Surrey & White Rock summer fun: Events & activities in your community
With the 2023-24 school year in the rearview mirror, students and families in Surrey and White Rock don’t have to look far to find free events and activities to stay cool and busy during summer break.
With a Dino Day, an exhibit showcasing teen innovators and inventors, summer reading clubs and a birthday party for a giant raccoon (with cake!), there’s no shortage of things to do throughout July and August.
Here are some ideas to keep entertained and beat the heat this summer:
- Exhibit (On until Aug. 4) – Teens: Creative Minds: The new featured exhibit focuses on celebrating young innovators and inventors, encouraging visitors to explore their creative potential. Exhibit highlights include interactive modules that engage teens directly in the creative process and real-world examples of the positive change that comes from innovation and invention. Additional content highlights five young innovators from Surrey, demonstrating the entrepreneurial spirit of young residents of Surrey!
The TD Explore Zone at the Museum of Surrey has plenty of engaging activities to help little ones learn about Surrey's environment! (Image: Museum of Surrey) - Exhibit (Ongoing) – TD Explore Zone: Our tiniest museum-goers are Surrey’s future. And how do kids learn best? With fun! Velcro-shoed feet will enter a micro Surrey divided by river, forest, wetlands, agriculture, urban and ocean. Their journey will be led by animal friends Raj the Raccoon, Vida the Frog and Stella the Jay. Did we mention the slide? Or the scarf cannon or super-sized treehouse? Refresh in the chill-out Mini Museum and then do it all again! Tired yet? Don’t worry. We have you covered with parent seating and free WiFi. This gallery has been created with a sustainability focus, so kids learn how to take care of our great city. Take a virtual tour of the space.
- July 27 – Raj the Raccoon’s Birthday Party: The museum’s beloved mascot is turning six! Celebrate with birthday crafts, face painting by Serena Grayson, Historical Storytelling by the re-enactors, a scavenger hunt, oversized games and birthday cake.
There are also several other free, ongoing exhibits to check out, including the Indigenous Hall, Community Treasures and Surrey Stories Gallery.
To learn more about what’s going on at the Surrey Museum this summer, click here.
With branches across Surrey, there’s sure to be something for everyone at the various locations:
- Summer Reading Club and Teen Summer Adventure: These two summer-long reading programs are perfect for children and teens looking for a fun activity spanning July and August. Readers just need to register at their local Surrey Libraries branch and then are given an activity booklet or reading record to track their summer reading progress. The more you read, the more chances you have to win prizes, earn medals and more!
This year's Teen Summer Adventure is 90s themed and provides a chance for youth to win prizes for completing weekly challenges. (Image: Surrey Libraries) - Youth Writing Contest: Aspiring poets, writers and comic-book artists (even mangakas!) aged 12-18, are invited to enter this annual contest, with several cash prizes up for grabs across various age categories. Entries must be submitted by Aug. 1, 2024, and winners are celebrated at an awards gala in October.
- Various events for all ages: Whether it’s toddler story time, children story and drum sessions, Dungeons & Dragons sessions for teens, or family LEGO clubs, Surrey Libraries offers numerous one-off free events through the summer. To find out about events taking place at your local branch, check here. (You can search by age and event type)
For more Surrey Libraries programs and events, including teen volunteer opportunities, family resources and more, click here.
- Summer Reading Clubs: With categories available for children to adults, the Fraser Valley Regional Library Summer Reading Club allows readers to register their reading progress each week for a chance to earn badges and win prizes. The more you read, the more chances you have to win!
Norden the Magician will be holding an event as part of this year's Summer Reading Club at the White Rock Library. (Image: Norden the Magician) - July 8 – Dino Day: Join us at the White Rock library for Dino Day with authors Bryce Raffle and Steven Kothlow! Activities include storytime, Dino Trivia, and special dinosaur colouring sheets. Bryce and Steven are the authors of the Littlest Dinosaur Book Series. Both authors are members of Children's Writers and Illustrators of BC (CWILLBC) and have visited several libraries and schools, including Coquitlam Library and Juniper Ridge Elementary. They are based in New Westminster.
- Aug. 8 – Summer Reading Club: Norden the Magician: ABRA-CA-CURIOUS! Come and see a World of Curiosities at your library with Norden the Magician as part of this year’s Summer Reading Club! Join us for amazing magic and hilarious comedy. Hang out with your favourite mythical creature or strange real animal from our world. Explore the depths of the earth or discover natural curiosities by walking through nature and exploring our world of curiosities. Feed your endless imagination with library stories and information!
In addition, check out White Rock Library’s drop-in STEAM clubs for kids and teens, as well as LEGO club, art club and family story time.
To see all upcoming events at White Rock Library, click here.
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Wishing you a safe and wonderful summer break, from Surrey Schools!
