Central SA
Oliewenhuis art museum hosts kiddies’ holiday workshops─── REFILWE BEKANE 13:00 Tue, 09 Dec 2025
“I hope they have fun,” said Oliewenhuis interim education officer Baitumetsi Moloabi about the purpose of the annual children’s holiday workshops at the Bloemfontein art museum.
The museum is presenting the programme from Tuesday (9/12) to Friday at the Art Rondavels on the museum grounds at 16 Harry Smith Street. Sessions run daily from 10:00 to 13:00 and are specifically designed for children aged five to twelve.
This year’s central theme is A South African Christmas.
The four-day programme features activities. Photo: Oliewenhuis Musuem
Moloabi noted that the choice of theme was a deliberate move to explore creativity beyond the common Westernised “white Christmas” imagery, which does not always reflect the South African context. The open-ended nature of the projects ensures the workshops successfully cater to the broad age range.
Each activity can be simplified for a five-year-old while still offering enough scope for a twelve-year-old to explore more complex ideas and techniques. To keep participants fully engaged, each age group is assigned a dedicated art guide.
The four-day programme features two main activities. On Tuesday and Thursday, participants create festive wrapping paper. These designs are inspired by a hot summer’s day, incorporating elements such as games and food.
Children are encouraged to use their custom-designed paper to wrap gifts.
The focus shifts on Wednesday and Friday to the creation of a personalised 3D Christmas card. These card-making sessions aim to help participants craft an inspirational greeting for a friend or family member to share festive wishes.
Participation in the workshops is free of charge, making it an accessible holiday activity for families. However, all sessions are currently fully booked.
Child-friendly tools
“We’ll be hosting another one next year in June, and again in December,” said Moloabi.
To ensure safety, the use of sharp objects such as scissors is kept to a minimum. The carving tools used for current projects are child-friendly and specifically selected to reduce any risk.
“It’s really about having fun during this festive season and exploring creativity with us.”
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