Local theatre troupe Ship O Fools will perform their Waste Wrappers show, which teaches children about reducing, re-using and recycling – delivering a serious message with a whole lot of silliness along the way.

This show will be presented at Cessnock and Kurri libraries on Thursday, September 29 and entry is free.

Magician extraordinare JD Howlett is coming to town, with shows at Kurri and Cessnock libraries on Thursday, October 6.

The Kurri show will start at 10am and the Cessnock show is on at 1pm, with entry $5 per person.

The following day, take a walk on the wild side at the Bob Turner Wildlife Show at the libraries.

The interactive workshop gives kids aged five-to-12 a chance to get up close and personal with non-venomous snakes, lizards, frogs and spiders.

Tickets are $5 each and pre-booking at the library is essential.

Other holiday workshops and activities include hula hoop and juggling ball-making sessions, computer coding workshops and the library’s usual Rhymetime and Storytime programs.

For more information on school holiday library workshops, ring Cessnock City Library on 4993 4399 or Kurri Kurri Library on 4937 1638.

Downtown at Cessnock Performing Arts Centre there will be plenty of laughs when The Listies perform their award-winning show 6D (*It’s Twice as Good as 3D) on Thursday, September 29.

Elsewhere, if you’re hoping to get outdoors with the kids, try your hand at aqua golf or putt putt golf at the Hunter Valley Gardens for a chance to win cash jackpots and prizes.

The Putt Putt course offers 18 holes of mini golf to challenge the whole family. The centre is open 9.30am-4.30pm every day and no bookings are required.

For kids that like to horse around, Sterntaler Equestrian Services in Buchanan is offering lessons for all levels of experience as well as school holiday camps.

The two-day and five-day camps give kids the chance to take horse lessons, feed and groom the horses and meet new friends.

Or if you’d like to up the speed stakes, take a spin on a go-kart at the new Hunter Valley Go-Karts-Go track now open on Neath Road, Kearsley.

The track is open everyday from 9am-5pm during the school holidays and offers a chance for kids aged three or older to race around.

For those after a tasty treat, Yogurtland Cessnock are also running the Spoon Challenge game and a colouring-in competition running through the holidays with loads of prizes to be won.