Art Through the Ages | Toi Puta Noa i Ngā Tau​ – School Holidays Wrap-Up!

As we get back into the swing of things in term four at school, let’s look back on some of the brilliant artistic experiments and creations that you made during our September—October school holiday programme,  Art Through the Ages | Toi Puta Noa i Ngā Tau​.

Flip through this photo gallery to see tamariki repeat the feats of Michelangelo, create miniature masterpieces, learn about traditional Chinese painting and much more!

  • Tradtional Chinese painting workshop at Karori Library!
  • Special guest, Courtney Johnston, the Chief Executive of Te Papa, and librarian Mary, open the exhibition of Miniature Masterpieces created by tamariki. You can check it out in the Waitohi link space!
  • Tamariki made miniature masterpieces at Miramar Library, check out the exhibition!
  • Playdough sculpture spectacular at Te Awe Library!
  • Painting vertically like Michelangelo, at Miramar Library
  • Under the tables at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library – more painting like Michelangelo!
  • Tamariki at Johnsonville Library share their artwork after a tradtional Chinese painting workshop
  • Japanese woodblock print inspired colourful creations at Karori Library
  • Steve Mushin leads a brilliant workshop at Johnsonville Library as part of the Festival of Ultrawild Design!
  • Our heritage & history specialist librarian Gábor shows tamariki an ancient tome at our illuminating Medieval manuscripts​ event at Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library!
  • Miniature masterpieces on display at Te Awe Library!
  • Just a couple of the beautiful popsicle frames made by tamariki at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library!


Wellington City Libraries and Community Spaces would like to give a massive thanks to Qianxiang Liu for leading three traditional Chinese painting workshops, and to our wonderful community librarian June for helping organise these! Thanks also to Gábor, our heritage & history specialist librarian for running workshops about manuscript illumination at two lucky library branches!

We are grateful to maverick inventor Steve Mushin for leading hilarious design and drawing workshops which explored ludicrous sounding, scientifically possible ideas to rewild the world! Keep an eye out for Steve’s upcoming book Ultrawild: An Audacious Plan for Rewilding Every City on Earth, published by Allen & Unwin NZ.

Thanks to everyone who came along and helped make our programme so special! We hope to see you all again next holidays, or hopefully before then at your local library branch! To find out about our regular programmes, special events, and holiday happenings, make sure to keep an eye-out on the kids’ blog, and our Facebook page, or our events calendar.

Mā te wā!

Special Children’s Poetry Event

We are very lucky to have super children’s poet Greg O’Connell visiting Wellington Central Library this week to put on a show for you.

 

Greg O’Connell is an exciting new children’s poet, recently published in eleven issues of the School Journal, so you’ve probably read some of his poems. A dynamic and exciting performer, Greg has thrilled audiences of children throughout New Zealand, and around the world, with his unique brand of interactive poetry. Come along, be part of the fun…and experience poetry like never before!

 

 

Details:

11am at Wellington Central Library (Children’s Section)

Thursday 4th october

Perfect for 5-10 year olds

Free!

 

Paralympics @ Cummings Park Library

Paralympics

Paralympics and Olympics 2012 – fre school holiday activities at your library

Cummings Park Library (Ngaio), 13th July 11.15am

Meet a Paralympian and try out their special sporting equipment:*

see photos of the Paralympics

find out how they became a Paralympian

learn about different disabilities and how athletes are classified for competition

see and touch prosthetic limbs and equipment for daily use and the Paralympics

have a go in a wheelchair and play games.

*activities may vary at different libraries

For information phone 499 4444 or visit us online

Sailing at the Olympics

Sailing is something that New Zealand has done well in at previous Olympic Games, and this year 15 athletes will be competing in sailing events for New Zealand at the London 2012 Olympic Games. You can read about them here and more about what will be happening in the sailing events in London here.

Did you know that Barbara Kendall is the only woman in NZ to have competed at 5 Olympic Games? She competed in boardsailing and has won a gold, a silver and a bronze medal. Tom Ashley also won a gold medal in boardsailing at the last Olymics, in Beijing. 

For more facts about the Olympics and some fun games have a look at this site here.

Make sure you come along to the library for our free school holiday activities all about Paralympics and Olympics 2012.  Meet a Paralympian and try out their special sporting equipment!  For more information phone 499 4444 or visit us online.

If you are interested in some books about sailing or New Zealand sailors have a look at the ones below!

Free school holiday activities at your library

ParalympicsSecond week of the holidays already! Wow- time does go fast when you’re having fun. But don’t worry, the fun hasn’t finished yet. Here’s what’s happening during the second week of the holidays at your local library. 

 

Monday 9th July:

Baby Rock and Rhyme for 0-2 yr olds – Karori Library at 9.45am

Storytimes for 3-5 year olds – Johnsonville, Karori, Tawa, and Kilbirnie Libraries at 10.30am

 

Tuesday 10th July:

Baby Rock and Rhyme for 0-2 yr olds – Miramar Library at 10.15am

Storytimes for 3-5 year olds – Brooklyn, Central, Johnsonville, Khandallah, and Karori Libraries at 10.30am and Miramra Library at 10.15am

BookSeekers for 9-12 year olds – Brooklyn and Karori Libraries at 4pm

Creative Writing Workshop – Karori Library 1pm – 4pm. $30 (goes to the Wellington SPCA). Bookings required.

Paralympics and Olympics Activities for 5-12 year olds – Tawa Library at 11am

 

Wednesday 11th July:

Baby Rock and Rhyme for 0-2 yr olds – Central, Island Bay and Johnsonville Libraries at 9.30am, and Cummings Park Library at 10.15am

Storytimes for 3-5 year olds – Karori, Newtown and Kilbirnie Libraries at 10.30am

BookSeekers for 9-12 year olds – Tawa Library at 4pm

Paralympics and Olympics Activities for 5-12 year olds – Central and Khandallah Libraries at 11am

 

Thursday 12th July:

Baby Rock and Rhyme for 0-2 yr olds – Johnsonville Library at 9.30am

Storytimes for 3-5 year olds – Karori, Island Bay Libraries at 10.30am, and Miramar Library at 10.15am

BookSeekers for 9-12 year olds – Johnsonville and Kilbirnie Libraries at 4pm

Paralympics and Olympics Activities for 5-12 year olds – Kilbirnie  and Wadestown Libraries at 2pm

 

Friday 13th July:

Baby Rock and Rhyme for 0-2 yr olds – Tawa Library at 9.30am, Karori Library at 9.45am, and Kilbirnie Library at 10.15am

Storytimes for 3-5 year olds – Central, Karori and Wadestown Libraries at 10.30am

Paralympics and Olympics Activities for 5-12 year olds – Cummings Park Library (Ngaio) at 11.15am 

 

Saturday 14th July:

Storytimes for 3-5 year olds – Central Library at 11am

Gymnastics at the Olympics

Gymnastics is always a crowd favourite at the Olympic Games.  Gymnasts require strength, flexibility, balance and precision.  But did you know that there are actually two different types of gymnastics at the Olympic Games?  Artistic and Rhythmic

In Artistic Gymnastics athletes perform on special equipment like balance beams, rings, podiums and vaults.  Some of you might have had a go at these yourself at school. 

In Rhythmic Gymnastics competitors perform to music with hoops, ribbons and balls.  Rhythmic Gymnastics is one of the more graceful sports at the Games and also one of only two women-only competions – the other is synchronised swimming (one of my personal faves!) 

Make sure you come along to the library for our free school holiday activities all about Paralympics and Olympics 2012.  Meet a Paralympian and try out their special sporting equipment!  For more information phone 499 4444 or visit us online.

You might also like to take a look at some of the libraries’ books about Gymnastics:

Mountain Biking and BMX at the Olympics

Mountain Biking and BMX are fast, action-packed sports, with riders racing against each other on dirt tracks and rough terrain!  Both sports are relatively new to the Olympic Games with Mountain Biking making its debut as an Olympic sport in 1996 and BMX as recent as 2008.  Kiwi Olympic hopeful Sarah Walker will be making her second appearance at the Olympic Games representing New Zealand in BMX.  At the 2008 Beijing Olympics she placed an impressive 4th but is going for gold this year.  We wish her and the entire New Zealand team all the best!

Make sure you come along to the library for our free school holiday activities all about Paralympics and Olympics 2012.  Meet a Paralympian and try out their special sporting equipment!  For more information phone 499 4444 or visit us online.

You might also like to take a look at some of the libraries’ BMX and Mountain Biking books:

Olympic Traditions – The Olympic Rings

Have you ever wondered how we came to have the Olympic Rings and what they represent?

The French baron, Pierre de Coubertin who was the founder of the modern Olympic games came up with the idea after seeing five interlocking rings on an ancient altar at Delphi in Greece. These rings were inscribed with a truce made between armies during the ancient games.

He believed the five rings would symbolise the five continents of the world – Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania and he chose the colours red, green, black, yellow and blue because at least one of these colours can be found in the flag of every nation participating the the Olympic Games.

The Olympic Rings are found on the Olympic flag as well as all the medals presented to the placegetters in each event at the games.

Today everyone recognised the the interlocking rings as the symbol of the Olympic Games.

Make sure you come along to our Olympics Holiday Activites during the the school holidays – its all free, all fun and all on at your local library. Son’t miss out!

Olympics of Old

Did you know the Olympic Games began in ancient Greece and the first games recorded were in the year 776 BC? In that time the land of Greece was made up of many small kingdoms, which constantly fought among themselves. But every four years they agreed to put aside their differences and send their best athletes to compete with each other in games held at a place named Olympia. The four year period, became known as an Olympiad, and was used by the Greeks to date historical events.

The games at Olympia were not just a sporting event, they were also a religious festival dedicated to Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. After 293 Olympiads, Christianity became the state religion of Rome and the Emperor put a stop to the games.

A Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin (born 1863) became very concerned by the lack of physical education undertaken by the young people of France. As he grew up with a fascination for ancient Greece an idea began to form in his mind of reviving the glorious ancient Olympic contests and the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in Athens in 1896.

The Games of  776 BC  featured a single foot race over 192 metres. As time passed, new events were added to the Games, many of which we recognise today. The ancient pentathlon featured running, jumping, wrestling and throwing the javelin and discus. Other sports included boxing, horse and chariot racing. To win at the Olympic Games ensured an athlete would be a hero for life, and would be celebrated in poetry and sculpture. Only men were permitted to compete and women were forbidden to watch and guess what – all the athletes had to compete naked!

Don’t forget to come along to our Paralympic holiday programmes during the school holidays for lots of Olypmic fun!