School Holidays – Kids' Blog

Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs for Children.

Katie14 December, 2018

Hey Kids!

Check out this weeks Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs!

Enjoy!

1) It’s a very merry Muppet Christmas movie.

Join Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Miss Piggy and the entire Muppet gang in this heart-warming holiday classic, where the Muppets discover what matters most is their love for each other, even when things go wrong. This movie also features a celebrity cast including David Arquette, Joan Cusack and Whoopi Goldberg, and a show-stopping musical numbers like ‘Moulin Scrooge!’ Overall a funny, uplifting, heart-warming holiday classic that will bring joy to the world every Christmas season! You can’t go wrong with a Muppets movie!

2) Barbie in The Nutcracker.

If you love Barbie and ballet, then check out, Barbie, the lady herself, starring as Clara, relives the classic tale of the Nutcracker. The story is enhanced with computer-animated dance sequences. A great movie to watch this festive season.

3) Home alone : the holiday heist.

In the fifth and final instalment in the Home Alone franchise, Ten-year-old Finn Baxter thinks his family’s new house in Maine is haunted. But the truth might be even scarier. A trio of thieves are after a priceless painting hidden in a secret room by the previous owner. So when Finn and his sister find themselves home alone, Finn rigs up an elaborate array of techno-gadgets and booby traps to protect his pad from the bumbling criminals trying to break inches. Overall a great film that can be enjoyed by all ages and an even greater finish to the Home Alone franchise.

4) Hook.

An oldie, but a goodie! A high-flying adventure from the magic of Steven Spielberg, Hook stars Robin Williams as a grown-up Peter Pan and Dustin Hoffman as the infamous Captain Hook.

5) Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure.

Christmas has gone to the dogs with Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure. “When Henry, a wayward elf, crash-lands Santa’s sleigh and thieves abscond with Santa’s toy bag, it looks like Christmas won’t be coming this year — until the amazing Beethoven and his young human boy pal, Mason, join forces with Henry to save the holiday”–Ezydvd website.

Check out the trailer for “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms“, another retelling of the classic tale of The Nutcracker, and another Christmas themed movie to watch on the big screen this holiday season.

Clara, (Mackenzie Foy) enters a magical world, she meets a soldier named Phillip, a group of mice and the regents who preside over three realms, and must enter a fourth realm to retrieve a magic key and restore harmony to the unstable land.

Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs for Children.

Katie12 December, 2018

Hey kids!

It’s less than four weeks until Christmas. In the mood for a Christmas themed DVD to watch during the holiday season? Check this weeks Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs!

Stay tuned for more “Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs for Children.” from now until Christmas.

Enjoy!

The Grinch.

On the outskirts of Whoville, there lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans on ruining the Christmas holiday for all of the citizens of the town. Based on the book “How the Grinch stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss and the second screen adaptation of this story. A mixture of humour and Christmas cheer.

Also check out the trailer to the upcoming release of the third screen adaptation of The Grinch, in cinemas on the 29th of November. Looks hilarious!

2) The Swan Princess Christmas.

Princesses and Christmas’ rolled into one with The Swan Princess Christmas. “Princess Odette, Prince Derek and their trusted woodland friends reunite in this all-new adventure for their first Christmas celebration together! As the kingdom prepares for a festive holiday, the villainous Rothbart plots to destroy Christmas. Will the castle friends be able to stop Rothbart and save the day?” — container.

3) Home Alone.

An oldie but a goodie!… and one of my favourite movies from childhood. After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without youngest son, 8-year-old Kevin, (Macaulay Culkin) uses being ‘home alone’ to his advantage, by doing all his favourite things, eating his favourite food and finally being ‘the man of the house.’ But his excitement sours when he realizes that two con men (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern) plan to rob the McCallister residence, and that he alone must protect the family home. A Die Hard movie for kids!

4) Abominable Christmas.

After two abominable snowkids are chased from their mountain hideaway by a scientist determined to capture them, they’re forced to spend Christmas with the most feared animal of them all–humans.

5) The Polar Express.

Based on the beloved book by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express is about a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express. During his adventure he learns about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas.

Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs for Children

Katie22 November, 2018

Hey Kids!

Brace yourself this week for another round “Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs!” to watch over the Christmas break!

Enjoy!

image courtesy of amazon.com

Home Alone 2. Kevin McCallister is back this holiday season and is embarking on another ‘Home Alone’ journey where he accidentally boards the wrong plane and ends up in New York City instead of Florida, where the rest of his family has gone. He has plenty of cash and credit cards to enjoy a nice stay at a posh hotel and turns the Big Apple into his own personal playground. There he meets up with the Wet Bandits, Harry and Marv, who are plotting a huge holiday heist. It is up to Kevin to save the day die-hard style with a battery of booby traps the bumbling bandits will never forget.

image courtesy of amazon.com

Arthur Christmas. On Christmas at the North Pole, Santa’s youngest son looks to use his father’s high-tech operation for an urgent mission. Overall a very humorous and heart-warming story. A great one to watch with the entire family.
Miracle on 34th Street. The holiday season is in full swing when a cultured gentleman with twinkling eyes, an ample belly and a snowy beard is hired as Macy’s department store Santa. He claims his name is Kris Kringle and soon fills everyone with Christmas spirit… except for his boss, Doris Walker, who’s raising her daughter to not believe in Santa. But when Kringle is declared insane put on trial, everyone’s faith is put to the test as young and old alike face the age-old question: Do you believe in Santa Claus?

The Muppets’ Christmas Carol. Based on Charles Dickens’ timeless classic, A Christmas Carol, The Muppet characters tell their version of the classic tale of an old and bitter miser’s named Scrooge’s, (played brilliantly by Michael Caine) path to redemption on Christmas Eve. Another childhood favourite featuring talented actor and the Muppets.

Sesame Street : Once Upon a Christmas. Travel back to the nineteenth century, when humans and monsters didn’t get along, as Elmo and his friends learn how Christmas and the holiday spirit came to Sesame Street!

As an added bonus and pre-Christmas treat, here’s a trailer of the 2018 movie, The Grinch. Enjoy!

Dance your socks off in the school holidays!

admin13 September, 2018

Looking forward to the holidays? So are we! There are heaps of great activities planned for you. Here’s the low down…

Royal New Zealand Ballet Dance Workshops

Inspired by The Nutcracker these 45 minute sessions give participants a chance to dance! RNZB dance workshops for children aged 5-8 years. Places are limited, register early for these popular workshops at the RNZB website.

Tawa Community Centre: 2nd October 10 – 10.45am

Newlands Community Centre: 2nd October 2 – 2.45pm

Wellington Central Library: 3 October 10 – 10.45am (This Workshop Is Full)

Island Bay Community Centre: 4 October 10 – 10.45am

Diorama Workshop and Competition

Be in to win a family pass to the RNZB’s The Nutcracker Season! Work together with your friends and family on the fun and creative challenge. Recreate your favourite scene from The Nutcracker in a shoebox diorama. Bring your own shoebox and use our craft supplies. These workshops are open to families with children of all ages. Bookings are required for these workshops, please contact the host library to register.

Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library: 2nd October 10.30 – 11.30am

Wadestown Library: 2nd October 11am – 12pm

Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library: 2nd October 2.30 – 3.30pm

Karori Library: 3rd October 2.30 – 3.30pm

Wellington Central Library: 10th October 11am – 12pm (Bookings not required)

Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library: 10th October 2 – 3pm (Bookings not required)

Brooklyn Library: 11th October 11am – 12pm

Khandallah Library: 11th October 11am – 12pm

Johnsonville Library: 11th October 2 – 3pm (Bookings not required)

Family Movies

Bring a blanket and pillow, and relax at our fun family movies. A different G or PG rated movie from the library collection will be showing each time, and are suitable for the whole family. Ideal for children aged 4+ years accompanied by their caregivers. Bookings required for the evening movies at Johnsonville, Newtown, and Karori Libraries.

Wellington Central Library: 1st – 12th October, at 2pm in the children’s section (no movie showing on 7th October)

Johnsonville Library: 5th October 5.30 – 7pm (Reserve your place by contacting the event library)

Newtown Library: 5th October 6 – 7.30pm (Reserve your place by contacting the event library)

Karori Library: 11th October 6 – 7.30pm (Reserve your place by contacting the event library)

Let’s Go lego

At Let’s Go Lego, your creative skills will be put to the test as you use our Lego collections to design and build your masterpieces. Each session will have a different theme that will inspire you to hone your skills and become your very own Lego Legend. Bookings not required. Suitable for children aged 5+ years accompanied by their caregivers.

Wadestown Library: 2nd October 11am – 12pm

Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library: 4th October 3.30 – 4.30pm

Khandallah Library: 5th October 3.30 – 4.30pm

Karori Library: 6th October 2 – 3pm

Tawa Community Centre: 8th October 10am – 12pm

Miramar Library: 10th October 10.30 – 11.30am

Tawa Library: 11th October 3.30 – 4.30pm

Island Bay Community Centre: 12th October 10.30 – 11.30am

Johnsonville Library: 12th October 3.30 – 4.30pm

Newtown Library: 13th October 10.30 – 11.30am

Storytelling and Puppet Making

Come and listen to the story of The Nutcracker and be transported into the enchanting world of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Mouse King. Followed by a fantastical puppet making workshop where you will create your own magical puppets to tell a story! Suitable for children aged 4+ years accompanied by their caregivers.

Newlands Community Centre: 9th October 2 – 3.30pm

Gamesfest

Get your game face on! Bring your own, or use the board games supplied, and challenge yourself and your friends to victory. Aim for a Scrabble high score, show your hand or perhaps perfect your poker face in your favourite card game! Suitable for children aged 6+ years accompanied by their caregivers.

Central Library: 3rd and 10th October 5.30 – 8pm

Stories @ Six

Come along for a fun family story evening run by the community for the community. Bring the family and enter into a magical time of stories and fantasy. Stories @ Six is ideal for families with children aged 4+ years.

Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library: 4th October 6 – 6.30pm

Bey Blade Tournament

Let the battle of the Bey Blades begin! Bring your own Bey Blades or use the library ones, and challenge your friends to a battle. Who will emerge victorious? Suitable for children aged 6+ years accompanied by their caregivers.

Newtown Library: 4th October 3 – 4pm

Lego Stop-Motion Movie Workshop

Work as a team and learn how to create a stop motion film using ‘Stop Motion Studio’ and LEGO. BYOD tablet, or borrow one of the library ones (limited supply available). Numbers are limited, bookings required. Reserve your place by contacting Tawa Library. Suitable for children aged 7+ years accompanied by their caregivers.

Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library: 5th October 10.30 – 11.30am (Bookings required, please contact the library)

All events are free. Parents/caregivers are expected to accompany and supervise children at all activities. Contact the host library for more information about each event.

Some great new kids fiction to read these school holidays!

admin20 July, 2018

Yay!!! It’s the School Holidays! So stock your reading shelf with these fab new books available at your local Library!

The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage ; The Find-Outers #1, by Enid Blyton

The Find-Outers is a clever mystery series from bestselling author Enid Blyton, and perfect for fans of The Secret Seven. Someone has set fire to Mr Hick’s cottage, but who could it be? Fatty, Larry, Daisy, Pip, Bets and Buster the dog have their very first case to solve. But it’s not easy being detectives with policeman Mr Goon telling them to “clear orf”. The Find-Outers are determined – they have to solve the mystery before Mr Goon does! First published in 1943, this edition contains the orginal text and is unillustrated.

The Stinky Truth by Joe Berger

It’s the school holidays and Sam and his best friend can’t wait to see Cry Wolfe, the first movie starring their favourite crime-fighting hero. But Sam’s mum has set him a challenge. He can only go and see the movie IF, and only if, he can make it through the entire holiday without telling a single fib. Can Sam go six whole weeks, without a single porky!? WARNING: contains fibs, farts and zumba-dancing mums.

Dark Tricks by Linda Chapman

Do you believe in magic? Sita and her friends do! When they meet the Star Animals, a whole world of adventure unfolds. Sita and her star animal, a deer called Willow, must use their special powers to stop the forces of dark magic. As the Star Friends’ ability to use their magic gets stronger, the forces of dark magic working against them become more intense, too. But the person using dark magic is taking risks – can the girls find out who their enemy is, and confront them once and for all?

The New Kid: Unpopular me by James O’Loghlin

“New kids aren’t cool. Everyone knows that. Eleven-year-old Sam is the new kid at school but he has a plan, or two, or three to make himself the Most popular kid ever. What you are about to read is unforgettable (frog underpants, lonely losers, human umbrellas, bad boys…). It’s bumpy (jumping out a window is never a good idea). It’s the story of kid who wants to be more.”–Back cover.

Greta Zargo and the Amoeba Monsters from the middle of the earth by A.F. Harold

Greta doesn’t know it, but weird wobbling monsters are devouring her neighbours one by one. But right now Greta’a busy trying to find her aunt, who’s gone mysteriously missing… — Adapted from back cover.

9 Non fiction books to help you get ready for NZ Dance Week

Katie19 April, 2018

From April 21 – 29 is NZ Dance Week!

New Zealand Dance Week (NZDW) is annual event, organised by Dance Aotearoa New Zealand, to celebrate and promote dance in every form ranging from ballet, hip hop, swing and dance fitness. And this year Wellington City Libraries is joining in on the dance act for hosting some awesome events at the library! But why should grown ups have all the fun?

So for all you young budding dance enthusiasts out there, We have an amazing selection of books in our junior non fiction collection that will help improve your dance techniques, inspire your creativity and help get New Zealand dancing… just in time for NZDW!

Enjoy!

Top Dance Tips.

Jazz, ballet, tap, and hip hop-there are so many different sides to dance. Learn the ins and outs of dancing all sorts of styles like a pro!

Ballerina : a step–by–step guide to ballet.

Leap into the world of ballet with this beautiful guide and accompanying DVD!

The Book of Dance by Lorrie Mack.
The world of dance is yours to explore! Read all you need to know about dance and its history in this great and exciting book! This book allows you to discover the excitement of dance with all its magical rhythm, steps, costumes, music and dancers. You will also gain information on various types of dance, like ballet and ballroom. Also learn about popular productions from classical favorites, (The Nutcracker), Broadway (Singin’ in the Rain), Bollywood and even fresh dance styles that were inspired from the streets and clubs (Disco and Break dancing) and famous dancers of all time like Michael Jackson.

Street dance : the people, the music, the moves.

This book contains information about how and why stress dance began and expert advice from street dancers and choreographers.

Street Dance.

Using step by step photographs, this book will show you how to put together street dance moves and routines.

Learn to speak dance.

Exposes every aspect of the world of dance — from different dance styles from around the world to tips on choreography, costume design, performance, staging, and even managing a potential career.

Dance.

“Discover the many kinds of dance around the world — from the magic of ballet to the drama of flamenco” — Cover.

Modern Dance.

Introduces the history and basic concepts of modern dance. Easy-to-read text, vibrant photos, and dance tips will make readers want to get up and dance.

Haka.

“This is the story of the haka “Ka Mate,” composed by Te Rauparaha who was a chief of Ngāti Toa Rangatira. Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha is pursued by his enemies and fears for his life. At Lake Rotoaira, he is hidden in a potato pit, and Te Rangikoaea, a woman of great power, sits in front of its entrance. As he listens in the dark, Te Rauparaha hears his enemies, but they cannot find him, and he climbs back to the sunlight. As he recounts this adventure to his people, his words are repeated and the haka rings out, passed down from generation to generation”–Publisher’s information.

Make, Create, and Innovate in the April School Holidays

admin3 April, 2018

Spin a Sphero, make music, code a cart, and rock with a robot!

You get to be the engineer, architect, or scientist at your local library during the school holidays. Have a go at the latest programmable toys, gadgets and robots, and get creative with Lego and coding games. Open to all ability levels.

Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library: Tuesday 17th April, 10.30am

Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library: Wednesday 18th April, 10.30am

Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library: Thursday 19th April, 10.30am

Karori Library: Friday 20th April, 2.30pm

Johnsonville Library: Monday 23rd April. 2.30pm

Newtown Library: Tuesday 24th April, 10.30am

Khandallah Library: Thursday 26th April, 10.30am

Central Library: Friday 27th April, 10.30am

These free events are for children aged 6+ and run for 1 hour. No need to book – just turn up!

There are eight different robot and coding events happening across Wellington City Libraries during the school holidays. Contact your library to find out more. Follow the our Facebook page or check back on this blog for updates.

Wild About Reading! Summer Reading Challenge

admin30 October, 2017

Yes it’s nearly time to Slip, Slop, Slap and read, relax and rummage through some fantabulous books! Summer Reading Challenge is just around the corner and have we got some great reads lined up for you this Summer!!!

So for those of you new to this and a reminder to the rest of us who feel like last summer was ages and ages ago, here’s what it’s all about…

Down at Wellington City Libraries we have chosen some of our favourite books, and hopefully some of yours, to see how many of them you can get through between the 1st of December to the 31st of January 2018. There are 60+ books on our list so plenty of variety. The idea is to read a book from the list then go to the Kid’s Page on our website, click on the Kids Club and start writing reviews. Even better you get prizes as well! Also each review puts you in the draw for an amazing book bag full of exciting books and things. Don’t belong to the Kids Club yet? It’s easy to join online check out the Kids Page to find out how.

So here’s a little preview of what’s in store for you this summer!

Ever thought of having a raven as a pet? Well that’s what happened to Arabel when her Dad (a London Taxi driver) finds a raven in the middle of the road one night and brings it. From there the crazy wild adventures begin, who knew a raven could reek so much havoc. Read about Arabel and Mortimer ‘s hilarious antics in one of the 4 books in the Arabel and Mortimer series with fantastic illustrations by Quentin Blake.

The Doomspell by Cliff McNish is an amazing fantasy trilogy which are a must for all Harry Potter and Northern Lights fans! “Rachel has been having disturbing dreams that start to feel too real. Then one day, she and her brother are ripped through a wall in her house and transported to a dangerous world ruled by a manipulative witch and her ancient underlings.” – Publisher

Moa by James Davidson. I don’t know about you, but I love reading comics and summer for me is the perfect time to hang out in a hammock with a great big stack of them! Moa is a laugh out loud series and the perfect thing for those hot summer days. “Ride along with Kiwi and Possum on their side-splitting adventures battling mythical creatures and dangerous hunters in colonial New Zealand! This treasury collection contains all five issues of James Davidson’s acclaimed comic series Moa, sure to delight readers of all ages.” – Publisher.

That was just a sneak peak of what’s in store for you over the holiday season and guess what there are another 57+ books to choose from! So keep an eye out at your local library and on our website for the Wild About Reading: Summer Reading Challenge booklet.

What: Wild About Reading: Summer Reading Challenge booklet

When: Available at your local Library from 18th November 2017

Mahi Moa ScavengAR Hunt!

admin4 October, 2017 1 Comment

The school holidays are underway and we are having such fun at Wellington City Libraries thinking up wonderful things for you to do. So we got together with ScimatAR who have a created an awesome Augmented Reality ScavengAR Hunt for you to do! Ever wanted to see a Moa walk through a library? Now you can! Come and meet Mahi the Moa and roam our non-fiction section solving puzzles and seeing things that others can’t. All you need is an android device (phone or tablet), whoops haven’t got one? Well come along and we will find you one to do the ScavengAR Hunt with.

Augmented reality layers a computer generated reality on top of the real world – in this case, a range of interactive activities that will come to life around you. Keen for an interactive and unique experience? Come on down to your local branch library to give the ScavengAR Hunt a go. Not in Wellington but up on the Kāpiti Coast? Guess what, Kāpiti libraries have the ScavengAR Hunt as well!

Where: Wellington City and Kāpiti Libraries

When: 9th to 14th October

When: All day just turn up

Rise of the Robots: Doing it Gangham Style!

Katie13 September, 2017

Wellington City Libraries are embracing the following trends: technology, coding and robots. To support the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) learning platform, we now have two new team members to assist library staff in this process in the form of Nao Robot twins: Blue and Red.

Blue and Red are fully automated Nao, (pronounced ‘now’) humanoid Robots. They are 58cm tall, autonomous, and fully programmable. They walk, talk, listen to you, and even recognise your face. Blue and Red can even whip out a few dance moves to Thriller by Michael Jackson, Gangnam style by PSY and more! Like most humans, if the robots fall down they manage to get themselves back up again, along with a few grunts and groans, and touch wood without any broken limbs or bones.

The robots made their official debut at Wellington Central Library on Monday 10th of July, at the ‘Meet the Robots’ event, part of the Beyond the Page literary festival for children during the school holidays. Apart from a few technical difficulties and performance anxiety issues, for both the librarians’ and robots the event proved to be a success. Blue and Red were the main attractions and stole the show. Parents and kids were whipping out their cell phones to photograph and film the robots paparazzi style! Everyone was mightily impressed with what the robots could do. They loved the performances and there were a lot of ‘ooohs’, ‘aaahs’ and giggling, and a huge round of applause at the end! Overall Blue and Red are a welcome addition to the library, as well as an ideal learning platform for teaching STEAM subjects. With the robots on our team, Wellington City Libraries can continue to work alongside organisations, such as schools, businesses and Information Technology Institutes. Together we’ll ensure the STEAM platform is promoted and taught to the wider community – Gangnam style!

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