony
Age: 10
Specialty Dish: Tiramisu
Appearance date: Tuesday 12th April, creative cookies with Anthony
Be sure to look out for Anthony who appears as a guest chef on Channel 9’s kids cooking show Kitchen Wiz at 4pm weekdays

Name: Alex
Age: 11
Specialty Dish: Le Gout De La Mer (Seafood dish)
Appearance date: Wednesday 13th April, pasta creations from dough to delicious with Alex

Name: Pierre
Age: 12
Specialty Dish: Herb Crusted Lamb Cutlets with Stuffed Mushrooms and Green Beans
Appearance date: Thursday 14th April, learn how to make colourful cupcakes with Pierre

Bookings are essential: maximum of 20 children at a time, best suited for children 5 years and up. Please contact St Ives centre management. www.stivesvillage.com.au

The National Parks in Sydney have some great Kids School Holiday Activities, see below:

Tuesday 12 April

Easter Bilby and his friend the Bandicoot – School Holiday Activity
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Bilbies and bandicoots are great at delivering Easter eggs. Find out what makes them so special and why they are endangered. Have your face painted like your Bilby friend and make some ears to go with the face. Hunt through part of the park for the treats that the Bilbies left for you. Make an Easter basket to keep or give to a friend. For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Meet at the Kalkari Discovery Centre
Cost: $7. Bookings essential
Ph: 02 9472 9300

Tuesday 12 April

Princess Day at Fort Denison
Fort Denison

Join in the fun as we dress up as Princesses and enjoy lots of great activities at Fort Denison. Learn how the children of the Fort lived and about the fascinating features hidden behind the rough exterior of this important and very special place. An exciting treasure hunt will lead us to “riches” for you to take home. Includes craftwork. Suitable for children aged 3-10. For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 9:15am- 12:15pm
Meeting Place: Cadmans Cottage, 110 George St, The Rocks
Cost: $15p/p. Bookings essential
Ph: 02 9247 5033

Tuesday 12 April

Aboriginal Women’s Weaving Workshop
Kamay Botany Bay National Park

Join our Aboriginal Discovery rangers for a morning of learning the traditional way of basket weaving and jewellery making using native reeds and beads. Try your skills at weaving a basket or making a piece of jewellery to take home. All resources are supplied for you to weave your masterpiece. This is a fun activity for all women and girls. For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 10:00am- 1:00pm
Meeting Place: Visitors Centre, Kamay Botany Bay National Park
Cost: $25- adult, $15-child, $70- family (2 adults & a children). Bookings essential
Ph: 02 9542 0648

Wednesday 13 April

International Year of Forests Kids School Holiday Activity
Murroon terra-ulong (Living in the Blue-gum Forest – Guringai language)
Lane Cove National Park

Forests are an essential part of our world. For thousands of years Australian Aboriginal people lived in harmony with the forest. It gave them the tools they needed, the food they ate and the shelter to live in. Have fun and learn about living in the forest and help build a Gunya for shelter and play some traditional games. . For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 10.00am – 12.00pm
Meeting Place: Meet at the Lane Cove Area Office, off Lady Game Drive.
Cost: $7 per participant. Bookings essential
Phone Kalkari on 02 9472 9300 to secure your place.

Thursday 14 April

Pond Life- School Holiday Activity
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

You can dip for creatures in the pond and see what a busy place it is. Dragonflies fly over it, many creatures swim in it, and turtles make their homes in it. Perhaps we will find tadpoles as well. Craft activities will include making dragonfly mobiles and building turtle models. . For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Meet at the Kalkari Discovery Centre
Cost: $7. Bookings essential
Ph: 02 9472 9300.

Thursday 14 April

Bush Craft, Bush Medicine Activity
Kamay Botany Bay National Park

An easy stroll along the Banks-Solander Track with an Aboriginal Discovery Ranger. There will be a Tools and Weapon display along with some bush tucker to try. Learn how Aboriginal people lived with the land that provided everything they needed to survive. Wear sturdy shoes, hat and sunscreen.  Why not stay for a picnic after the activity? For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Meet the Visitors Centre, Kamay Botany Bay National Park
Cost: $14- adult, $10- child/ concession, $40- family. Bookings essential
Ph: 02 9542 0648.

Tuesday 19 April

Raptors and other birds- School Holiday Activity
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

“What stabs without a knife and crushes without a hammer?”
Discover the answers to these and other questions straight from the bird’s own beaks as we scan the park for feathered friends. Make your very own raptor mask and eggs to take with you as your soar back to your nest. . For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 10.00am – 12.00pm
Meeting place: Meet at the Kalkari Visitor Centre
Cost: $7. Bookings essential
Ph: 02 9472 9300

Tuesday 19 April

It’s a Pirate’s Life On Fort Denison
Fort Denison

Join in the fun as we dress up as pirates and enjoy lots of great activities at Fort Denison. Learn how the children of the Fort lived and all about the fascinating features hidden behind the rough exterior of this important and very special place. An exciting treasure hunt will lead us to a bounty for you to take home. Includes craftwork. Suitable ages 3 – 10 years. For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 9:15am- 12:00pm
Meeting place: Meet at Cadmans Cottage, 110 George St, The Rocks.
Cost: $15. Bookings essential
Ph: 02 9247 5033

Thursday 21 April

International Year of Forests Kids School Holiday Activity
Murroon terra-ulong (Living in the Blue-gum Forest – Guringai language)
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Forests are an essential part of our world. For thousands of years Australian Aboriginal people lived in harmony with the forest. It gave them the tools they needed, the food they ate and the shelter to live in. Have fun and learn about living in the forest and help build a Gunya for shelter and play some traditional games. . For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 10.00am – 12.00pm
Meeting Place: Meet at the Kalkari Discovery Centre, Ku-ring-gai Chase Rd
Cost: $7 per participant. Bookings essential
Phone Kalkari on 02 9472 9300 to secure your place.

Time: 11.00am – 1.00pm
Meeting Place: Meet at Greycliffe House in Nielson Park
Cost: $10 per participant. Bookings essential
Ph: 02 9247 5033

Saturday 30 April

Military Madness
Bare Island Fort, La Perouse

Get carried away with Military Madness for the school holidays. Become a marching soldier at Bare Island Fort, La Perouse. Re-enact a cannon firing and have fun with our blockbuster quiz. A certificate of merit will be presented to all our soldiers. Suitable ages 5 -12 years. For more information visit www.wildwildworld.com.au

Time: 10:00am- 12:00pm
Meeting place: Bare Island fortifications
Cost: $7.70 per child. Bookings essential
Ph: 02 9247 5033

There are some great Easter Holiday activities coming up at some fantastic Sydney attractions.
 
Luna Park

Three fantastic new rides!

-  The Music Trip- Just like a melody, it goes round and round and round…
- Crazy Cars – The classic kids bumpy car ride, guaranteed to drive you crazy
- Family Coaster – Chug along and loop-the-loop with the whole family on the Wild West Family Rollercoaster.

Also, for the entire month of April you can buy Unlimited Rides Passes online for only $30 ($35 at the ticket box). Usually $45, this is a great saving of up to $15 per person – perfect for a value for money, fun day out! (To give you an idea of this value, it’s $34 for one adult ticket in to the Easter Show – any rides are then charged on top of that.)

http://www.lunaparksydney.com/index.php/ride-passes-and-bookings

Oceanworld Manly

- For the first time, people can visit the new Underwater Sydney exhibit! Sydney Harbour is one of the most biologically diverse harbours in the world – in face, over 50 per cent more species of fish have been spotted in Sydney Harbour than all of Europe! Guests can see them at Oceanworld Manly’s ‘Underwater Sydney’ with species including cuttlefish, Port Jackson sharks, Angler Fish, Eels, Wobbegongs, Epaulette Eggs and more!
- A touchpool lets guests get up close and personal with Sydney’s rockpool inhabitants.
- Daily Easter Egg hunts around the aquarium where people will be challenged to spot each of the multi-coloured eggs hidden everywhere and anywhere!
- The Mermaid Camp and Shark Camp will also be held this Easter.

 http://oceanworld.myfun.com.au/index.htm

Jamberoo Action Park

- Jamberoo’s biggest Easter Egg Hunt returns with thousands of Darrel Lea chocolate eggs hidden throughout the park! Between 9.30-10am on Easter Sunday 24 April, kids aged 4-12 can search for the Easter Bunny’s treasures that have been hidden! Sammy will be giving out Jamberoo Easter Show Bags to hold the sweet treats they find.
- The Jamberoo Kids Club has more than 10,000 members and any participating in the Giant Easter Egg Hunt will receive one free 6 x 8 Jamberoo Souvenir photo voucher, redeemable from the photo booth, valued at $14.95.
- Due to the hot weather, Jamberoo will also be open on public holiday ,Tuesday 26 April 2011, for an extra day of action! Weather looking for a day in the sun, or thrill seeking rides on the Taipan, Sydney siders will be able to head south (just over an hour away!) for a fantastic last day of sun-filled fun. 

http://www.jamberoo.net/index.php/home/easter-egg-hunt

There have been several reported dinosaur sightings around Hunter Valley Gardens over the past few days. Residents of the area are excited to report that they are expecting a longer visit from their prehistoric reptile friends over the April school holidays.

From Monday 11th to Thursday 21st of April, families and budding palaeontologists are invited to take a journey through prehistoric Australia.

 

Erth Australian Dinosaur Petting Zoo (11am & 2pm Daily. No 2pm Show on Thursday 21st April and No Shows on Monday 18th April)

The most exciting attraction of the day is the Erth Australia Dinosaur Petting Zoo. Children will be able to help feed, water and care for the prehistoric marvels with simple lessons in animal husbandry. Hunter Valley Gardens also guarantees that all the dinosaurs at the petting zoo are herbivores so children will not be any danger

Dinosaur Craft (10am to 2pm) Children can paint and colour in Dinosaur pictures or make their own Dinosaur foot print, as a memory of the day. They can take home their own special dinosaur craft to remind them of their prehistoric day.

Treasure Hunt Upon entry, children will be issued with a treasure hunt questionnaire. Throughout the day they can fill it out at their own pace, learning lots of interesting trivia details as they explore the many themed spaces at Hunter Valley Gardens. Once completed, the questionnaire can be exchanged for a very special prize.

Hunter Valley Gardens Train ($5 Children, $7 Adults) & Story Book Jumping Castle (10am to 2pm) Hop aboard the Hunter Valley Gardens Express! Families can be taken on an incredible train tour around the Gardens. Or if the kiddies are still beaming with energy, let them jump around on the Storybook Garden Jumping Castle.

So don’t miss out on meeting the Hunter Valley’s Gardens newest inhabitants this April School Holidays!

Entry to the Gardens is $23.50 per adult and children 16 and older, $12 for children between 4 – 15 years of age, with children 3 years and under admitted free. For further information please call 02 4998 4000 or visit www.hvg.com.au