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…
Stories and Storytimes
If you’re after a book to read, look no further than Borrowbox or Libby (or of course the shelves of your local library). These apps are both free to download – just log in with your library card number and PIN and you’re away! These two have plenty of eBooks and eAudiobooks to keep you occupied on a rainy day at home.
If you’d rather listen to someone read you a story we’ve got more options for you! You can listen to great stories being read aloud by Australian and New Zealand storytellers through the Story Box Library – just log on with your library card!
We also have a whole lot of virtual storytimes from our own librarians available through our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Check out the Virtual Storytime and Bedtime Storytime playlists for some great stories we recorded last year.
Baby Rock and Rhyme
If you’re missing Baby Rock and Rhyme (and many of us are!) we have plenty of pre-recorded sessions that you can watch from the comfort of your own living room on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. If you’re really missing the rocking and rhyming vibes, you can even listen to and download the official Baby Rock and Rhyme album online from our Bandcamp page (yes, we have one of those!).
Things to do
If you’re after a challenge, read through our collection of Family Lockdown Challenges! These are full of exciting activities and ideas for you to do while at home. If you do any of the challenges (particularly the Book Domino Challenge!) be sure to tag us in any photos or videos you take on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Our Summer Reading Adventure is still running until the end of January — visit our special Beanstack website to find out more and get involved. But even after the Summer Reading Adventure finishes, you can keep using the website and the app to log your reading, write or draw book reviews, take part in different activities, and earn online badges and achievements. How awesome is that?!
If you’re missing CRAFTerschool, we have a wonderful playlist of simple craft tutorials from the teams at Johnsonville and Tawa Libraries. All of our crafts can be made with materials that it’s easy to find at home. Some of our libraries have take-home craft kits you can pick up while materials last — just ask at the desk to find out what’s available. How adorable are these ladybirds — you could make one yourself!
Homework Help
We know the school year hasn’t quite started up yet, but very soon it will. You might well find yourself in the position of needing a bit of help with your homework. Good news! The library can be an amazing resource for anybody who is trying online education at this time, or who just wants a bit of extra help. How? Enter AnyQuestions.
Have any questions? Why not try AnyQuestions!
AnyQuestions is a service run by the National Library and staffed by public librarians from around New Zealand, including Wellington City Libraries. On it, children are able to chat in real-time with a real librarian fully trained in web-based research about any question they might have. Read all about AnyQuestions, and its sister site Many Answers, here.
Kia kaha, stay safe, and we look forward to sharing more awesome activities with you all over the next little while!