Whakanuia a Matariki: July School Holiday Programme

Whakanuia a Matariki!

July School Holidays: 1- 16 July 2023

Kia ora koutou young adventurers, and all your creative minds!

Get ready to dive into the magic of Matariki at your local library’s incredible holiday events. Discover the wonder of Matariki and Puānga while learning about tikanga. Hunt for hidden Matariki stars, make gratitude-themed whetū (stars), cozy up for stories and song and unleash your creativity with nature-inspired art. Check the list of events prepared to celebrate together and let’s create wonderful memories with our friends and whānau.

Star Navigator: A Matariki treasure hunt

Pick up a map and join us on a celestial treasure hunt throughout your local library! Follow clues to find hidden Matariki stars, discover the secrets of Matariki constellation and learn about the wonder of the sky night. Label the whetū on your own map and learn about their meanings. Decorate your map with the themes and meanings of each whetū!

Suitable for tamariki of all ages with their caregivers.

Purapura Whetū: Star Webs

Make your gratitude shine by crafting beautiful stars. Use colourful paper and makers to create your unique star that will be part of our collaborative constellation. Recommended for tamariki aged 3+ with their caregivers.

All library branches will have a craft station for you to use, but we also have collaborative creative sessions on the following dates:

• Te Awe Library, Tuesday, 4 July, 2:30 – 3:30pm
• Te Awe Library, Thursday, 13 July, 2:30 – 3:30pm

You can also help us build our collaborative constellation during these other events:

• Purapura Whetū Storytime, Karori Library, Tuesday, 4 July, 10:30 – 11.30am
• Waitohi Hub Matariki Whānau Day, Link Space, Saturday, 15 July, 10am – 3pm

Matariki by Firelight:

Join us at the library for a cosy session of Matariki and Aotearoa themed stories and waiata. We will create an indoor campfire, you come along with your PJs ready for some Matariki tales and heart-warming bedtime stories and songs.

Recommended for tamariki aged 3+ with their caregivers. No registration required.

 

• Newtown Library, Monday, 3 July, 4 – 5pm
• Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library, 4 July 2023, 4 – 5pm
• Island Bay Library, Thursday 6 July, 4–4.30pm
• Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library, Friday, 7 July 2023, 4 – 5pm
• Brooklyn Library, Monday 10 July 2023, 6 – 7pm
• Miramar Library, Wednesday, 12 July, 4 – 5pm
• Island Bay Library, Thursday 13 July   10.30–11am
• Karori Library, Thursday, 13 July 2023, 5:30 – 6:30pm

Kōhatu Matariki: Whakapaipaitia te Taiao

Discover the power of Art and Nature! Engage in a hands-on adventure gathering rocks and other natural resources. We will decorate them with paint and markers to express remembrance and hope. Learn about tikanga and how art can honour Pūanga and the Matariki stars.

Recommended aged 5+ with whānau or caregivers.

Register online:

• Karori Library, 5 July 11 am -12pm Sign Up
• Miramar Library, 5 July 3pm-4pm Sign Up
• Newtown Library, Monday, 10 July, 2 – 3pm Sign Up
• Island Bay Library, Thursday, 13 July, 2 – 3pm Sign Up
• Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library, Thursday, 13 July, 2 – 3pm Sign Up

A Wayward Star: An Introduction to D&D

Embark on an epic celestial-themed Dungeons and Dragons- no experience required. We will provide the Dungeon Master, pre-made characters, dice, books, gear, and knowledge- all you need is enthusiasm!

For ages 9-12 years.

Registrations are required for this event, sign-up here!

Notes: Each individual attending will need a separate registration form filled in. Intermediate and experienced players may find this one-shot too simplistic and undemanding.

Register online:

• Cummings Park Library, 5 July 11am – 2pm Sign Up
• Tawa Community Centre, Thursday, 6 July 2023, 2 – 5pm Sign Up
• Johnsonville Library, 11 July 2-5pm Sign up for our waitlist 

String Bean Puppets: The Penguin and the Sea Monster 

Come along and celebrate Matariki with amazing puppeteer Anna Bailey and her String Bean Puppets! Anna’s puppets will be helping her perform the magical, starry-eyed tale of The Penguin and the Sea Monster, in which a little blue penguin seeks help from the night sky when his friend is captured by a sea monster. 

Recommended for tamariki of all ages with their caregivers. 

• Karori Library, Saturday 8 July, 11.30am – 12.30pm
• Newlands Community Centre, Monday 10 July, 2 – 3pm
• Te Awe Library, Tuesday 11 July, 10.30 – 11.30am
• Kilbirnie Library, Wednesday 12 July, 2 – 3pm
  

Waitohi Hub Matariki Day

Waitohi Community Hub, Saturday, 15 July, 10am – 3pm

Bring your whole whānau to the Waitohi Hub for a day of fun activities to celebrate Matariki! Across the day, there will be a range of wonderful events, exhibitions, and competitions, taking place across Keith Spry Pool, Johnsonville Library and the Link Space. Click the link above for a full schedule!

We also have a range of other Whakanuia a Matariki July holiday events including:

Nohinohi Reorua: Pakiwaitara Matariki 

Whakarongo mai, tamariki mā, pākeke mā! Join us at your local whare pukapuka for these special bilingual storytimes in celebration of Matariki! He korero paki i te reo Māori me te reo Pākehā ēnei; these stories are in te reo Māori and English. All are welcome. 

Recommended for tamariki aged 2-6 with their caregivers.

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Pakiwaitara Matariki 

Come along and celebrate Matariki at your local whare pukapuka, or library, with Matariki-themed stories and waiata with our librarians. He korero paki i te reo Pākehā ēnei; these stories are mainly in English, but we’re looking forward to sharing some kupu and waiata in te reo Māori as well. Our storytimes are family-friendly and fun for all ages. 

Recommended for tamariki aged 2-6 with their caregivers.

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Toi Matariki: Matariki Crafts 

Newlands Community Centre, Tuesday, 4 July 2023, 10am – 12pm

Join us for this special morning-time Matariki craft session! Make your very own Matariki constellation using one of our designs, or let your creative juices flow and create your own! Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

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Fly to the Matariki Stars 

Island Bay Community Centre, Thursday, 6 July 2023, 10:30am – 12pm

Build your own spaceship from boxes and fly to the Matariki Stars!

Combining storytelling and building box forts, you will have lift off to greet the Matariki stars. Find out what secrets they hold and let your imagination do the rest.

Recommended for ages 5-12

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Whānau Storybooks

Te Awe Library, Wednesday, 5 July, 2:30 – 3:30pm

Come and celebrate your whānau this Matariki and create your own whānau storybook at Te Awe!

Bring along some photos of your family members (or draw your own) and add them to your book along with fun facts and stories about your family.

Recommended for tamariki aged 5-10.

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CodeQuest: Star Explorers 

Come along to this free coding workshop and learn how to make your own celestial-themed video game for Matariki in Scratch 3.0. No prior coding knowledge is necessary. Places are limited, so make sure you register quickly! 

Suitable for tamariki aged 9-13 with their caregivers. Registrations are required. Details coming soon!

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Baby Rock and Rhyme: Matariki Special 

 A fun and educational programme 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. At these special Matariki sessions we will be enjoying stories and songs all about Matariki and the night sky. Kuhu mai, join us!  

Recommended for tamariki aged 0 – 2 years with their caregivers.

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Matariki LEGO® Creations 

 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. 

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

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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!