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Warkworth Museum committee member Brenda Yoxall and museum manager Victoria Joule with an old printing press that will be in action during a free children’s Have a Go day in the museum grounds on January 16. The museum has also devised two scavenger hunts for different ages for the holidays, and anyone completing either activity can get a stamp for their Dare to Explore booklet.
Christmas crafts, Star Wars fun and a summer reading challenge are among the children’s activities on offer at libraries in Warkworth, Wellsford and Mahurangi East this summer.
The past, present and future is the theme of this year’s Kia Māia te Whai Dare to Explore summer reading programme, which runs until January 20.
Children can sign up online to complete a range of different challenges set by six Dare to Explore characters – Ruru (grow and learn), Mangopare (explore), Kihikihi (be kind), Tui (get creative), Kiwi (create make and build) and Moa (travel back in time).
Children get stamps and stickers for their achievements, and anyone who completes a challenge from each category gets an invitation to a special Dare to Explore party at their local library.
There are plenty of other creative activities at libraries for the holidays. At Mahurangi East, there’s a huge gingerbread house to decorate and eat as part of a community Christmas storytime party, with pass the parcel and singing, on Friday, December 20 at 10.30am. Then, on Saturday, January 11, there will be a Prehistoric Picnic at Goodall Reserve, and a two-day Fabric Design Workshop for over-8s on January 14 and 15 – enquire at the library for info. In Warkworth, kids can make Christmas decorations on Monday, December 23; poi on Friday, January 10 and bug hotels on Sunday, January 12, with all sessions running from 10.30am to 11.30am. At Wellsford Memorial Library, it’s Christmas crafts from 2pm on Tuesday, December 17; there is a bookmark workshop on Thursday, December 19 from 10.30am to 11.30am and up-cycling old-games into something new on Monday, January 13, from 2pm to 3pm.
There will also be Star Wars themed-fun at two branches, with challenges and Lego at Warkworth on Wednesday, January 8 and a chance to make your own lightsaber at Wellsford on Friday, January 10, with both sessions from 10.30am to 11.30am.
