Event

Read to Kurī at Kilbirnie Library!

Stephen Clothier

We are extremely excited to announce the arrival of a brand new programme for our libraries — Read to Kurī! Thanks to our friends at Canine Friends Pet Therapy, every Thursday afternoon during the upcoming school holidays, some very special therapy dogs from Canine Friends Pet Therapy will be joining us at Kilbirnie Library. You’ll be able to book in a time to come and meet our very good doggo friends and read to them aloud.

Three dogs look at the camera -- on the left is Zibu, a small white Cavapoochon; in the middle is Topaz, a brown, grey and white-furred Keeshond; and on the right is Archie, a golden Schnoodle.

Just look at those gorgeous doggos! (From left: Zibu, Topaz, and Archie)

What is Read to Kurī?

At Read to Kurī, you will book in for a 15-minute one-on-one reading session with one of our gorgeous doggy pals from Canine Friends Pet Therapy. You will be able to choose a book and curl up somewhere cosy in the library to read with your chosen dog. The dog’s handler will be present at all times.

Read to Kurī aims to help tamariki improve their literacy, self-confidence, and self-esteem in a relaxed, non-judgemental environment. All dogs have been trained and tested for health, safety, and temperament, and many have experience working with young children.

Research shows that therapy dogs:

  • Can increase a child’s relaxation while reading
  • Listen attentively
  • Do not laugh, judge or criticise a child’s reading level
  • Allow children to proceed at their own pace
  • Can be less intimidating to read to than a child’s peers

This programme is perfect for tamariki aged 5+ who would like to practice their reading skills while making a new canine friend at the library. Bookings are essential as spaces are limited.

Meet the Kurī

We are very lucky to have three talented pooches join us for Read to Kurī at Kilbirnie Library during the holidays. Read on to find out a little bit more about each dog!

Kurī 1: Topaz

Topaz, a long-haired grey, brown and white Keeshond.Handler: Suze Hocking

Topaz is a nine-year-old Keeshond (Dutch Barge Dog). She’s a lot smaller than you’d think under all that fur!

She loves treats and swimming at the beach, and always brings home lots of sand!

She’s gentle and patient and loves hanging out with people — that’s why dogs of this breed are often known as ‘Velcro dogs’ — they just love to stick to people!

Topaz and her handler, Suze, have been with Canine Friends for about six months. Before that, Topaz spent some time as a support dog for Wellington Free Ambulance.

Suze and Topaz will be at Kilbirnie Library from 12.00 – 1.00pm on Thursday 28 September.

Book your session with Topaz – September 28

Kurī 2: Zibu

Handler: Xanthia Free

Zibu is a Cavapoochon breed, which is a mix of King Charles Cavalier, Miniature poodle, and Bichon Frisé. Her particular breed is often used in the USA and Australia as a companion animal.

Zibu and her handler, Xanthia, very much enjoy their Canine Friends therapy sessions and specialise in interacting with students at universities and schools, particularly assisting those who may have a fear of canines.

Zibu has a very sweet nature, loves chasing her ball and her frisbee, and is best friends with Xanthia’s male cat, Tigga.

Xanthia and Zibu will be at Kilbirnie Library from 12.00 – 1.00pm on Thursday 28 September and Thursday 5 October.

Book your session with Zibu – September 28

Book your session with Zibu – October 5

Kurī 3: Archie

Handler: Penny Griffith

“My name is Archie and I am six years old. I absolutely love people, and especially children!

I am a Schnoodle — my mummy is a Schnauzer and my daddy is a Poodle.

I think I will be very good at listening to children reading me stories… maybe they can even teach me how to read!”

Penny and Archie will be at Kilbirnie Library from 12.00 – 1.00pm on Thursday 5 October.

Book your session with Archie – October 5

Spaces for Read to Kurī are strictly limited, so make sure you register early to guarantee your spot!

School Holidays: Art Through the Ages | Toi Puta Noa i Ngā Tau​

Joseph Robinson

The School Holidays are just around the corner! During the holidays, we are inviting you to explore the world through the power of art in Art Through the Ages | Toi Puta Noa i Ngā Tau.

From the 23rd of September to the 8th of October, learn how to paint like Michelangelo, decorate medieval manuscripts, master the art of the woodblock print, and create your own miniature masterpiece at the library! ​

​Visit this page to see the whole calendar, or read on to find out more about what’s coming up at your local library or community centre!

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What will be your masterpiece?


Illuminating Medieval Manuscripts​

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Get up-close and personal with extremely old and rare items from our Rare Books collection – some from the 1400s!

Rare Books Librarian Gábor Tóth will share the history and technique of manuscript illumination, or hand-drawn decoration. Then, in a found poetry workshop, create and decorate your own ‘manuscript’ in medieval style.

Ages 10+ with their caregivers, if under 14.

Spaces are limited, find out how to register with the links below:


Create a Miniature Masterpiece​

Display your work of art in our itty bitty exhibition!​

Tamariki can join us at the library to paint their masterpiece onto a miniature (10cm x 10cm) canvas. Afterwards, the hosting library will set up a ‘tiny canvas’ exhibition of the paintings, complete with museum-style display cards.

Recommended for tamariki 5+ with their caregivers.

Register online with the following links:

While stocks last, Johnsonville Library will also have some take home kits for tamariki to bring back for a big exhibition!

" "Weave a Pocket full of Stars: Raranga Papercrafts

Join us to learn a little bit about the history of raranga, kete weaving, and basket weaving more generally. Then, tamariki will have the chance to weave their own kete, adapting raranga techniques to materials that can easily be found at home or in our libraries, like coloured paper and cardboard.

For ages 5+ with their caregivers.​ No registrations required.

 

Paint Like Michelangelo

Travel back in time to learn about Renaissance Italian art! Then lying on your back, apply those techniques and paint the underside of library desks and tables. We will supply all the tools, simply bring along your enthusiasm and artful eye!

For ages 8+ with their caregivers.

Register online with the following links:


" "Traditional Chinese Painting

Join us at the library to learn about and try your hand at traditional Chinese painting. Our expert will share his traditions and techniques with you, then you can try your hand at creating your own artwork.

Ages 8+ with their caregivers.

Register online with the following links:


Festival of Ultrawild Design

Join maverick inventor Steve Mushin for an hilarious design and drawing workshop exploring ludicrous sounding, scientifically possible ideas to rewild the world!

Skills explored: design sketching, 3D drawing, perspective drawing, brainstorming ridiculously wild ideas, eco city design thinking, and storyboarding. Each workshop will be a little different!

For young people who love drawing and inventing!

Recommended for Ages 9-15.

Register online with the following links:


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Framed: Make a Popsicle ​Stick Photo Frame

Bring along a photo or picture! Then, make and decorate a photo frame out of popsicle sticks to put your photo in. You can also draw your own masterpiece to put in your frame!

For ages 5–10 with their caregivers.

For Tawa and Johnsonville events, please register in advance. For other sites, no registration is required.

That Suspicious Sculpture: an Introduction to Dungeons and Dragons

Join us for an introduction to the world of Dungeons and Dragons. We’ll provide the Dungeon Master, pre-made characters, dice, books, gear, and knowledge – all you need is enthusiasm! This session is intended to introduce new and novice players to Dungeons and Dragons & tabletop roleplaying games through a Level 1 adventure, learning the game from our experienced librarians in a friendly environment.

Suitable for ages 13+ 

Register online with the following links:


" " The Great Wave: Japanese Woodblock Printing Workshop​

Discover the practice and style of Japanese woodblock prints and create a classic print of your own.

Make your own spin on classic pieces of art by choosing what colours to print, a twist on the tradition of colouring in.

For ages 8+ with their caregivers.​

Spaces are limited, find out how to register with the links below:


LEGO® Creations – The Art of Architecture

Come down to the library and get creative in these free-build sessions with our extensive LEGO® collections. Let’s build – let’s explore – let’s create a LEGO® masterpiece building inspired by a range of local and global designs.

Recommended for ages 5+ Children under the age of 14 should be accompanied by a caregiver.

More holiday LEGO® Sessions for the whole family! 

Playdough sculpture spectacular!

Come along and create marvellous sculptures with our homemade library recipe playdough.

All supplies provided, there will be sticks, eyes and other craft materials to create truly magnificent sculptures!

Recommended for children aged 5-10.

Register online with the following link:

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Whānau Films

Come join us for a family movie! Movies chosen will have a G or PG rating and are suitable for families with young children. Contact the library branch to find out which movie is screening.

This family-friendly event is suitable for children of all ages accompanied by their caregivers.

Tūmanako 2023: Local Youth for Global Peace

Joseph Robinson

Tūmanako – Children’s Art. Works for Peace is here in 2023! 

This annual event gives tamariki/children and taiohi/young people (under 18) the opportunity to express their creativity and share their aspirations for a peaceful, inclusive, and nuclear-free world. Tūmanako means “Hope.” This is the eighth year of Tūmanako, with this year’s special theme being “one seed of thought grows the forest of peace.” 

The exhibition will be hosted at the Waitohi Hub on the lower ground of Johnsonville Library from the 11th to the 31st of August.

To encourage our younger tamariki to start thinking about peace and what it means to them, Johnsonville Library is inviting preschool groups to visit the Tūmanako and create their own artworks in response to what they see. The library will provide paper and art supplies and would like to keep your artworks to display in the children’s area over the month of September. To book a time to visit the library or for more information, please contact us at johnsonvile.library@wcc.govt.nz.

To celebrate Tūmanako 2023, and in remembrance of Hiroshima Day, here are some books to help inform us, and help us develop our aspirations for a peaceful future.

Syndetics book coverPeace warriors / Raymond Huber (2015)

This book tells the heroic stories of brave New Zealander’s and people around the world who used non-violent resistance to pursue paths of peace. One of the stories is of Archibald Baxter, who refused to fight in World War 1 because he did not believe in killing. He faced brutal punishment and rejection for his courageous choice.

Sadako and the thousand paper cranes / Coerr, Eleanor
This historical novel is based on the Sasaki Sadako, a Japanese girl who became a victim of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima by the United States. Sadako worked to fold one thousand paper canes in an attempt to achieve a legend that by doing so, a person could be healed. Sadako’s life has inspired stories and songs.


Book: 'The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki'. Cover image.

The complete story of Sadako Sasaki : and the thousand paper cranes / Dicicco, Sue
“In this book, author Sue DiCicco and Sadako’s older brother Masahiro tell her complete story in English for the first time–how Sadako’s courage throughout her illness inspired family and friends, and how she became a symbol of all people, especially children, who suffer from the impact of war… Proceeds from this book are shared equally between The Sadako Legacy NPO and The Peace Crane Project.” (Abridged from publisher’s description)

People of peace : 40 inspiring icons / Mirza, Sandrine
” Dreamers… Leaders… And fighters for our rights. Here are 40 globally recognisable people of peace! ” (Adapted from catalogue)
Syndetics book coverMaumahara ki tērā Nōema / nā Jennifer Beck rāua ko Lindy Fisher ; nā Kawata Teepa i whakamāori.

“It’s almost Guy Fawkes Night, and at the school speech competition Andy talks about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. The children cheer excitedly, thinking Andy will win the contest. But then, Aroha gets up, wearing a white feather in her hair, and tells the story of another fifth of November and the invasion of Parihaka in 1881.” (Syndetics summary)
Syndetics book coverRemember that November / written by Jennifer Beck ; illustrated by Lindy Fisher.
“It’s almost Guy Fawkes Night, and at the school speech competition Andy talks about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. The children cheer excitedly, thinking Andy will win the contest. But then, Aroha gets up, wearing a white feather in her hair, and tells the story of another fifth of November and the invasion of Parihaka in 1881.” (Syndetics summary)
Peace and me / Winter, Ali
“An illustrated collection of inspirational ideas about peace based on the lives of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates of the 20th and 21st centuries. Includes: Jean Henry Dunant, Fridtjof Nansen, Jane Addams, John Boyd Orr of Brechin, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Nelson Mandela, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Malala Yousafzai.” (Catalogue)

Peace, power & politics : how New Zealand became nuclear free / Leadbeater, Maire

Older tamariki might find this pukapuka great for research!

“This is a story of how ordinary people created a movement that changed New Zealand’s foreign policy and our identity as a nation…In this country nuclear disarmament has become part of our communal psyche to a greater extent than in any other western-aligned nation… Peace activism is an ongoing story”- (Abridged from Publisher)

Green lizards vs red rectangles / Antony, Steve

“A brave and thought-provoking picture book about war and peace. The green lizards and the red rectangles are at war. But why? They fight and fight and fight – can they find a way to live peacefully side by side despite their differences? The perfect platform to start conversations about the futility of war, this brave and brilliant story is visually stunning and full of clever details to pour over.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Bird Watchers, Get Counting: It’s Bird Survey Time!

Sue Jane

Manaaki Whenua | Landcare Research is running its annual Garden Bird Survey again this year from 24 June – 2 July. To participate you need to spend 60 minutes in your garden, local park or reserve recording the birds you see at any one time between 24 June – 2 July 2023.

To take part, go to gardenbirdsurvey.landcareresearch.co.nz. There are heaps of resources on this website including helpful pictures of the birds you are most likely to see, printable tally sheets, quizzes, competitions, and other suggestions you can do to make a bird-friendly haven at home, school or even at your local park.

Taking part is easy:

  1. Select your garden, park, or school
  2. Choose one day from 24 June to the 2 July
  3. Look and listen for birds for ONE hour.
  4. Record the HIGHEST number of a bird species observed at one time.
  5. Submit your survey results below.

Your survey results will be analysed by the Landcare Research scientists. This will help them know and understand things like how our bird populations are changing over time, and keep an eye on any population trends (good and bad).

And if you still have some questions, jump onto the FAQ page on the website to answer the ones you have, and ones you hadn’t even thought about around all things birds + survey.


Book Jacket for: A bird in the hand : keeping New Zealand wildlife safeBook Jacket for: Discovering New Zealand birdsBook Jacket for: NZ birds

Wellington City Libraries have loads of books and resources about New Zealand birds.

Or you could browse the Non-Fiction shelves under the Dewey Number of 598.

Other useful websites:

Birds New Zealand

Department of Conservation

Forest and Bird

New Zealand Geographic

Become an ornithological expert and help understand and protect Aotearoa’s wonderfully diverse birdlife.

 

Out on the Shelves: What’s on for kids

Merritt

Out on the Shelves is an online reading resource that aims to connect rainbow young people with the stories that represent them, listing books with positive rainbow representation in them.

June is the Out on the Shelves Campaign Month where libraries around the country are encouraged to see who can create the most out-there displays, activities, and programmes. Several of our Wellington City Libraries branches have won awards in the nationwide Out on the Shelves Display Competition in the past, so be sure to drop into your local library to check out this year’s offerings!

Here are some of our past offerings:

If you and your tamariki have recently enjoyed a book with rainbow themes and it doesn’t appear on the Out on the Shelves booklists, why not make a submission? Out on the Shelves relies on user submissions to keep their booklists current, and to make sure that they’re recommending books that people enjoy!

They also have a Rainbow Writing Competition, and you can submit reviews of books you’ve read too.

If you’re looking for some rainbow reading inspiration, just head on over to the homepage of our catalogue. At the moment the carousel of recommended books displaying there includes a selection of Out on the Shelves recommendations for kids. Or check out this previous blog post of ours for a curated booklist.

To celebrate Out on the Shelves, Johnsonville Library have planned a few special events for you and your whānau. We hope to see you there!

Rainbow background, title Dress up Family storytimeDress Up Family Storytime

Dress in your favourite costume and join us to make some accessories before the stories begin.​

For ages 2+​ with their caregivers.

Logo reading The Glamaphones

Out on the Shelves Musical Performance: The Glamaphones

Celebrate Out on the Shelves at Johnsonville Library with the Glamaphones, Wellington’s rainbow community choir.

The Glamaphones have an emphasis on participation, inclusion, and building LGBTQI+ community. They sing a range of music including pop, classical, spirituals, world, choral, musical, and jazz classics.

Nau mai rā tātou katoa | Everybody is welcome.

rainbow background, title dress up preschool storytime

Dress Up Preschool Storytime

Dress in your favourite costume and join us to make some accessories before the stories begin.​

For ages 2-4​ with their caregivers.

Spoken Word Open Mic Night at the Vogelmorn Bowling Club!

Stephen Clothier

Calling all Pōneke poets! Our friends at the Vogelmorn Community Group have organised a fantastic opportunity for tamariki and rangatahi who are interested in poetry to take part in a Spoken Word Open Mic Night, this Thursday, 6.00pm at the Vogelmorn Bowling Club.

Not only will you have the opportunity to perform your own original poetry, but you’ll also be able to contribute to the Vogelmorn Community Poetry Zine, which will be made available for keen poetry readers here at the library once it’s published. Read on to get all the juicy details:

Join us at the Vogelmorn Bowling Club for this awesome community event!

What?

Spoken Word Open Mic Night!

Where?

Vogelmorn Bowling Club, 93 Mornington Road, Brooklyn

When?

Thursday 1 June, 2023. Performances begin at 6.00pm; kai available from 3.00pm

What’s it all about?

Do you enjoy writing poems or want to try writing a poem? Do you have something important to say about community, inclusivity, sustainability, creativity, or any other subject?

Have a go at performance poetry in a comfortable, supportive, friendly atmosphere at the Vogelmorn Spoken Word Open Mic Night. Performance poetry includes any poem that is read, sung, recited, or otherwise performed before an audience.

Your M.C. for the night is young poet and Brooklyn local Bill. School-age and first-time poets are especially welcome at this family friendly event!

Want to take part? Find out more on the Vogelmorn Community Group website or get in touch with them on Facebook.

Te Ao Kararehe | The World of Animals: Wrap-Up!

Joseph Robinson

As we prepare ourselves for another term of school, let’s look back on all the important learning, incredible creations, and colourful critters that we encountered during our April school holidays programme, Te Ao Kararehe | The World of Animals.

Flip through this photo gallery to see some cheeky animals and check out a few of our holiday highlights!

  • Librarian with three camelids
    Mary the librarian, with 3 camelids at ‘Llamas at the Library,’ outside Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library!
  • A group of children making art
    Creating animal masks at Wadestown Library!
  • Children and parents using LEGO®
    Coastal Ecology LEGO® Lab at Island Bay Community Centre
  • Man walks wearing a kororā penguin suit, child watches.
    Michael the Kororā on the move at Karori Library’s Kororā Penguin Party
  • Child stands behind display, holding artwork
    Alisa (5), one of our Kilbirnie Wheelie Roar-Some competition winners, with her creation Bessie: the bird taxi! Thanks to the Kilbirnie Recreation Centre for helping out with prizes!
  • Two boys hold artwork
    Some of the masterful creations from Under the Sea Animal Craftivity at He Matapihi Library
  • A group of children building LEGO®
    Making LEGO® Habitats at Cummings Park Library
  • Child holds their artwork
    One of the lushly decorated critter creations from Technicolour Furbearers at Johnsonville Library!
  • Children work on craft project
    Creating mix and match animal flipbooks at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library
  • Group of children and parents watch librarians reading book, with musical instruments
    Our librarians lead a musical animal antics storytime at Tawa Community Centre
  • Children read a story to parents and toddlers
    Young presenters weave a tale at our Brooklyn Library Cuddly Creatures Sleepover!
  • Man with guanaco, watched by children
    Stephen Mulholland introduces tamariki to a guanaco at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library

Wellington City Libraries and Community Centres would like to give a massive thanks to all our friends from Forest & Bird: Places for Penguins, Wellington University Coastal Ecology Lab, Kilbirnie Recreation Centre, and of course Stephen Mullholand with his herd of camelids!

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.

Now, it’s time for us to waddle, trot, and soar on our way out of here. Mā te wā!

Announcing Nohinohi Reorua — Bilingual Storytimes!

Stephen Clothier

Kia ora Pōneke! We are excited to let you know about a brand new children’s programme coming soon to our whare pukapuka — Nohinohi Reorua! 

What is Nohinohi Reorua?

Nohinohi reorua means “bilingual little ones” in te reo Māori, and it is the name for the new bilingual storytime programme coming to six of our library branches after the April school holidays finish. Find out more below, or visit our event calendar to see all of the days, times and locations!

Join us for Nohinohi Reorua | Bilingual Storytimes at your local library!


Nohinohi Reorua! Whāngaia tō Tama Toa ki te pānui pukapuka! E toru tekau meneti pakiwaitara, rotarota, waiata hoki i roto i te reo Māori me te reo Ingarihi, nō ngā kōhungahunga me ō rātou mātua kaitiaki.

Get your superhero hooked on books with Nohinohi Reorua — our special bilingual storytimes! Featuring stories, rhymes, and songs in te reo Māori and English, these 30-minute sessions are open to anyone, and are recommended for tamariki aged 2-6 with their caregivers.

When and Where?

Nō reira, nau mai, haere mai ki ōu tātou whare pukapuka! Come on down to the library to enjoy Nohinohi Reorua with us — everyone is welcome!

Read Books, Earn Pizza!

Stephen Clothier

Love pizza? Love reading? Then boy, do we have the deal for you!

The famous (or infamous) HELL Reading Challenge has returned for another year, and from now until the end of January 2024, Hell Pizza will give you one free kids’ pizza from their 333 menu for every seven books you borrow and read from the library.

Sounds too good to true? We understand your scepticism, but just trust us. We’d never lie to you about books. Or pizza!

So how does it work?

The next time you go to your local library, ask the friendly librarian for a pizza wheel. They look a bit like this:

A circular card divided into seven segments, each of which has a space to be stamped by a librarian. once seven segments are stamped, the card can be redeemed for one free 333 kids' pizza at any Hell Pizza store.

All those books just waiting to be read; all those pizzas just waiting to be eaten!


Whenever you issue a book from the library, ask the librarian to stamp and sign one segment of your pizza wheel. You can have one segment of your wheel signed for each book you read from the library! Our librarians absolutely love talking to you about the books you’ve been reading, so make sure you come to the desk prepared to talk about bookish things.

Once you have all seven segments of your pizza wheel stamped and signed, the librarian will finish it off with the Master Stamp (One Stamp to rule them all, etc.), and then take the completed wheel to any Hell Pizza store and exchange it for one free 333 kids’ pizza. It really is that simple!

The Fine Print

There are some important rules we all need to follow in order for you to participate in the Hell Pizza Reading Challenge:

  • You must be in Years 1-8 at school to participate in the Challenge
  • Pizza wheels will be valid to redeem at any Hell Pizza store until 31 January 2024
  • Pizza wheels must be redeemed in person — you can’t do it over the phone or online!
  • There’s no limit to how many pizza wheels you can earn across the year, but Hell Pizza will only redeem one wheel per child per visit. So you can’t stockpile 10 pizza wheels and get 10 free pizza wheels all at once

We know many of you will have started your 2023 HELL Reading Challenge journey already — but for those of you who haven’t, it’s never too late to start! You can pick up and sign off pizza wheels at any of our 14 branches across the city. Last year, Wellington City Libraries kids racked up over 15,000 free pizzas as part of the HELL Reading Challenge — that’s well over 100,000 books read! Can we beat that number this year?

A special thank you to Hell Pizza and the New Zealand Book Awards Trust for their generous support of this initiative.

Happy reading, everyone! 🙂

April School Holidays: Te Ao Kararehe | The World of Animals!

Stephen Clothier

The April school holidays are just one-and-a-half short weeks away! This year, Wellington City Libraries is inviting you to enter Te Ao Kararehe: The World of Animals with us all the way through the holidays, from the 8th to the 23rd of April.

Have you ever thought that perhaps you might like to meet a llama at the library? What about a penguin? What if we asked you to design your own animals — would they have claws and scales, or bright purple fur? Is it possible to use LEGO® to build a realistic habitat for a mythological beast? How good would a walking, talking animal be at playing D&D? Whatever your interests, something wild, mysterious, fascinating or exciting awaits you in Te Ao Kararehe: The World of Animals. Visit this page to see the whole calendar, or read on to find out more about what’s happening at your local library or community centre these holidays!

What awaits you in the wilds of Te Ao Kararehe?


Animal Antics Musical Storytime

Join us for these animal-themed storytimes where your multi-talented librarians will incorporate many different musical instruments into their storytelling! Stick around when the stories and songs are done to get up-close and personal to learn about the instruments you heard.

Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

Baby Rock and Rhyme: Cubs ‘n’ Bubs Special Edition!

Come on down to the library for these fun and free sessions for parents and carers to interact with their babies through songs and stories — this time with a special animal-themed twist! Rhyme, rhythm, repetition and music are the building blocks of language for babies. Stick around afterwards to chat with our librarians and meet other new parents in your community!

Recommended for pēpī aged 0-2 with their caregivers, but older siblings are also most welcome.

Be Ready In An Emergency! (For Kids)

Learn what to do in an emergency like an earthquake or tsunami with an expert from the Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office (WREMO)! This is an interactive group activity for children aged 5-12. Registrations are required — to book your spot, talk to a librarian or phone Karori Library on 476 8413.

Children’s Librarian’s note: How is this event related to animals, you ask? Well, have you ever heard of ‘turtling’ during an emergency? Okay, okay, the link is fragile at best, we just wanted the opportunity to have our friends at WREMO come for a visit!

The Bad Smell Hotel: Book Launch and Celebration

Karori Library and The Cuba Press warmly invite you to the book launch of The Bad Smell Hotel, by father-daughter duo Rajorshi Chakraborti and Leela (age 11)!

The duo came up with the idea of the book during the 2020 lockdown, and their story is set in the not-too-distant future, where society is contending with mysterious bouts of uncontrollable farting! The forthcoming book is marvellously illustrated by Dan Mills.

Join us at the library for this very special celebration where you can meet the authors and find out more about the wonderful worlds they have created together!

Coastal Ecology LEGO® Laboratory

Ahoy, kids and whānau! Come join the team from the Wellington University Coastal Ecology Lab to learn incredible facts about your local marine ecosystem: from coral and fishes, all the way to mighty sharks! Kids then can build their very own sea critter or underwater habitat with our LEGO® collection! The most creative design will win a prize, and all models will be displayed at Island Bay Library, along with descriptions written by their creators.

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Create-a-Critter Flipbooks

For our event today, tamariki will create a booklet made of pages cut into thirds, each featuring pictures of different animal body parts that they have drawn or found in magazines. As the pages flip around, the body parts will combine in ways both abstract and hilarious!

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Create Cuddly Creatures

Bring your old socks along to the library and transform them into a fuzy friend! We’ll provide the thread, needles, and extra accessories for your creature creation, as well as guidance from an expert librarian. Just make sure you’ve washed your socks, it may be difficult to give them a bath afterwards!

Recommended for tamariki and rangatahi aged 8+ with their caregivers.

Critter Creation: Recycled Art

Join us at Newlands Community Centre to turn junk into art! Bring along your own recycling stash to add to our supply, and create the critter of your dreams. Build a lion, a lemur, a llama, or something wild from your imagination!

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Cuddly Toy Animal Sleepover!

Dress up in your favourite onesie or your PJs, bring a cuddly toy animal, and join us for music, stories and crafts! Those who can bear (geddit?) to may leave their cuddly toy for a special overnight stay in the library — come back in the morning to find out what mischief and hijinks they got up to!

Recommended for tamariki of all ages with their caregivers.

Kids’ Book Club: Animal Edition!

Join us at Wadestown Library for our monthly Kids’ Book Club, where we’ll be talking about the books we love and enjoying an animal-themed craft activity too!

Recommended for tamariki aged 6-12 with their caregivers.

LEGO® Habitats

Join us for these special variant sessions of our popular Let’s Go LEGO® programme! Tamariki will design and assemble an ideal habitat for their favourite animals, living or imagined. There will be small prizes for the most creative habitats as well as for the most realistic or viable ones! Completed models will be displayed in the library following the event, alongside descriptions written by their creators.

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Llamas! At the Llibrary

Yes, you heard us — get up close with real-life llamas at your local library! Join us for a special outdoor storytime where your llama-loving librarians will warm you up with some stories, then introduce you to our expert Stephen and a couple of camelids — a llama and an alpaca!

Since these are outdoor events we may have to postpone it if weather is poor on the day. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for any updates.

Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

*Note: The event at Johnsonville Library has been postponed to Thursday, 20 April at 2pm due to wet weather.

Make Your Own Animal Mask

Make your own animal mask at the library! We will provide lots of different mask templates and heaps of craft supplies so that everyone can create their own unique mask to take home. Animal masquerade ball, anyone?

Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

Paws and Claws: Pompomania!

This fun craft is no pig-deal! Come on down to He Matapihi Library and we’ll help you make your first pompom animal. Just bring your enthusiasm and can-do attitude — it’s going to be a paw-some time!

Recommended for tamariki aged 7+ with their caregivers. Registrations are required as space is limited, contact the library at 801 4122 to book your place.

The Pet Files: Zine Making

Kia ora kids! Bring in a photo, or draw an illustration, of your whānau pet (or your dream pet!). Then, join in at the library to create your very own fact file zine about your pets, with fun question prompts, and plenty of time to share our favourite pet stories! Once you’re done, you can also choose to have your Pet Files zine catalogued and added to the library collection for your friends and whānau to borrow. Sweet!

Recommended for tamariki aged 6+ with their caregivers.

Poké Pets Pompomania

Anime lovers unite! We got chu doing something fun these school holidays. Come along to Poké Pets Pompomania to make a Poké animal like no other. Create adorable Poké pet pompoms and their pompom Pokéball containers at the end of the session. We have instruction sheets you can bring home too.

Recommended for tamariki aged 8+ with their caregivers. Registrations are required as space is limited, contact the library at 801 4122 to book your place.

Spanish Language Day | Día del Idioma Español

Join us on the 22nd of April for Spanish Language Day at Karori Library! Whether you are a Spanish speaker, a language aficionado, or just love learning about other cultures, you are welcome at this family-friendly celebration.

At Spanish Language Day at Karori Library you will experience a range of activities in Spanish — storytelling, an art exhibition, crafts, and the launch of our new Spanish-language book collection. ¿Hablas español? Sí!

Te Ao Kararehe Animal Storytime

You think storytimes are just about stories? Not so in Te Ao Kararehe! Journey to the tangled heart of the forest, soar to the greatest heights of the mountains, and dive to the inkiest depths of the ocean in these continent-spanning storytimes like no other. If you’re lucky you may even get to craft a souvenir to take home as a memento of your travels in the World of Animals.

Recommended for tamariki of all ages with their caregivers.

Te Ao Kararehe Family Movies

Looking for a purrr-fect chill activity to do in the library? Why not join us for free movie time! It’s definitely a sloth-mode vibe so don’t forget to bring your favourite animal plushie to snuggle. All movies screened will have an animal theme, and will be rated either G or PG. Registration aren’t required; popcorn and beanbags aplenty will be supplied!

Technicolour Furbearers

Welcome to the world of the technicolour furbearers, where nothing is as it seems! At this fun workshop, tamariki will select a pre-prepared model of a fur-coated animal, and decorate their chosen critter with lush paint, shiny gems, colourful fabric, and funky textures.

Recommended for tamariki aged 6+ with their caregivers. Registrations are required.

Under the Sea: Animal CRAFTivity

Whale hello there! Celebrate your school holiday weekend at He Matapihi Library as we create some fun under-the-sea crafts together. Perfect for all ages and stages!

The Wolves of Welton: An Introduction to D&D

Join us for an introduction to the world of Dungeons and Dragons — no prior RPG experience required. We’ll provide the Dungeon Master, dice, books, pack of ravenous wolves, gear, and knowledge — all you need is enthusiasm!

This session is intended to introduce brand new and novice players to Dungeons & Dragons and tabletop roleplaying games, learning from our experienced librarians in a beginner-friendly environment. Intermediate or experienced players might find this one-shot too simplistic and undemanding.

Recommended for tamariki aged 8-12. Registrations are required: sign up below!