The best thing parents can do is nurture their child's creativity in order to turn it into something wonderful.

When the school holidays come around it can be easy for children to spend their time playing video games or watching television. While a little of this can be good, children should also be encouraged to use and expand their creativity.

Questacon director Graham Durant believes children should partake in several different experiences to help expand their creative minds.

"Children need rich environments for experience," he said. "All different types of experience because early on they soak up all the different experiences as their brain is developing.

"The more experiences you can give children, [the better], the tactile experiences, the locomotive experiences, role play experiences, music, sound or language."

Canberra offers a range of holiday programs that provide the kind of experiences Durant recommends. From 3D printing, to portrait drawing and glass tile making, there is something for everyone.

Questacon will be holding its own holiday workshops and Durant said they are a great experience for children.

"[The] holiday programs encourage young children to develop creativity, imagination and teamwork," he said.

"We usually give creativity challenges or design thinking challenges. It is very much hands and brains working together to develop skills and knowledge."

3D Printing Camp

In recent years, 3D printing has been introduced to create everyday items. Westfield's 3D printing camps give children the opportunity to book in for a one-hour 3D printing course where they will learn how to print 3D items including a phone case, a piece of jewellery or a printed toy. Free. Bookings essential.

Westfield Belconnen, July 6-11, and Woden, July 13-18. westfield.com.au

Innovation Workshops

The innovation workshops endeavour to unleash a child's inner inventor, designer or maker. The half-day workshops aim to make a child think, make, try and refine and each day there is a new activity. Costs apply for one workshop but children are welcome to attend every day if they wish. $55 ($44 for Q club members). Ages 10-15. Bookings essential.

Questacon, through the Ian Potter Foundation Technology Learning Centre. 60 Dennison Street, Deakin. July 6-10, 9am-noon. 1800 889 995. questacon.edu.au

Art Explorer – Colour my World

This workshop will give children the opportunity to explore the artwork at the Colour my World exhibition and use this as an inspiration for their own art making. The exhibition looks at hand-coloured Australian photography, a significant aspect of recent Australian art. The hand-colouring of photographic images was first used in the mid-19th century. Although the practice slowly died out, it had a revival in the 1970s with many Australian artists adopting the technique. Bring your own morning tea and lunch. $60 ($55 for members) and free for accompanying adults. Ages 8-12.

National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place. July 9, 10.30am-4pm. 6240 6411. nga.gov.au.

Creative meditation for children

Art has been said to have great healing power. Dianne Bourke, a child meditation facilitator and guided imagery specialist for children, will be running a meditation workshop focusing on a child's reaction to art. $7 ($5 for members) and free for accompanying adults. All ages. (Ages 5-7 must be accompanied by an adult.)

National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place. July 13, 10.30-11am or 11.30am-12.15pm. 6240 6411. nga.gov.au.

ASI: Art Scene Investigation

The NGA Contemporary is showcasing more than 40 printmakers from across the country. The Art Investigation squad will be taking children on a hunt to discover clues and solve new mysteries about this art on display. This includes morning tea. $12 ($10 for members). Ages 8-12.

National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place. July 14, 10.30am-noon. 6240 6411. nga.gov.au.

Paper Planes screening (with subtitles)

Paper Planes, directed by Robert Connolly, tells the story of a young boy who is fighting to compete in the World Paper Plane Championships in Japan. After the film there will be 20 minutes of paper plane folding. Free.

National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes. July 4, 3-5pm; July 18, 3-5pm. 6102 7170 or portrait.gov.au

Portrait Play

Portrait play gives children and their parents the opportunity to explore portraits through drawing and creative activity in the galleries. $5 a child. Ages 4-8 (Must be accompanied by an adult.) Bookings essential: bookings@npg.gov.au.

National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes. June 27-July 19, 11am-noon. 6102 7170 or portrait.gov.au

Pixel play, pixel fun tile workshop

Pixel Play gives children the opportunity to turn their favourite comic characters into glass. They will go through the steps to create their own fused masterpiece with help from local artist Nick Adams. $120. Bookings essential. Ages 8+

Canberra Glassworks, 11 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston. July 8-10 or July 15-17, 9.30am-12.30pm. 6260 7005 or canberraglassworks.com

Make your own winter tile workshop

This gives children the opportunity to make their own tile in just 20 minutes. This workshop will teach all the techniques needed for creating a glass masterpiece. $30 (postage extra). Bookings essential.

Canberra Glassworks, 11 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston. July 8-12 or July 15-19, 10.30am-12.30pm. 6260 7005 or canberraglassworks.com

Discovery Kspace

Kspace is an interactive children's area the museum is reopening with its new discovery space program. The program transforms visitors into time-travelling robots and takes them to one of eight mystery locations in Australia's past. $3 (adults free)

National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula. July 6-17, 10-11am, 11am-noon, noon-1pm. 1800 026 132

WordPlay: A Pop-Up Kids' Space

Children are invited to read, write, illustrate and imagine through a range of activities exploring the shape, meaning and use of language. Free. Bookings required for groups. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

The National Library of Australia, Parkes Place. July 6-10, 10am-5pm. 6262 1111 or nla.gov.au. Also at Gungahlin library, July 13-19. 10am-4pm.

Film fun

Wallace and his loyal dog, Gromit, set out to discover the mystery behind the garden sabotage that plagues their village and threatens the annual giant vegetable growing contest. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005, 85 mins, G). Free.

The National Library of Australia, Parkes Place. July 7, 1pm. 6262 1111 or nla.gov.au.

Nature shapes with Angela Pisciotta

For nature shapes children are welcome to bring an object which they have found in nature. This object will then form the basis for an animal shape they will make. $15. Bookings Essential. Children 5-12.

Belconnen Arts Centre, Belconnen. July 14, 2-4pm. 6173 3300 or belconnenartscentre.com.au

Little world rhythms with Jim Sharrock

This is perfect for children who love to bang a saucepan. Experienced drummer and teacher Jim Sharrock will introduce you to hand drumming with a multicultural influence from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. $15. Bookings essential. Children 5-7.

Belconnen Arts Centre, Belconnen. July 16, 10am-noon. 6173 3300 or belconnenartscentre.com.au

Cool cartooning and character creation with Andrew Hore

While cartoons may appear relatively easy to draw, they actually require a lot of work in order to capture movement and personality. At this workshop children will learn about the world of cartooning while drawing their own character. $15. Bookings essential. Children 8-12.

Belconnen Arts Centre, Belconnen. July 17, 2-4pm. 6173 3300 or belconnenartscentre.com.au

Choose your own adventure

Old Parliament House comes alive these holidays. Learn about children's rights in Play Up, a fabulous exhibition curated by and for children or do a special tour of the Behind the Lines exhibition with a fun superhero-themed trail that helps children find cartoons they'll appreciate. Plenty more on offer and no bookings required. Free after admission, $2 adults, children $1 and families $5.

Old Parliament House, Parkes. Open daily 9am-5pm. moadoph.gov.au