What’s On for Kids in the CBD?

Warning: This blog post is intended for parents and caregivers — kids read on at your peril!

Kia ora folks! As we hurtle towards the summer, a lot more families will be heading into the city centre to visit the waterfront, go shopping, explore the city streets, and perhaps even visit one of our three CBD libraries! And if you’re coming into the city with a child in tow, what could be a nicer thing to do than join one of our wonderful city centre librarians for a lovely Preschool Storytime or Baby Rock and Rhyme session? Read on to find out more about when and where you can expect to find something to do with your preschooler in the central city.


Te Awe Library

A spooktacular Halloween display in the kids’ area at Te Awe Library.

Te Awe Library is our largest CBD library, located between Brandon Street and Panama Street, just off Lambton Quay. At Te Awe, you can find a huge children’s section, lots of cosy nooks to curl up and read in, free bookable meeting rooms, as well as a big collection of books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, and even vinyl records for adults and children alike to browse — and don’t forget the excellent Collective Coffee Shop is located conveniently within the library for a great way to start the day with your tamariki!

What’s on for tamariki at Te Awe?

  • Preschool StorytimeWednesdays at 10.30am (new time!)
    Fun and interactive stories, songs, and rhymes to inspire your preschooler and grow a love of literacy. Through stories and play, children learn how to express themselves and understand the world around them. Recommended for tamariki aged 2-4 with their caregivers.
  • Baby Rock and RhymeMondays at 2.00pm and Thursdays at 10.30am
    Join us for these fun and free sessions for parents and carers to interact with their babies through songs and stories. Rhyme, rhythm, repetition and music are the building blocks of language for babies. Recommended for pēpī aged 0-2 with their caregivers.
  • Monthly Mandarin StorytimesFirst Tuesday of the month at 10.30am
    Regular Mandarin storytimes are starting up again! Join us for these special bilingual events run by our talented staff and learn more about Chinese story, music, and culture. All are welcome, whether or not you speak Mandarin as your first language. Recommended for tamariki aged 2-4 with their caregivers.
    普通话讲故事时间。提亚威 图书馆 上午10.30—11am。 每个月的第一个周二。
    互动和有趣的故事和童谣时间,激发儿童对文学的热爱。通过故事和玩耍,儿童会学习自我表述, 并了周围的世界。
    建议2-4岁儿童和家长参加。免费。
  • LEGO® TimeSaturdays at 2.00pm and Sundays at 11.00am
    Come down to the library and get creative in these free-build sessions with our extensive LEGO® collections. Builders of all ages and experience levels are welcome to get stuck in! Recommended for tamariki, rangatahi, and pākeke aged 5+. Children under the age of 14 should be accompanied by a caregiver.

How to get to Te Awe

All CBD buses go past Te Awe Library — get off at the Lambton Central stops by David Jones for easy access to the library via Panama Street. Free bike parking is available on Grey Street, and paid street parking is available on Panama and Brandon Streets. Visit this link for directions to Te Awe Library from your current location.


Arapaki Library

A beautiful display at Arapaki Library in celebration of Diwali 2022.

Arapaki Library is located on Manners St, perfect for families who live in the city centre or who travel through for work or school. At Arapaki, you can find a great selection of kids’ books, as well as books in a variety of community languages, including Korean, Japanese, French, Russian, Persian and Spanish.

What’s on for tamariki at Arapaki?

  • Preschool Storytime — Thursdays at 10.30am
    Fun and interactive stories, songs, and rhymes to inspire your preschooler and grow a love of literacy. Through stories and play, children learn how to express themselves and understand the world around them. Recommended for tamariki aged 2-4 with their caregivers.
    Our storytimes at Arapaki are very popular with local preschools, but all are welcome to join in on the fun!

How to get to Arapaki

Like Te Awe, all CBD bus routes go directly past Arapaki Library — get off at the Manners Street at Willis Street stop if you’re coming from the Courtenay Place end of town, or at the Manners Street at Cuba Street stop if you’re coming from the railway station end of town. Limited paid parking is available near the library on Victoria Street or Willis Street. Visit this link for directions to Arapaki Library from your current location.


He Matapihi Library

A lovely Pride display from the team at He Matapihi Library, in the small amphitheatre used for events.

Our smallest CBD location, He Matapihi Library is located on Molesworth Street, on the ground floor of the National Library building. He Matapihi’s unique collection contains only books written by New Zealand authors, with a special focus on books of significance to Māori as well as to Wellingtonians specifically. With the wonderful Home Cafe right next door, He Matapihi is the perfect spot for families to chill out together!

What’s on for tamariki at He Matapihi?

  • Preschool StorytimeMondays at 10.30am
    Fun and interactive stories, songs, and rhymes to inspire your preschooler and grow a love of literacy. Through stories and play, children learn how to express themselves and understand the world around them. Recommended for tamariki aged 2-4 with their caregivers.
  • Craftivity — Saturdays at 10.30am
    Bust the indoor boredom and join us for free arts and crafts for kids at the library! Our talented staff are full of ideas, and we can’t wait to see yours! This is a guaranteed fun time for tamariki and the whole whānau to enjoy together. Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

How to get to He Matapihi

The Library is in walking distance of Wellington Railway Station — get off at Wellington Station and turn right up Molesworth Street. For bus users, the 14 and 22 are regular services that go via the library — get off at the Molesworth Street – Cathedral stop. Otherwise, paid parking is available near the library on Molesworth Street and Aitken Street. Visit this link for directions to He Matapihi Library from your current location.

Kids’ Activities Under Red Settings

To keep our young people and vulnerable communities safe under Red settings, we’re moving most of our programmes for children under the age of 12 and their families online! This is because even though our libraries are open, lots of our kids’ programmes, like CRAFTerschool, Code Club, and Baby Rock and Rhyme, involve lots of people getting very close together, and it’s just too tricky to provide the required social distancing for young people who can’t yet be vaccinated.

Soon, we will be starting up a whole bunch of activities and programmes, some of which you can do online, and some of which you will be able to do in a contactless way in the library, but in the meantime we thought it would be a good idea to remind you about all the awesome online resources and activities you can do with us online. If you love stories, arts and crafts, music, movies, and fun activities to do with your family, we’ve got you covered!

We have so many really cool resources available in our eLibrary! If you want to have a browse yourself you can check our our Kids’ Guide or have a look through what’s available on our Kids’ Home Page, or just read on… Continue reading

Matariki 2021 at your libraries!

Tēnā koutou katoa, e te whānau!

From 2 – 10 July, Wellington City Libraries is celebrating Matariki with a range of events, crafts, storytelling sessions, and experiences for whānau and tamariki all over our city. Don’t forget to also check out the Wellington City Council website to find out about the huge range of exciting activities taking place outside our libraries during Matariki.

Why do we celebrate Matariki? The star cluster Matariki (also known as the Pleiades) reappears in the dawn sky about Aotearoa in late May or early June. The new moon following the rising of Matariki signals the Māori New Year. Customarily, this was a time to remember the deceased of the past year and to plan for the new year. Today, Matariki has been revived as a celebration of people, culture, language, spirituality, and history. It is a time for whānau and friends to come together to reflect on the past 12 months and look forward to the year ahead. When you add your star to our purapura whetū, we invite you to send a message to someone you love, or reflect on the year that has just passed.

Some of the awesome crafty things you can find to make Matariki art with at your local library


Nau mai haere mai ki te whare pukapuka ki te whakanui i a Matariki! Join us for these fabulous events happening at library branches across the city:

Beginner’s Guide to Whakapapa

Join us for this short talk aimed at giving people with little to no experience researching their whakapapa some useful tips when navigating the resources accessible on the WCL website. Adults are very welcome.

  • Tuesday 6 July, 12.30pm at Te Awe Brandon St Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awe

Explore the Stars in VR

Celebrate Matariki by joining us at Te Awe Library to take turns exploring the night sky in virtual reality. The stars have never seemed quite so close to touch! This event is great for mātua, rangatahi, and tamariki alike.

  • Friday 9 July, 2.00 – 4.00pm at Te Awe Brandon St Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awe

Kōhunga Kōrero o Matariki

Nau mai haere mai ki te whare pukapuka ki te whakanui i a Matariki! Pakiwaitara i roto i te reo Māori. E 30 meneti pakiwaitara, rotarota, waiata hoki i roto i te reo Māori nō ngā kōhungahunga me ō rātou mātua kaitiaki. Join us for these special Matariki storytimes in te reo Māori! Featuring stories, songs and rhymes in te reo Māori, these 30-minute storytimes are open to anyone, and are recommended for children aged 2-6 years and their caregivers.

  • Friday 2 July, 10.30am at Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi
  • Tuesday 6 July, 10.30am at Newtown Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Omārōrō
  • Friday 9 July, 10.30am at Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi

Let’s Go LEGO®: Matariki Whetū!

Let’s build – let’s explore – let’s create! Come along to your library to create your LEGO® masterpiece. These sessions all feature special Matariki-themed activities as we celebrate this festive time with our friends and whānau. Our LEGO® activities are perfect for tamariki of all ages to participate in with their whānau.

  • Friday 2 July, 3.30pm at Khandallah Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Tari-kākā
  • Sunday 4 July, 11.00am at Te Awe Brandon St Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awe
  • Thursday 8 July, 3.30pm at Cummings Park Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Korimako
  • Friday 8 July, 3.30pm at Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi

Matariki Storytimes

Come along and celebrate Matariki at your local whare pukapuka, or library, with Matariki-themed stories and waiata with our librarians. Our storytimes are family-friendly and fun for all ages. Weekday sessions are all at 10.30am; weekend sessions are all at 2.00pm.

  • Friday 2 July, 10.30am:
    • He Matapihi Molesworth Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o He Matapihi
    • Wadestown Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Ōtari
  • Saturday 3 July, 2.00pm:
    • Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi
    • Te Awe Brandon St Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awe
  • Monday 5 July, 10.30am:
    • Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Takapū o Patukawenga
    • Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awa-a-taia
  • Tuesday 6 July, 10.30am:
    • Brooklyn Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Moe-rā
    • Karori Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Māhanga
  • Wednesday 7 July, 10.30am:
    • Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Korimako
    • Karori Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Māhanga
    • Newtown Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Omārōrō
    • Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awa-a-taia
  • Thursday 8 July, 10.30am:
    • Arapaki Manners Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Arapaki
    • Island Bay Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Tapu Te Ranga
    • Miramar Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Motu-kairangi
    • Te Awe Brandon St Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awe
  • Friday 9 July, 10.30am:
    • He Matapihi Molesworth Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o He Matapihi
    • Wadestown Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Ōtari
  • Saturday 10 July, 2.00pm:
    • Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi

Matariki Storytimes: Virtual Edition!

Whakarongo mai, tamariki mā, pākeke mā! Celebrate Matariki wherever you are with our Matariki online storytimes. He korero paki i te reo Māori ēnei; these stories are in te reo Māori. The stories will be streaming live on our Wellington City Libraries Facebook page, and will remain up for your enjoyment throughout the holidays!

  • Thursday 8 July, 7.30pm — online!
  • Friday 9 July, 7.30pm — online!
  • Saturday 10 July, 7.30pm — online!

Pakiwaitara Matariki: Bilingual Storytelling

Join us at your local whare pukapuka for these special bilingual storytimes in celebration of Matariki! Featuring stories, songs and rhymes in te reo Māori and English, these 30-minute storytimes are open to anyone, and are recommended for children aged 2-6 years and their caregivers.

  • Saturday 3 July, 2.00pm at Karori Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Māhanga
  • Saturday 10 July, 11.00am at Cummings Park Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Korimako

Puoro Matariki: Stories and Music

Come along to Johnsonville Library on the first Tuesday of each month to enjoy a half-hour mash-up of stories and music. Literary and musical worlds will collide as we introduce your budding muso (and budding reader, of course!) to a world of rhythm, rhyme, song and dance from across the globe using stories, percussion instruments, and loads of imagination. Join us on the 6th of July for this special Matariki-themed session for all ages!

  • Tuesday 6 July, 10.30am at Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi

Whetū Toi: CRAFTerschool

Join us for this special after-school Matariki craft session! Make your very own Matariki constellation using one of our designs, or let your creative juices flow and create your own!

  • Monday 5 July, 3.30pm at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Takapū o Patukawenga
  • Wednesday 7 July, 3.30pm at Miramar Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Motu-kairangi
  • Wednesday 7 July, 3.30pm at Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi

Whetū Toi: CRAFTivity

Bust the indoor boredom with a free Arts & Crafts session for tamariki, rangatahi and the whole whānau on Saturday mornings from 10.30am – 11.30 at He Matapihi Molesworth Library. At this session, we’ll be exploring Matariki with a simple craft project to be enjoyed by all!

  • Saturday 3 July, 10.30am at He Matapihi Molesworth Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o He Matapihi

Nō reira, nau mai, haere mai ki ōu tātou whare pukapuka ki te whakanui i tēnēi wā tino hirahira! So come on down to your library to celebrate this special time!

April School Holidays: General Nerdery!

The April school holidays are only two weeks away! This year, Wellington City Libraries is inviting you to join us for General Nerdery all through the holiday period, from the 17th of April to the 2nd of May.

Everyone has something they’re nerdy about, our librarians included. For some, it’s tech-y stuff like robots and VR that get them going; for others, it might be comic books or movies; some of the more adventurous among us don armour, shield and sword for fantasy adventures in games like Dungeons and Dragons. Whatever you get nerdy about, there’s something for you at your local library during the April school holidays! If you’re a bit older, don’t worry — there’s plenty on for teens too. Click here for the lowdown on what’s on for teens! If you want to see the entire event calendar, click here. If you’re a kid — read on!

Child wearing denim dungarees and a makeshift visor with a cardboard jetpack standing next to a cardboard robot, surrounded by images of planets, aliens, and stars. Text: "Join us this school holidays for General Nerdery, 17 April to 2 May"

Join us for nerdy events you can really sink your teeth into!

Board Game Builders

Whether you’ve been dreaming up your own version of Snakes and Ladders, or have a whole new tabletop game world in mind, this event is for you! Join us at Te Awe Library to learn about how your can use our special templates to build your own custom board game that you can then take home and play with your friends and family! All materials will be supplied.

Board Games Builders is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Friday 23 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

City Nature Challenge: Wellington Bioblitz!

Throughout the holidays, people from all over the world are participating in the City Nature Challenge! Wellington is teeming with wildlife, from the mountains to the sea. You can get involved in the City Nature Challenge Wellington Bioblitz using the iNaturalist app — just take a picture of a plant or animal you find and upload it to the app! Click here to join in on the fun, and don’t forget to pick up a special City Nature Challenge activity sheet from your local library during the holidays.

Crazy Collages

Have you ever looked at an old book or magazine and thought, “This would really look a lot better if I tore it apart and made it into art?” We have, too! Come along to Te Awe Library and join our librarians in repurposing some old magazines into beautiful works of art that you can be proud of.

Crazy Collages is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Wednesday 28 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

El’s Party!

To celebrate the end of the school holidays, you are invited to a special party right here in the library! Do you want to play party games? Do you enjoy dance and song? Then grab your brown-up, bring them to Te Awe Library, and be prepared to have entirely too much fun with El, our very own party librarian!

El’s Party is perfect for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Thursday 29 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

Embroider Your Own Patch

Join us at Johnsonville Library during the school holidays to learn how to embroider your own patch that you can sew onto your clothes, schoolbag, or jacket! Wear your nerdy finery with pride and chill with like-minded folks in the library while picking up a new skill. Materials will be provided, and registrations are not required.

Embroider Your Own Patch is suitable for children aged 9+ with their caregivers.

  • Johnsonville Library, Tuesday 20 April, 2.00 – 5.00pm
  • Johnsonville Library, Tuesday 27 April, 2.00 – 5.00pm

Experience VR

Virtual reality (VR) offers us a new and exciting way to learn about and experience the world around us. From 3D painting and virtual sculpting to exploring some of the world’s most extreme locations, this is your opportunity to experience VR from the safety and comfort of your local library.

Experience VR! is suitable for children aged 9+ accompanied by their caregivers, and teens of all ages.

  • Karori Library, Tuesday 20 April, 3.30 – 4.30pm
  • Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library, Thursday 29 April, 3.30 – 4.30pm

Family Movie Afternoon

Bring a cushion and a bottle of water and relax at our FREE, fun family movie afternoons — popcorn will be supplied! All movies chosen will have a G rating, and are suitable for families with young children. Contact the host library to find out which movies are screening!

Family Movie Afternoons are suitable for children of all ages with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Monday 19 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm
  • Karori Library, Wednesday 28 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm
  • Te Awe Library, Friday 30 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

Fort Night

Fancy yourself a builder, engineer, architect, or artist? Join us at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library to put your skills to the test by helping us turn the library’s children’s and teens sections into a magnificent, interconnected box fort! Drop in and have a go, or stay for the whole time and watch your masterpiece take shape, from foundation to parapet.

Fort Night is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers, and teens of all ages.

  • Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library, Thursday 22 April, 4.00 – 6.00pm
  • Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library, Thursday 29 April, 4.00 – 6.00pm

LEGO® Time

Come down to the library and get creative in these free-build sessions with our extensive LEGO® collections. Builders of all ages and experience levels are welcome to get stuck in.

LEGO® Time is suitable for children aged 5+ and their caregivers, and everyone is welcome.

  • Te Awe Library, Sunday 18 April, 11.00am – 12.00pm
  • Te Awe Library, Thursday 22 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm
  • Te Awe Library, Tuesday 27 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm
  • Te Awe Library, Sunday 2 May, 11.00am – 12.00pm

Let’s Go LEGO®

Let’s build — let’s explore — let’s create! Come along to your local library to create your LEGO® masterpiece. At Let’s Go LEGO® your brickish nerdery will be put to the test as you work your way through our special themed challenges.

Let’s Go LEGO® is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Karori Library, Saturday 17 April, 2.00 – 3.00pm
  • Newtown Library, Monday 19 April, 3.30 – 4.30pm
  • Brooklyn Library, Tuesday 20 April, 2 – 3:30pm
  • Miramar Library, Thursday 22 April, 3.30 – 4.30pm

Plus, come along for a special ‘under the sea’ themed LEGO® building session at Wadestown Library:

  • Wadestown Library, Wednesday 21 April, 3.00 – 5.00pm

Meet the Robots

Ever wondered what goes on inside the mind of a robot? Join us at Te Awe Library to meet some of our resident library robots, find out how they work, and then try your hand at programming them! No prior coding knowledge is required.

Meet the Robots is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Wednesday 21 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

Myths and Music

The magic of storytelling takes many forms, and myths and legends in many parts of the world have often been told through music. Join our librarians for a musical journey through Celtic and Maori mythology — and be prepared to make some noise of your own!

Myths and Music is suitable for children of all ages with their caregivers.

  • Johnsonville Library, Friday 23 April, 3.00 – 4.00pm
  • Johnsonville Library, Friday 30 April, 3.00 – 4.00pm

Nature Heroes: Board Game Creation Workshop

Johnsonville Library is excited to work with VIVITA Aotearoa to bring this VIVISTOP Mini pop-up programme to the library. During this 5-day workshop, you will learn about the concepts of design thinking, engage in creative problem solving, learn to use software and hardware and other tools in the library’s Tūhura HIVE Makerspace, and then apply these lessons to the creation of a board game centred around the theme of conservation.

This workshop is FREE. Space is limited to 15 participants. Click here to register. Nature Heroes: Board Game Creation Workshop is suitable for young creators aged 9-15.

  • Johnsonville Library, Tuesday 27 April to Saturday 1 May inclusive, 10.00am – 12.00pm

Paper Plane Cloudracers

Join us at Te Awe Library to bring your aeronautic dreams to life as paper planes! Learn new designs, construct your plane, then see how your design fares against our librarians in the paper plane aviation race of the century. All materials will be supplied.

Paper Plane Cloudracers is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Tuesday 20 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

Summer Programmes and Events Schedule

Kia ora koutou! The summer holidays are a great time for you to relax, spend some time with whānau, and bask in the sunshine with a good book. Our librarians sometimes like to do this as well, so there will be some changes to our regularly-scheduled events and programmes during Christmas, New Year’s, and January. You can find out where and when everything is happening at the Event Calendar, or the children’s What’s On webpage, but here are the basics for you:


Special Events

Two children sitting underneath a tree, reading a book.

Enjoy the Summer Reading Challenge these school holidays!

During December, we have special Christmas Storytimes for the whole family to enjoy at all 14 of our libraries, and don’t forget that the Summer Reading Challenge is running from now until the end of January! Get stuck in now to earn sweet prizes.

Keep an eye out for our famous BookBike at beaches and parks around the city during those hot January days, and you can also come see us at a wide variety of festivals and events during the summer, including Gardens Magic (12 January – 31 January 2021) and the Wellington Pasifika Festival on 23 January 2021. We’d love to see you there!


Regular Programmes

Baby Rock and Rhyme will be taking a break at all sites from the 11th of December, and making a glorious return on the 1st of February. If you’re itching for that musical fix in your life, our newest library in the CBD, Te Awe on Brandon Street, will keep running Baby Rock and Rhyme until the 16th of December, and return on the 11th of January.

Preschool Storytime and Kōhunga Kōrero will run until the 20th of December at all sites for all your storytelling needs. At our CBD sites, as well as Johnsonville, Tawa, Brooklyn and Wadestown, storytime will resume from the 4th of January. At all other locations, our storytellers will be returning from the 1st of February.

Our LEGO® programmes including Let’s Go LEGO® and LEGO® Time will be on hiatus between the 20th of December and the 1st of February. At Johnsonville, Tawa, and Te Awe Libraries, these programmes will keep running throughout January — yahoo!

Our term-time programmes including Code Club, Tech Time, and CRAFTerschool will start up again in Week 2 of Term 1 2021, to give you time to adjust to being back at school before diving back into library events!


If you have any questions, feel free to contact your local library, or you can email the Children’s Librarian to find out more.

 

Purapura Whetū: A Matariki Festival with Your Libraries

Tēnā koutou katoa, e te whānau!

This July, Wellington City Libraries is celebrating Matariki with Purapura Whetū, a special festival of events, crafts, storytelling, and reflection for whānau and tamariki all over our city.

As well as all the programmes listed below, each of our libraries will have special crafting stations set up where you can make your very own star to add to our city-wide purapura whetū; a pattern, or web of stars.

Why do we celebrate Matariki? The star cluster Matariki (also known as the Pleiades) reappears in the dawn sky about Aotearoa in late May or early June. The new moon following the rising of Matariki signals the Māori New Year. Customarily, this was a time to remember the deceased of the past year and to plan for the new year. Today, Matariki has been revived as a celebration of people, culture, language, spirituality, and history. It is a time for whānau and friends to come together to reflect on the past 12 months and look forward to the year ahead. When you add your star to our purapura whetū, we invite you to send a message to someone you love, or reflect on the year that has just passed.

Come down to your library to make your whetū (star) and add it to our constellation!


Nau mai haere mai ki te whare pukapuka ki te whakanui i a Matariki! As well as the Purapura Whetū craft activity happening at every branch, there are many other fabulous events to look out for celebrating Matariki during the school holidays:

Kōhunga Kōrero o Matariki
Nau mai haere mai ki te whare pukapuka ki te whakanui i a Matariki! Pakiwaitara i roto i te reo Māori. E 30 meneti pakiwaitara, rotarota, waiata hoki i roto i te reo Māori nō ngā kōhungahunga me ō rātou mātua kaitiaki. Join us for these special Matariki storytimes in te reo Māori! Featuring stories, songs and rhymes in te reo Māori, these 30-minute storytimes are open to anyone, and are recommended for children aged 2-6 years and their caregivers.

  • Friday 10 July, 10.30am at Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi
  • Monday 13 July, 10.30am at Karori Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Māhanga
  • Friday 17 July, 10.30am at Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi

Making Matariki Stars
Join us for this special Matariki craft session! Make your very own Matariki star using one of our designs, or let your creative juices flow and create your own! Then, we will add your star to our purapura whetū — our pattern of stars — for everyone to enjoy and admire.

  • Monday 13 July, 11.00am at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Takapū o Patukawenga

Matariki By Torchlight
Head down to the library at twilight for this special evening of Matariki and Aotearoa-themed stories and songs under the starlight (or clouds!). Bring your own torch and come along in your PJs ready for some heart-warming bedtime stories and songs.

  • Monday 13 July, 6.00pm at Brooklyn Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Moe-rā

Matariki Music Makers: Making Taonga Whakatangitangi
Come along and celebrate Matariki by crafting music makers inspired by the porotiti, and making Matariki stars. You can take your creations home, or display them at our libraries during our #purapurawhetu Matariki festival.

  • Friday 10 July, 2.00pm at Brooklyn Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Moe-rā

Matariki Online Storytimes
Whakarongo mai, tamariki mā, pākeke mā! Celebrate Matariki wherever you are with our Matariki online storytimes. He korero paki i te reo Māori ēnei; these stories are in te reo Māori. The stories will be streaming live on our Wellington City Libraries Facebook page, and will remain up for your enjoyment throughout the holidays!

  • Saturday 4 July, 7.30pm — online!
  • Sunday 5 July, 7.30pm — online!
  • Monday 6 July, 7.30pm — online!

Matariki Storytimes
Come along and celebrate Matariki at your local whare pukapuka, or library, with Matariki-themed stories and waiata with our librarians. Then, why not try your hand at making Matariki stars at our crafting stations? There will be a range of activities available for your whānau.

  • Tuesday 7 July, 10.30am at Khandallah Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Tarikākā
  • Wednesday 8 July, 10.30am at Karori Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Māhanga
  • Monday 13 July, 10.30am at Wadestown Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Ōtari
  • Wednesday 15 July, 10.30am at Cummings Park Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Korimako

String Bean Puppets: Once in a Full Moon
Come along and celebrate Matariki at your local library with Anna Bailey and her string bean puppets! Anna’s puppets will be helping her perform the magical tale “Once in a Full Moon.” One evening, a lonely kiwi looks up in the sky and sees something remarkable… can kiwis fly after all?

  • Monday 13 July, 2.00pm at Karori Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Māhanga
  • Tuesday 14 July, 11.00am at He Matapihi Molesworth Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o He Matapihi
  • Wednesday 15 July, 2.00pm at Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awa-a-Taia
  • Friday 17 July, 2.00pm at Johnsonville Library/Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi

Nō reira, nau mai, haere mai ki ōu tātou whare pukapuka ki te whakanui i tēnei wā tino hirahira! So come on down to your library to celebrate this special time!

Getting Crafty: Arts and Crafts Books From Our eLibrary

If you’re anything like me and my sister you will be reaching for the arts and crafts supplies to get you through these next few weeks. Of course, it can be hard to get started on a project, or think up an idea all by yourself which is where the library comes in. We have loads of great crafting books online you can check out and help you get creative and pass the time throughout the lockdown.

Origami activities for children / Araki, Chiyo
Want to get creative but don’t have many craft supplies around the house? Then origami would be perfect! Learn how to make boats, flowers, pumpkins and more out of just a square of paper. Each project comes with step by step instructions and all are graded so you can start off simply and progress to more difficult designs as you improve your origami skills. Have fun keeping your hands busy and decorating your room with some wonderful paper creations.

Life hacks for kids / Keller, Sunny
Who doesn’t love a fun life hack? Sunny Heller will take you through her favourite hacks from her youtube channel and teach you exactly how she makes them. Feel like creating your own bowling alley at home? Or maybe some duct-tape earrings or even a new cat toy for your kitty? Sunny can help you make all this and more with this wonderfully colourful and fun craft book.

20 ways to draw a tree and 44 other nifty things from nature / Renouf, Eloise

Incredible Dinosaurs / McCurry, Kristen

Itching to draw and paint but can’t quite decide what you should create? Then the library can help you figure out your style and help perfect your pictures. These are just two books from our elibrary that are designed to teach you how to draw certain things and inspire you to create your own amazing landscapes, dinosaurs and more!

These are just a few of the books we have available in our elibrary so if they’re not quite right for you feel free to check out the rest of our collection.

One thing to remember is that it might be hard to get a hold of all the supplies needed for some of these projects because most shops are closed and we can’t leave our houses much. It might be best to talk to your Mum or Dad about what you have available when you’re picking your projects and using some kiwi ingenuity by swapping out things you can’t get with similar bits and pieces around your home.

I hope these books can inspire you and help you get crafty over the next few weeks!

Make a Bee Hotel at Tawa Library!

To celebrate Bee Aware Month come along to the library and have a go at making your own Bee Hotel.

Marvyn Kemp (Tawa) Library, Thursday 19th September, 3.30 – 4.30pm

Please bring an empty, clean 425g tin can.  All other material will be supplied.

Spaces are limited so secure a spot by registering at the desk or contact the library on 04 232 1690.

Suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers

Make a Bee Hotel at Johnsonville Library

To celebrate Bee Aware Month come along to the library and have a go at making your own Bee Hotel.

Johnsonville Library – Thursday 5th September – 3.30 – 4.30pm

Please bring an empty, clean 425g tin can.  All other materials will be supplied.

Spaces are limited so secure a spot by registering at the desk or contact the library on ph:477 6151.

Suitable for school age and up.

Children’s Christmas Fun

Santa PhotographSchool is almost finished and Christmas is just about here.  Its time to think of all that Christmas stuff you need to do before the man in the big red suit arrives.

First of all,  have you sent your Christmas letter to Santa? I’m sure you have plenty of things on your wish list.

Next you have to think about what gifts you can make for your family and friends.

Don’t forget that you can do some Christmas baking. Everyone loves baking! I think the Not-so Frosty the Snowman would be a big hit!

After that you could spend some time playing fun Christmas games.

And last but not least make sure you come along to The 12 Storytimes of Christmas at your local library.

Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas everyone!

 

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