Make Your Own Art Supplies

It's tricky trying to do ar at home when you dont have all the things you would like.
This fantastic website shows you ways to make 40 different art items!

Art materials to make

There is also a fantastic category on Pinterest for DIY craft activities.

DIY Craft

Float Your Boat - STEM Challenge

Another great STEM challenge on Friday with Whaea Natalie

If you missed out or want to try again here it is

Dr Seuss

Whaea Deb loves Dr. Seuss books so it was perfect she ran a storytime with some of her favourites.
You might like to try some of these fun activities celebrating Dr. Seuss books.

Hat Stacker

Stack the cat's hats! See how any paper cups you can stack on top of each other.  Put a small square of card in between each cup and away you go!

Would You Rather Game

How to play: Draw a card and read it aloud.  Make a decision, which would you rather be?  Say why.  Everyone else can tell what they would choose or each person can choose a different card. 

Dr. Seuss Raps

Some audiobooks with a difference.  Have a listen to these awesome raps of Dr. Seuss books!

Fox in Socks Rap

Green Eggs and Ham Rap

The Lorax Rap

The Cat in the Hat Rap

Audio Book - There's a Wocket in My Pocket

If you loved listening to the story today you might like to listen to the story again.  Follow the link.
Audio Story

Activity sheets - print and go!

Storytime with Radio New Zealand

If you haven't already discovered RNZ Storytime, here is your chance! Here is a collection of children's audiobooks that you can search according to age, genre, or author. They have a lovely collection of stories from Aotearoa New Zealand including favourites from Joy Cowley, Margaret Mahy, and Jack Lasenby.

Link

Time to get to know your whānau!

All Right?  is a wellbeing organisation based in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Their website is a wealth of ideas, advice, and resources for adults, children, families and schools. At the start of the lockdown All Right? released a bank of resources and activities for families to do together during the lockdown. At a time when we may not have face-to-face contact with our older whānau members, such as grandparents, their idea to 'make a memory poster'  stood out to me as a great way to connect during this time.

ANZAC Day Ideas

ANZAC Day

ANZAC day is an important day for many New Zealanders and Australians.  Understanding our history helps us to shape our future. Each year thousands of New Zealanders attend services across the country, acknowledging those who sacrificed for our freedom has become part of what we do each year.

Unfortunately, this year services and gatherings across the country have been canceled but people may find ways to commemorate in their own homes.

What is ANZAC Day all about? - a great clip for explaining ANZAC Day to children.
ANZAC Day

ANZAC Day read-aloud books
ANZAC Ted
History of the Poppy


Here is a collection of ideas you might like to do at home with our Whanau to commemorate ANZAC Day since we can not attend parades and services this year.

Anzac Lanterns

A simple yet effective idea using old milk bottles, tea light candles and felt pens or paint. Please supervise children with candles and don't leave unattended.

Anzac Biscuits

Everyone loves an Anzac biscuit and the homemade ones taste the best.

You might have a special recipe from your nana which is fabulous.  Here is a link if you need a recipe to try. ANZAC biscuits

Poppy Wreath

this can be made using egg cartons (for the poppy) by cutting out each egg basket and then drawing some leaves to go behind it.  You can stick on to a paper plate to make it easier to get the shape and cut out the middle of the plate.

Poppy Wreath with Plastic Bottles

You can also make a wreath out of plastic bottles.  Follow this clip to see how to make them.

Plastic bottle wreath

Poppy from a Shopping Bag

This is a clever idea using a red shopping bag (New World or Warehouse).
Shopping bag poppy

Paper Poppy Picture

There are lots of paper poppy clips.  this is a simple one just using circles as a base.

Paper poppy

Paper Poppy with Stem

Poppies with stems can also be fun if you have a pipe cleaner or just use a stick form the garden.

Poppy with stem

Poppy Rocks

I love this idea, which I have to say is borrowed from a teacher in Auckland.  find a nice big rock and paint it white.  then on top paint a poppy.  Once finished you can seal the rock with varnish if you have any at home.  If not bring your rock to school once we return and I can varnish it for you.  If you want we could keep a collection at school to put under our flag pole each ANZAC day.

STEM Fun - Design a Chair

Whaea Natalie ran a fantastic STEM activity via Zoom today.  You might like to try it yourself or try again if you had a go already.

Recreate famous paintings at home!

If you're on Instagram, you may have already seen this viral challenge initiated by the Getty Museum. They have encouraged art lovers in lockdown to recreate their favourite art works using things from home. Below are some of my favourites so far, we'd love to see what you come up with too! Post to the Ararira Springs Facebook page with the painting you are recreating!

Link: Choose an artwork

#tussenkunstenquarantaine
#betweenartandquarantine
#museumathome

Giraffes Can't Dance

If you joined in storytime yesterday then you would have heard Whaea Donna read Giraffes Can't Dance.
You can listen to this book again by clicking on this link.

Giraffes Can't Dance

Or you can watch an animated book here:

Animated book

Activities you could try yourself:

1. Make a pop up book of animals in which an animal might move e.g when you open a page the giraffe's leg kicks.

Have a look at a pop up version of the book for examples.

2. Make up a dance that Gerald could do.

3. Research about giraffes. What do you like to eat, where do they live? You could make a poster or a book to show what you find out or make a digital presentation to share.

4. Make a dancing giraffe using the template attached.  Join together with split pins or one corner of a staple.

5. Make a hand print giraffe

6. Make an animation of a dancing animal.  You could narrate the story yourself and add in some animation.  If you have scratch you could make a scratch animation.

Te Reo Singalong at home.

Ata mārie e te whānau,

Children's author Sharon Holt has created this website to be used by whānau for free during the lockdown. Holt's Te Reo Singlaong books are a great way to learn some Te Reo Māori, and have a sing at the same time! In these videos Holt does a lovely translation, and suggests some at-home activities to go with each pukapuka (book). Ka mau te wehi!

Link: Te Reo Singalong at Home

Fun Food

Making our food look appealing is just as important as how it tastes .... we eat without eyes too!

Why not try some of these creative ideas to make lunch or a snack this week while learning at home.

You could write instructions when you have done it for someone else to follow.