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Whether attended by 30 or 3000 people, almost 1000 events the length and breadth of New Zealand, in rural towns and our largest cities, successfully brought children, their families and the local community together with one common goal – to celebrate, nurture and treasure our children. Be inspired for Children’s Day 2009, by the huge range of activities provided at Children’s Day 2008, from old favourites such as face-painting to upbeat alternatives such as skate-boarding and krumping competitions. Small Events: >100 People Medium events: 100 – 500 people
Large events: 501+
Kids Only Market, Three Kings, Auckland This small event provided an excellent opportunity for primary, intermediate and secondary school-age children to clear out their cupboards of unwanted books, games and toys and make themselves some pocket-money at the same time. Unfortunately the outdoor market was adversely affected by the weather, but for those children that did take part, it was a fun day as well as a valuable new learning experience as they manned their stalls and sold their wares. Look out for a bigger and better market in 2009, at a location that won’t be affected by the rain! Old Fashioned Family Picnic, Takaka This Golden Bay town at the tip of the south island, proved that big isn’t always better when 30 or so people gathered to celebrate Children’s Day with an old-fashioned family picnic. The combination of planned activities such as cricket, kite flying and ball sports, plus free play on the nearby school playground, proved a winning equation for adults and children alike. Events don’t have to be huge or cost a fortune to run and as this event showed, it really is the taking part that counts. Organisers are looking forward to Children’s Day 2009, with even more activities and opportunities for the whole family to join in.
Children’s Day and Well Child Week Celebration, Onehunga Over 300 littlies and their families joined in the celebrations at this Children’s Day event in Central Auckland. Perhaps the highlight of a wonderful day, bringing many a tear to the eye of immensely proud whanau, was the onstage performance of children from 12 local pacific preschools, reciting songs and poems around the Children’s Day theme of “New Experiences”. Organisers were also keen to include nutritional education so provided a healthy lunch for everyone, followed with a range of educational activities, food games to test nutritional knowledge and sporting fun. Parents and caregivers kindly completed evaluation forms on the day, the positive results of which delighted organisers, Tongan Health Society, showed just how much the day was enjoyed by all, as well as providing valuable ideas for improvements for Children’s Day 2009. Children’s Day in the Park, Kaikohe Kaikohe certainly lived up to its reputation as the “hub of the north” with over 500 people attending two combined Children’s Day events at Kaikohe and Te Tii Marae. This was family fun for the entire community, with a shared lunch, stalls, hands-on activities, games and competitions during the day. Good behaviour (such as getting a parent involved in an activity), was rewarded with free movie passes for a movie event and dinner in the evening. Meanwhile, visitors to Te Tii Marae were treated to a visual extravaganza as children displayed their creative talents with an indoor and outdoor Art Exhibition of works completed throughout the day. Organisers were delighted with the level of participation from families, the bonds between siblings helping each other with activities, and parents joining in rather than simply dropping off the children and doing their own thing. And the lasting memory of the day? Simply… “kindness”. Wairoa Children’s Day This hugely successful event enjoyed massive support from around 500 children and their families, community organisations and local media. The day began with a karakia by kaumatua Ken Ross, before nationally renowned band Spacifix really got the celebrations underway! This up and coming group delighted the crowd with an energetic and colourful performance of hip hop, reggae, a little bit of rock and even soul and gospel music. These talented young musicians, who write and perform their own material, were incredible role models, mingling with the crowd and delighting the children and rangatahi as they joined in the various activities. The day was a breathtaking whirl of colour and activity, with something for everyone, the young and the not-so-young. There were opportunities aplenty for those wishing to display their creative talents, with painting, colouring-in and mirror-making. For those seeking a little more action, the skateboard and krumping competitions were guaranteed to get the limbs (and adrenalin!) pumping. (For those of us for whom our teenage years are but a distant memory, krumping is a form of urban street dance, involving free, expressive, highly energetic moves.) And with the free bus service from outlying areas, it was a fantastic family fun day for the entire greater-Wairoa community. Organisers were thrilled with the response and participation from families, particularly the number of dads who joined in the activities, and are looking forward to an even bigger and more exciting event in 2009!
Picnic in the Park, Kensington, Whangarei One of the biggest events planned for 2008, unfortunately only got as far as the planning stage and became a victim of the weather. However, this Whangarei suburb certainly knows how to celebrate Children’s Day in style, as it showed the previous year with a family festival enjoyed by around 700 attendees. Families had the option of bringing along their own picnic lunch, or savouring the delights at the sausage sizzle stall (or both!). There was entertainment and activities aplenty, including balloon blowing, face-painting, a mini-golf tournament, basket-weaving demonstration and the opportunity to try it for yourself, kapa haka, nail painting, even fishing! Whew! The organisers were particularly delighted with the number of children who took part in the talent contest, and blown away by the talent displayed. The little prizes given out during the day were very popular, as kids were encouraged to get their parents involved and try new experiences too. Organisers also tried some new experiences for themselves, dressing up as animals for the day! The secret to the success of this event, was the support of the entire community, with local government agencies, community groups and local businesses all working together to provide a fantastic, free day out for the whole family. Kensington will be back bigger and better for Children’s Day 2009, with even more entertainment, activities and services including child health checks, plus of course, a weather-proof location! Children’s Day at Canterbury Museum
In the space of just three hours on Children’s Day, more than 1500 people combined new experiences with old as they explored the treasure trove of New Zealand and international riches that is Canterbury’s internationally-renowned Museum. Dressing-up is always a favourite pastime for children, and Children’s Day was the perfect time to try on the “coolest” attire in the Antarctic Gallery. From stamping their name in hieroglyphics to trying their hand at early Maori toolmaking, Canterbury Museum offered young people an incredible insight into days gone by through practical, hands-on activities in each of the 4 main galleries. And of course, Children’s Day proved to be the highlight of the year
for Cliff, Canterbury Museum’s children’s mascot. It was green gecko
heaven for Cliff, as he joined in the fun with all the children. If
geckos could count, Cliff would be counting the days until Children’s
Day 2009.
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