Explore, play, create

Get ready to gear up for a fun-packed summer, Upper Hutt! Our summer bumper edition of U-PLAY is here with an exciting line-up of free and low-cost events and activities.

You can look forward to lots of options for keeping tamariki (kids) and rangatahi (teens) active and creative over those long summer days. 

We’re making the most of all the best bits Upper Hutt has to offer. Join us for lots of outdoors time with Libraries in the Park sessions, Have-a-go Unicycling, and some serious science fun launching Bottle Rockets. The iconic Maidstone Meltdown is also back with games, friendly sports competition, and water play.

Kids get to sing and dance with Arts A Go Go! and let their imagination go wild with Dungeons & Dragons and dress-up fun at Character Chaos. Teddies, plushies, and toys are not missing out this summer, either – they’re even invited to spend the night at Central Library for the Teddy Bear Sleepover.

And Whirinaki Whare Taonga is putting the play into U-PLAY big time: Their brand-new Let’s Play exhibition is open from late December, bringing the wonderful world of board games to us right here in Upper Hutt.

U-PLAY straight to your inbox

Sign up for the quarterly U-Play newsletter at: https://mailchi.mp/uhcc.govt.nz/u-play

You can also pick up a printed brochure at Upper Hutt Libraries, Civic Centre Building, Whirinaki Whare Taonga, and H₂O Xtream Aquatic Centre from Monday, 15 December 2025.

For more information and to register (for some events, booking is necessary), please click the link: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Community/U-Play

Download and view the timetable: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/files/assets/public/v/1/u-play/2025-12-u-play-summer-full-brochure.pdf

Source: Upper Hutt City Council

11/12/25