school holiday activities

Free Puppet Shows and Workshops for the Summer!

Stephen Clothier

This summer, we are lucky to be joined by not one, but two prestigious puppeteering theatre companies — Birdlife Productions and String Bean Puppets — bringing us 8 free shows at our libraries and community centres! Read on to find out more.

Box of Birds! with Birdlife Productions

Peter and his new friends in Box of Birds! Photo: Supplied

The magic begins this week, with the exquisite puppet show Box of Birds from Birdlife Productions. This beautiful show features hand-crafted puppets, interactive songs, and percussion, and tells the story of Peter and his Grandma as they build a nesting box for Ruru – but Peter must learn to be patient and wait to discover who will eventually nest in his ‘box of birds’!

The show lasts for 30 minutes and is perfect for tamariki aged 3-6 with their caregivers, but older and younger siblings are very welcome.

Dates and Locations:

Flutter: Puppet Show and Workshop with String Bean Puppets

Pepe and Titi flying in Flutter! Photo: Dianna Thomson//TAHI Festival 2023

Join Anna Bailey of String Bean Puppets for this mesmerising puppet show and workshop during the holidays! Experience the magic of puppetry in Flutter, an expowering and delightful show for young audiences about a bat who is afraid of the dark making friends with a glowworm who thinks she is a star.

The show is followed by a shadow puppetry workshop where tamariki can explore a world of shadows, learning how to create magical and beautiful shadow puppet creatures using natural materials, as well as building their own upcycled shadow box to take home.

The Flutter puppet show lasts for 40 minutes and is perfect for tamariki aged 4-10 with their caregivers. The shadow puppet workshop last for 45 minutes and is most suitable for tamariki aged 6-10, but younger siblings are welcome to participate with help from their caregivers.

Dates and Locations:

Ngā mihi to the Creative Communities Scheme from Creative NZ for making it possible for us to share these experiences with you for free.

Nau mai — everyone is welcome!

Summer Reading Adventure: Writing remarkable reviews

Merritt

We’re almost halfway through the Summer Reading Adventure! If you haven’t already heard about the Summer Reading Adventure, you can head on over to our previous blog post for heaps more info, or jump straight into our Summer Reading website to sign up!

Through the power of books and imagination, help us transform Wellington into a fantasy wonderland this summer!

One of the activities you can complete as part of the Summer Reading Adventure is writing book reviews. There are five digital badges you can earn for writing reviews, and some of these also come with physical prizes!

There are two different kinds of reviews you can submit, written reviews and picture reviews, and we thought we’d provide you with some tips and tricks for creating an excellent and insightful review.

Tips for writing a book review:

  • Tell us what you thought about the book! We don’t want to just read a description of the plot.
  • Useful questions to ask yourself include
    • How did I feel at the beginning of the book?
    • How did I feel at the end? Was there a change?
    • Who was my favourite/least favourite character? Why?
    • Did this book give me any new ideas? If so, what are they?
    • Who else might like this book? Why?
    • If I had written this book, would I have changed anything about it? What, and why?
  • Be creative! We love to read reviews in the form of poems, short stories, reviews written with emojis.
  • Be careful with the boring things like spelling and punctuation. This isn’t school — you won’t be disqualified if you spell “discombobulated” wrong — but having good spelling and punctuation makes it easier for everyone else to understand what you mean!

Tips for creating a picture review:

  • Will you be drawing a picture, or taking a photo of something you’ve created or that reminds you of the book?
    • Tip: Other Summer Reading Adventure participants can see your reviews so if you’re making a video talking about your book and you’re concerned with online privacy, you might want to have the book in front of the camera instead of you.
  • Useful questions to ask yourself include:
    • Was there a character you really liked (or really didn’t like) that you could draw?
    • Was there an important moment in the story? Did you think something different should have happened?
    • Did this book give you any new ideas? How might you show that new idea in a picture?
  • Be creative! Draw something that represents the book, create the characters or an important scene out of LEGO, cook something that the characters ate and take a photo. We love seeing innovative ways of reviewing books!

For inspiration we’ve included a few examples of the excellent reviews that have already been submitted. These reviewers have thought about which parts of the book that made them enjoy it, and hopefully their recommendations will make you want to read these books too!

First off, we have a picture review of Camp by Kayla Miller.

Picture review of Camp. Drawn with coloured felt pens, the left side has pictures the characters Olive and Willow. The right side has a written review.

This vibrant picture review shows us the reviewer’s interpretation of the two main characters. She also explores her two favourite characters and what about those characters she likes.
Picture review by Bea

Here’s a fab review written last summer about Louis Sacher’s There’s a boy in the girl’s bathroom. This reviewer also writes about the characters, but he also writes about what the book made him feel.

This books main characters were Bradley Jeff and Carla. Bradley was a weird kid overall but he changed a lot. At the start Bradley was a big bully but at the end Bradley was still weird but he was also kind. Bradley was super sad when Carla left it made me sad too. This book is my favourite book I have ever read because I was feeling there emotions and it was like I had gotten sucked up into the book. I love this book and want to read it again sometime☺️

Review by Dion

In this review of Which way to anywhere by Cressida Cowell, the reviewer picks out two characteristics that made her really enjoy the book, the teamwork (character interactions!) and the magic throughout the story that.

This is by far one of my favourite books ever. I like how there is a lot of teamwork involved in this adventure and the magic that just spices it up perfectly. My favourite character is definitely puck!

Review by Petra

While you’re writing your reviews, don’t forget to read through other kids’ reviews too — there are thousands and thousands of them and who knows, you may just find a book you’d like to read yourself! Happy reading and reviewing!

Whakanuia a Matariki: July School Holiday Programme

Isabel Echeverria 2 Comments

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:

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


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.

 


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:


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. 

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Puppets & Puppeteers

Sue Jane

via GIPHY

With puppets and puppetry featuring in our Beyond the Page Festival July holiday activities, we thought we’d explore all things PUPPET!

A puppet is a ‘moving doll’. They are often used in theatre performances, kids’ TV shows and films and often use strings or other devices to make the puppet move and look alive. Some puppets are very simple (like sock puppets), but others are more complicated and need lots of practise to use. The person who works the puppet and makes it move is called a puppeteer.

Simple Puppets that you can make at home

FPin on Paper Dollsinger Puppet: As the name suggests, you simply pop the puppet over your finger/s and get wiggling! Another form of finger puppet is the two-finger puppet that has holes for two fingers which act as the puppet legs.

Sock puppet: Find an old sock and glue funny eyes and noses onto the foot of the sock. Then wear it like a glove with the thump acting like a jaw.

Glove Puppet: Similar to a finger puppet, but larger. The puppeteer uses his or her fingers and hand to work the puppet.

Paddle Puppet: The puppet is on the end of a cardboard or wooden paddle, or is even the paddle itself. When the puppeteer wiggles the paddle back and forth, it seem that the puppet moves by itself.

Complicated Puppets

Jumping Jack: A puppet where the arms and legs of the puppet are joined to a string. When the string is pulled down, the arms and legs go up.

Rod Puppet and Bunraku: The puppet is worked with rods joined to the puppets arms and legs, while another puppeteer moves the head and sometimes the mouth. Bunraku is a special type of Japanese rod puppetry.

Make a Shadow Puppet Theatre Book – Stories In Paper | Shadow puppets, Shadow theatre, Puppets

Shadow Puppet Theatre. Image: Pinterest.com

Shadow Puppet:  A cut out figure on a rod is held in front of a light. Its shadow is projected onto a screen. The puppeteer moves the puppet around, giving it some life.

Marionette: This puppet is moved around with strings that hang from above the theatre. This is one of the more complex types of puppetry and is hard to master as some marionettes can have up to thirty strings.

Ventriloquist Figure or Dummy: This puppet is one of the few where the audience sees the puppeteer. The puppeteer moves the puppets head arms and mouth with his hands as well as with levers. The performance usually takes the shape of a conversation between the dummy and the puppeteer. The puppeteer speaks normally, then puts on a different voice when the puppet is supposed to be talking. His voice seems to be coming from his stomach (from the old Latin word: “venter”). His lips are not moving, but the puppet’s lips may move, so it seems as if the puppet is talking.

Jim Henson and the Muppets

Jim Henson's Legacy: A "Rainbow Connection" with UMD | Flickr

Jim Henson with the Muppets. Image: Flickr

Jim Henson (1936 – 1990) ) was one of the most well-known and innovative modern puppeteers. He is the creator of the Muppets – think Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Cookie Monster, and Elmo.  He made up the word Muppets as a blend of “marionette” (see above) and “puppet” and created the Muppets while still a student at university. The Jim Henson Museum is in his hometown of Leland, Mississippi and has an assortment of original Muppet characters on display. One of the bridges in Leland is also named “The Rainbow Connection” after the popular song from the 1979 film The Muppet Movie.



Check out the catalogue and get making and performing with puppets these holidays!

Puppets / D’Cruz, Anna-Marie
“An exciting collection of step-by-projects that readers can do at home on their own or in the classroom.” (Catalogue)

Sock Puppet Theater presents The three little pigs : a make and play production / Harbo, Christopher L
“Hear ye! Hear ye! Sock Puppet Theater Presents The Three Little Pigs! Now it’s a snap to make simple, adorable puppets, key props, and the perfect stage for bringing this classic fairy tale to life. But that’s not all! As an added bonus, this book also includes a fun starter script, helpful acting and performance tips, and clever suggestions for making your play truly unique. With Sock Puppet Theatre, you hold in your hands everything needed to get your puppeteer career started on the right foot!” (Catalogue)

Making shadow puppets / Bryant, Jill
“In this book in the Kids Can Do It series, kids can create traditional shadow puppets from around the world.” (Catalogue)

The most excellent book of how to be a puppeteer / Lade, Roger
“Tap students hidden talents with these clever books filled with step-by-step instructions for entertaining friends and family at home or at school.” (Catalogue)

Recycling things to make and do / Bone, Emily
“Provides step-by-step instructions for a range of craft activities using recycled materials. Suggested level: primary, intermediate.” (Catalogue)

I am Jim Henson / Meltzer, Brad
“Presents the creator of the Muppets and describes the creative spirit, performance talents and beliefs in the goodness of people that inspired his career and how he helped create the iconic programs Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.” (Catalogue)

The Muppets character encyclopedia / Shemin, Craig
“The most sensational, inspirational, muppetational character encyclopaedia ever! Play the music, light the lights, and meet all your favourite characters from the Muppets in The Muppets Character Encyclopaedia. From Animal to Zoot, meet over 200 of the most memorable and best-loved Muppet characters from the 1970s to the present day. […] The Muppets Character Encyclopaedia is a must-have for new fans eager for background on their new favourite Muppets as well as older fans wanting to relive the original TV series.” (Adapted from Catalogue)