AEW Holiday Programme Information

January 2026 Holiday Programme

Monday 5 January – Friday 17 January 2026

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday/s: 9:00am – 1:00pm
• Thursday/s: 9:00am – 3:00pm

Base venue for Juniors and Seniors: Lyall Bay School, 2 Freyberg Street, Lyall Bay, Wellington 2022

• Pocket money note: For our seniors, where children choose to visit activities with entry fees or costs (such as indoor playgrounds, arcades, cafés or bowling), families may wish to provide pocket money, as we’re unable to cover these costs. see below for more info.

The Programme Plan: We do our best to keep to the planned schedule. Where changes are needed (for example, due to weather), families will be notified in advance.

Important: If your child has a Total Mobility Card, please let us know or bring it along — it really helps us manage transport costs and keep the programme affordable for families.

Jan 25 Holiday Programme Plan

January	Juniors – Lyall Bay School	Seniors – Lyall Bay School  Please Note: Where kids choose to visit activities with entry fees or costs (such as indoor playgrounds,  arcades, or cafes), families may wish to provide pocket money, as we’re unable to cover these costs.
Week 1
Mon 5th	Chipmunks Lyall Bay	A relaxed day based at our venue – Plans are flexible and shaped around the kids’ choices. Activities may include arts and crafts, baking, playground time, small local outings such as the beach, library, indoor playgrounds, cafés. (pocket money required for paid activities).
Tues 6th	Movie day – The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants All meet at PENTHOUSE CINEMA 9am, 205 Ohiro Road, Brooklyn, Wellington
Wed 7th	Swimming – Karori pools.
Thurs 8th	Big Adventure Day (subject to weather and transport availability) . Drop off (9am) and pick up (3pm) at Lyall bay School Destination (TBC – likely to be charter bus to either Queen Elizabeth part or Brewtown Upperhutt) Senior: Activities may include swimming, beach, tram ride, trampolines, bowling, arcade games. (pocket money required for paid activities). Junior activities may include:Beach, Chipmunks or H2Oxtreme (Swimming)
Fri 10th	Island Bay park Alternate plan for bad weather – Baking and movie onsite at base venue	Free choice day, trips to beach parks/playgrounds, Te papa, bowling, libraries, arcades, mall.  (pocket money required for paid activities).
Week 2
Mon 12th	Chipmunks Lyall Bay	Oriental parade – Playgrounds, skatepark, swimming, Te papa
Tues 13th	Botanic Gardens, Cable car	Botanic Gardens, Cable car
Wed 14th	Swimming Kilbirnie pools.
Thurs 15th	Jville train trip day Swimming- Johnsonville poolOR Johnsonville Library	Public transport day, bus, train, Eastbourne ferry (weather dependant for ferry) (pocket money required for paid activities).** If your child holds a Total Mobility Card, please bring it along/let the team know they have one. This helps us greatly from a cost perspective.
Fri 16th	Island Bay park Alternate plan for bad weather – Baking and movie onsite at base venue	Free choice day, trips to parks/playgrounds, Te papa, bowling, libraries, arcades, mall.  (pocket money required for paid activities).

Arrival times

• Please arrive between 9:00am and 9:30am at the latest, to allow time for planning outings and organising the day.
• Please don’t arrive before 9:00am, as this time is used by staff to prepare and get set up.

What to Bring Each Day

 Clothing

• Comfortable clothes for the day – please ensure all items are clearly named
• A warm layer (even on sunny days – it’s Wellington!)
• A (named) sun hat
• If your child enjoys water play: a towel and a change of clothes

 Sunblock & Suncare

• Please apply sunblock before your child arrives – and don’t forget a named sunhat! We encourage children to wear sun hats, appropriate clothing, and sunscreen when outdoors
• Our team will reapply during the day as needed. If your child requires a specific sunscreen, please provide this and let the carer know on arrival.

We take sun safety seriously, particularly during warmer months and outdoor activities. We manage it in a flexible and child-centred way, taking into account individual needs, weather conditions, and the type of activity planned.

Food & Drink

• A full named lunchbox and drink bottle with all food/drink your child will need for the day.

Please note: our programme does not include food, so parents and caregivers must supply this daily. Please be aware we’re unable to guarantee covering the cost of additional food items if ‘pocket money’ isn’t provided for your child (see below).

Te Hunga Whaikaha Total Mobility Card

• If your child holds a Total Mobility Card, please let the team know and bring it along on outing days. This helps us significantly with transport costs and supports the sustainability of the programme.

 Toys, Comfort Items, Devices & iPads

• Children are welcome to bring comfort items or favourite toys, but we encourage families to keep this to essentials only wherever possible, as personal items can sometimes be misplaced during the day. We’re unable to take responsibility for loss or damage to personal belongings.  
• If your child has an assisted technology device or other device for regulation (eg Ipad), please let the carer know how you’d like it managed (for example, whether it can go on outings with your child or stay at our base venue).

 Toileting & Personal Care

• If your child needs support with toileting (including nappies or pull-ups), please provide all supplies needed for the day.
• Please ensure your child arrives with a clean nappy where applicable.
• Your child’s dignity and safety are always a priority — two carers are present when supporting children with toileting or nappy changes.

 Pocket Money on Outing Days (Optional but recommended, especially for Seniors)

On outing days, we are happy to accommodate children bringing a small amount of pocket money if families are comfortable with this.

For our seniors particularly, this can be a great opportunity for practising social interactions, making choices, and handling money in a supported way. Our staff are happy to support children with purchases such as lollies at the movies, hot chips, or a trip to the dairy during an outing.

If your child has any food restrictions, allergies, or foods to avoid, please let us know so we can help them make safe and appropriate choices.  Please be aware we’re unable to guarantee covering the cost of additional food items if ‘pocket money’ isn’t provided for your child.

 Programme Contacts

• Seniors: Stephen – hpco@autismexperiences.org.nz or phone 027 357 6929
• Juniors: Pete – hp_junior@autismexperiences.org.nz or phone 021 870 013

 Attendance, cancellations and refunds:

We really appreciate families letting us know as early as possible if circumstances change, as this helps us with planning, staffing, and safety. If your child is registered but unable to attend any scheduled Holiday Programme days, please phone or text our programme contacts as soon as possible.

While we understand that plans can change — including due to illness or other unforeseen circumstances — we’re not able to offer refunds once a place has been confirmed. This is because staffing, venues, and activities are committed in advance based on enrolment numbers, and we are committed to paying our carers whether or not a child is able to attend on the day.

When children are unwell

To help keep everyone safe and well, children who are unwell should be kept at home and not attend the Holiday Programme.

Please note that, as outlined above, we are unable to offer refunds for days missed due to illness.

We understand that some children may have additional requirements relating to medication or ongoing health needs. These situations may be able to be safely managed if we are informed in advance. It’s important to talk with the Programme Supervisor/s ahead of time so appropriate support can be planned — please don’t assume this will be okay without discussion.

If a child becomes unwell during the programme, they will be supported by staff and parents or caregivers will be contacted to arrange next steps.

We are a smoke-free programme
Our programme venues are smoke-free & smoking is not permitted at any of our venues.

• Staff, families, and visitors are asked not to smoke in any areas used by the programme
• This helps create a safe, healthy environment for all children attending

General Queries? If you have any questions, feedback, concerns, or would like to share anything that helps us better support your child, please get in touch — we’re always happy to help. You can also reach out to us via our website. 

We can’t wait to spend the holidays with your kids