Revving up imaginations these winter school holidays!

State Library Victoria is hosting its first ever drive-in movie cinema especially for kids – part of a huge program of free and low-cost activities these winter school holidays. 

Kids and their grown-ups are invited to get creative, make a cardboard car and take it for a spin around the Library after closing time. Then the junior drivers can park their car at the Library’s drive-in cinema and settle in for a screening of The Gruffalo.  

Other school holiday activities include drop-in craft workshops where kids can celebrate memories and dream up a keepsake, inspired by Josh Pyke’s new book These Long-Loved Things. Budding writers aged 5 to 12 can join a winter writing workshop, reimagining classic fairytales to create their own zine. 

The Library's winter school holidays activities are thoughtfully curated to inspire in children a love of books and reading, and best of all they are low-cost or free, and located in the iconic and warm State Library right in the heart of Melbourne.  

In addition to these events, the Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter is open every day for families to enjoy reading nooks, toys and 4,000 books for kids including picture books, community language books, non-fiction and graphic novels. 

Drive-In Storytime  
Create and decorate your very own cardboard box car, then buckle up and tune into a Library screening of The Gruffalo. Perfect for children aged 3 to 8 years.  
Date/Time: Wednesday 8 July 2026, 5–7.30pm. 
Duration: 2.5 hours.   
Cost: $15 per child (plus $15 dinner boxes available for pre-purchase). Bookings are essential. 

Writing Workshop: Stories to discover. Stories to tell.  
Put your own spin on beloved fairytales and classic stories and create your very own story zine. This Writing Workshop is supported by the Department of Education Victoria for the 2026 Premiers’ Reading Challenge. Perfect for ages 5 to 12. 
Dates/Times: 30 June, 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 July 2026, 10.30am–12pm.  
Duration: 90 minutes.   
Cost: $12 per child. 

Make a Memory  
Make your own photo frame and dream up a memory – a drawing, written words or something even more imaginative, inspired by These Long-Loved Things by Josh Pyke and Ronojoy Ghosh. You can then keep your creation or add it to the installation within the Pauline Gandel Children's Quarter. Perfect for ages 5 to 12.  
Date/Time: Daily during the school holidays, 27 June – 5 July, from 1-4pm.  
Duration: Drop in anytime. 
Cost: Free. No bookings required.  

Please note: A parent or carer must attend these activities for the entire duration with their child/children. 

Images available here. 

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About State Library Victoria  

State Library Victoria marks its 170th anniversary this year. As Australia’s oldest public library, and one of the first free public libraries in the world, we believe in the power of knowledge to change lives. Free to access and open to all, the Library enriches the cultural, educational, social and economic lives of all Victorians. State Library Victoria preserves and shares the stories of Victoria and the world, and is a major destination for stimulating cultural experiences, contemporary debates and community-driven collecting. We encourage learning, exploration, imagination and creativity, opening up possibilities for all Victorians. The Library is home to the Victorian Indigenous Research Centre which works to ensure that the Indigenous Community is represented, acknowledged and respected in all Library programs, services and projects.