Maori Language Week

Do not forget it is Maori Language week Monday 26th July until Sunday 1st August.

A suggested website for more information is http://www.korero.maori.nz/news/mlw

The key message for the language this year is encouraging use in communities, and the theme this year is Te Mahi Kai – The language of food.

In Christchurch at our next Networking meeting on Thursday 5th August at the Fendalton Service Centre from 10.30am, I have organised someone to teach basic Maori language which can used within our programmes. Counting and general words we would use every day.

Amanda

Animal Policy Review

For those programmes reviewing their animal policy or those who haven’t reviewed it for a while, I would recommend the animal control website http://www.animal-control.co.nz/resources.htm for information and resources.

There is advice on what to do if an dog bites and how to react if you are challenged by an aggressive dog. You may also like to print off some of their information flyers and educational resources. This stay safe flyer is particularly informative and easy to follow http://www.animal-control.co.nz/StaySafe.pdf

If you know of any other informative websites please do post or comment below.

Anastasia

OSCAR's Got Talent

I have met some amazingly talented children during the first week of the holidays. I can recall spotting three of them in the 'time out' zone at their programme. These three children were placed there for basically not following staff instructions and asking 'why' during their adult initiated arts and crafts sessions.

When they were back in the programme, I observed them and quickly discovered some of their talent. Francois, aged 6, can draw amazing anatomically correct insects and animals, Michael, aged 9, can create these amazing cartoon caricatures – in a millisecond, and Levi, aged 10, loves and can create amazing geometric shapes and tessellation patterns, he used some shells for inspiration that I had brought along.

This got me to thinking about sharing an idea about 'uncolouring' in resources in your programme toolkits. Instead of your traditional photocopied pictures or colouring in books, these uncolouring in tools help to build children’s creativity and visualisation skills, and encourage imaginations to be used.

For example, instead of having a photocopied picture from Nemo, you would provide the children with a blank piece of paper, pencils, felts, rubber,water colour paints etc and a prompt such as 'You have found a carved wooden box while walking in the forest. Draw what you discovered when you opened the box' or 'You have just landed on planet Ooglieya. What do the aliens look like there?'

For the children who may not be used to this freedom, you can draw a prompt that they can develop, e.g. draw a piece of string and see what they create from that point.

Happy 'uncolouring' in everyone.

Julie

Top 5 FREE activities in Dunedin

1. Museum Trails - Pick up a backpack and have a search around the museum (backpacks available from discovery world info desk)
2. Beach Walks- Take a walk from St Clair to St Kilda through the ORC walkway.
3. Dinosaur Park - Great for all ages with a full playground and bike park including miniature roads. Remember your towels during summer just incase the whale is on.
4. Ravensbourne Cycle Way - A paved, fenced and safe way to go for a bike ride. Great scenery and plenty of places to stop for a breather. Don’t forget your sunscreen and water bottles as there is little shelter along the way.
5. Botanic Gardens - Playground, Aviary, Rose Garden, Walkways, Ducks to feed and sometimes a train. What more could you ask for in a free day out.

Kelly

Ten Free Family Activities in Christchurch in WINTER

1. Mountain biking in either Bottle Lake Reserve or McLean’s Island
2. Walk/rollerblade/bike around Hayley Park
3. Visit a library in your area
4. Walk along the New Brighton Pier and explore the coastline
5. Visit the Art Gallery and then the Arts Centre
6. Walk the Bridle Path or Rapaki tracks
7. Explore the Gun emplacements on Godley head
8. Visit a playground
9. Admire the beautiful Botanical gardens and climb some trees
10. Visit the Christchurch Museum

Amanda

Weird, curly job interview questions

I found this link (on yahoo.co.nz) about weird curly job interview questions, it’s a bit of fun but at the same time it may get you thinking about how and what you’re asking in your interviews.

http://nz.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/nzlifestyle/2379/?page_is_popup=1&photo=13

Anastasia

Yumminess

Add some 'yumminess' that the children can create on your menu for holiday programme snacks and meals.

A great alternative to lollies and sweets when you are cooling down after an active play session or just chillaxing together. Yoghurt & Juice Iceblock treats and one ingredient ice cream.

Iceblocks
Really simple you just need some fruit juice and natural yoghurt, and maybe some honey if you want extra sweetness. The fruit juice can be freshly squeezed from those oranges your neighbours gave you, cheaply priced kiwifruit or ripe bananas (well mashed up). Put the fruit juice into your moulds and leave to set, then fill up the mould with your yoghurt and leave to reset. This is best left for about 8 – 10 hours so they could be created one day and gobbled up the next.

Of course these flavours are unlimited really and can be created from everyone’s favourite. Perhaps this creates an opportunity for a team challenge, where groups can create their own recipes and delights. Everyone gets to taste test them and the overall supreme delight discovered.

My children made their favourites. One was berry, choco delight - frozen berries and choc yoghurt - and the other was mango crush – mango and natural yoghurt.

If you have your own yoghurt maker or can borrow a couple, this means you can make the yoghurt from scratch and is a great activity as well. Have fun.

For those children with dairy allergies etc, I would be using all sorts of seasonal fruits, layerer and frozen to have your own fruities and no one misses out.

The one ingredient ice cream
This was a revelation to me and I very much doubted it would end up being the delicious delight that it was. I was proved wrong. Bananas are the ingredient you need, the riper the better. They are whizzed and mixed for longer than you might for say a smoothie and they magically turn into this very light, white creamy treat. Once again you can add in other ingredients if you do not like the dominant banana flavour.

Have fun and I would love to hear about your results.
Julie

Bag of Tricks

During the holidays it pays to have a few ideas and resources up your sleeve just in case. Many things happen; a late bus, an activity not lasting as long as you thought, the children are bored or you just want to jazz things up a little.

When on a programme I like to have a bag of tricks full of interesting things I can make into an exciting and interesting time filler. In my bag of tricks I carry:

• A note pad and pencils
• A Kush ball
• Some balloons
• A ball of wool
• Tape
• A rubber band
• A beach ball
• Some coins
• A small pair of scissors or a Swiss army knife
• A bandana
• A rubber chicken ( or something similar)
• A pack of cards

This group of resources gives me a vast array of activities I could potentially do with a group of children or an individual child.

You can set up a volleyball game do some drawing or play hangman, any number of card games or kicking or throwing games. One of my favourite is Chuck the chicken which is great for burning off energy for those boys. String games with the wool, balloon stomp or making some propeller toys using some natural resources also.

The options are limited only by your imagination all of this can fit into a small bum bag and you can add your favourite resources also.

Ariana