To help celebrate conservation week we are keeping it green at our special late night storytime at Johnsonville Library.
So come along on Friday 7th November at 6.30pm for a fun filled storytime all about furry animals, conservation and a helping hand for nature.
The Department of Conservation has launched the New Zealand version of a fun app-based game for smart phones called “Habitat the Game”. If you go around Wellington (Zealandia, Wellington Zoo, Island Bay Marine Reserve and many other places…) looking for New Zealand endangered animals you will learn more about them and you might help them survive.
Real life actions combined with fun in-game missions!
As a bonus there is FREE entry for kids and the first 100 adults at Zealandia on Saturday 4th October from 11am to 3pm for the launch of this game. There are prizes to be won too!
Sustainability Trust presents: Mini Worm Farms at Karori Library
Thursday, 17th July, 6.30-7.30pm
You’re invited to join in this fun session on worms and all the good work they do for us and our planet. Together, we’ll take a closeup look at how worms can turn our food scraps into useful compost, and learn how to build our very own mini-worm farm. So come along and get friendly with worms!
Registration required: Please phone Karori Library (476 8413) or inquire at the front desk.
Cost: Free. Koha to the Trust is appreciated.
Check out these great ideas for FREE things to do at your local Wellington City Library…
Paint like Michelangelo!
Have a go at painting like a renaissance artist during the holidays. Don’t forget to wear your old clothes. (Free and perfect for 7-12 year olds)
Central Library: Wednesday 9th July, 11am – 12noon
Island Bay Community Centre: Tuesday 15th July, 10.30am – 11.30am
Karori Library: Wednesday 16th July, 11am – 12noon
Miramar Library: Thursday 17th July, 11am – 12noon
Johnsonville Library: Thursday 17th July, 11am – 12noon
Books Go Arty, with Kyle Mewburn
Check out the amazing sculptures on show at the Central Library during the school holidays. Each sculpture is based on a book by Kyle Mewburn and created by a primary or intermediate school class from a Wellington City School. Take part in the scavenger hunt, and gran an entry form for the Crafty Kyle Competition. More info here. (Exhibition is free and open to view at the Central Library during opening hours).
Central Library: All day, every day
Gamesfest Evenings at Central Library
Every Wednesday evening at the Central Library there will be a variety of games set up at the central Library for everyone and anyone to play. To grab some family and friends and come along for some warm wintery indoor fun. Aim for a Scrabble high score, or show your hand in your favourite card game! (Free, all ages, games available 5.30pm – 7.30pm)
Central Library: Every Wednesday 5.30 – 7.30pm
Mini Wormfarms at Karori Library
You’re invited to join in this fun session on worms and all the good work they do for us and our planet. Together we’ll take a closeup look at how worms can turn our food scraps into useful compost, and learn how to build our very own mini-worm farm. So come along and get friendly with worms!
Registration required: Please phone Karori Library or inquire at the front desk.
Cost: Free. Koha to the Trust is appreciated.
Karori Library: Thursday 17th July 6.30 – 7.30pm
Kōhunga Kōrero – Whāngaia tō Tama Toa ki te pānui pukapuka
Pakiwaitara, rotarota, waiata hoki i te reo Māori mō ngā kōhungahunga.
Get your superhero hooked on stories! Storytimes in te reo Māori
Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library: Monday 14th July, 10.30am
Johnsonville Library: Tuesday 15th July, 2pm
Preschool Storytime and Baby Rock & Rhyme
These popular programmes for under 5s will continue to run during the school holidays. Check out the event calendar or ask at your local library for dates at times.
Check out the Library event calendar, or Kids’ What’s On web page for more information.
You’re invited to join in this fun session on worms and all the good work they do for us and our planet.
Together, we’ll take a closeup look at how worms can turn our food scraps into useful compost, and learn how to build our very own mini-worm farm.
So come along and get friendly with worms!
Monday 12th May, 6.30pm. RSVP to Cummings Park Library: 479 2344 or at the library front desk
In celebration of Conservation Week 2013 (8-15th September) Karori Library was treated to a special visit from our friend Kereru during our Monday storytime session.
Conservation is all about protecting and celebrating our natural environment and native wildlife and Conservation Week is a great opportunity to get involved with your friends and whanau. You might also like to have a look at the Kiwi Conservation Club website, and check out some of the fantastic books about conservation at your local library.
This survey started in 2007 and provides valuable information about our bird life around New Zealand. It’s really simple to do:
If you’re not sure what the names of the birds are you can look at this handy guide.
You can sit either inside (e.g. in the living room at home or classroom at school looking out the window) or outside (e.g. on a deck or garden seat). If you are outside, be careful not to frighten birds away from your garden. If you have a bird feeder or water bath, you may like to watch an area of your garden that includes that feature. You don’t have to be able to see your whole garden, just part of your garden.
Important: Record the highest number of each bird species you see at one time during the hour and record on the form. If you see 1 blackbird early in your observation period and you write that down but later see 2 blackbirds at the same time, then cross out the 1 and write down 2. And so on. Do not record the total number you see at different times over the period you’re watching because the same birds may come and go several times. For example, if you see 2 blackbirds at one time, then later see 1 blackbird the total you have seen at one time is 2 not 3. The latter blackbird may have been the same as one of the two you saw earlier. You are allowed to count birds you hear but do not see, as well as birds flying or calling overhead.
Have you heard about The Great NZ Science Project? Now’s your chance to get behind science and help New Zealand decide how we use it to invest in our future. Explore areas of interest and join the debate. The future of science in New Zealand is in your hands.
Important and leading NZ scientists have teamed up with our best free-thinkers -you guys, to figure out what science areas NZ should be focusing and spending our money on.
There are lots of ideas and projects suggested in the areas of
In each of these areas you can find out about what’s happening, what could happen in the future and why it’s important for scientists to work in these areas. There are heaps of facts and videos to watch. The videos are really cool, I reckon you should watch them.
Then you get to vote and write your opinion on whether you support science developments in these areas, which areas you think are most important and, coolest of all, you get to tell the scientists what you think they should be working on.
If you have an idea for a project for NZ scientists you can suggest it and you never know, an awesome scientist out there might think it’s a good idea and start working on it -Cool!
The Great NZ Science Project is on Facebook and Twitter for you to like, follow, post and comment.
Every year a group called Landcare Research ask people to do a survey of the types and number of birds found in your garden.
This year the Bird Survey Week is June 30th – July 8th. All you have to do to join in is print off the form and watch your garden for 1 hour only during the week, and note down the birds you see. Fill in the form and pop it into a letter box. You can even print off a bird identification guide so you can find out the names of the birds you spot.
The info found out by this bird survey is really important- scientists will know if the number of birds is going up or daown, and which types of birds are in different places in New Zealand. They can compare the results from this year to last year and see what has changed.
New Zealand’s birds are really amazing and often very unique in the world. We have loads of books in the library about NZ birds. Here’s my favourites:
Wellington’s own native bird sanctuary, Zealandia, is full of rare and special NZ birds. Go for a visit or check out their bird info online. If you’re lucky you might get to spot a Kiwi – cool!
A day to celebrate the environment? That’s right – World Environment Day (WED) is an annual event that aims to get people from all around the world to come together to ensure a cleaner, greener and brighter outlook for themselves and future generations. Its all about taking positive action to protect our environment and make it better.
There are heaps of thins you can do – organize a neighborhood clean-up, stop using plastic bags and get your community to do the same, plant a tree or better yet organize a collective tree planting effort, walk to school or your friends house (instead of driving), start a recycling drive . . . the possibilities are endless.
Want to know more about the environment? Try these:
