| Hibiscusmatters 2 July 201412

Enrol now for July holidaysJuly holidays are just around the corner! Make sure your child has a fun, safe and exciting experience by enrolling them in your local pool and leisure centre’s holiday programme. Our holiday programmes are inexpensive, varied and heaps of fun. We’re CYFs approved so WINZ subsidies may apply.

We’re taking enrolments now. Don’t miss out, see your local centre or check out www.aucklandleisure.co.nz for a full programme of activities. Bookings are essential.

What: Fun holiday programmes at your local centre Who: All school kids aged 5 to 12 years When: 7 to 18 July 2014 Cost: Full day 8am-5pm $33.90 Half day 8am-12.30pm/12.30-5pm $20.10 8am-3pm $27.60

Stanmore Bay Pool and Leisure Centre 159 Brightside Road, Whangaparaoa Ph 09 424 9227

We welcome all participants regardless of ability.

If they’re all screaming for ice cream these school holidays, why not take them to Puhoi where they can try a brand with medals to its name? Puhoi Valley Ice Cream scooped six medals at the NZ Ice Cream Awards, held recently in Blenheim. 

Teens as young as 14 must give thought to a career path as they make subject choices for the following NCEA Level 1 year.The lucky few already have a clear idea of their vocation, however for most it’s a process fraught with difficulty.Life Coach Dee Jordan says the workshop that she is running these school holidays helps teens clarify their

strengths, personality type and skill sets, assisting them to make good choices. She says the Career Coaching workshop that she facilitates is for small groups with lots of interaction, which suits the teenagers, who are mainly in Year 11–13. Dee is based on the Hibiscus Coast, but the workshop, on July 8–9, is in Browns Bay. Info: www.momentum4youth.co.nz or ph 0274 724 242.

Puhoi Valley Cafe & Cheese store manager Mark Lane with a sample of his wares and one of six awards from this year’s NZ Ice Cream awards.

Puhoi ice cream wins big

The company was awarded gold medals for Puhoi Valley Dutch chocolate, as well as nougat and Kamahi honey. It also won silver medals for fig and Puhoi Valley Matakana Blue, lemon meringue pie, dark chocolate truffle ice cream and feijoa sorbet.“We are very proud that our delicious ice creams have been recognised at these prestigious awards,” Puhoi Valley Cafe & Cheese store manager Mark Lane says. “The results are just reward for the entire team who work hard to create these sensational products.” It is the 18th time that the NZ Ice Cream awards have been held, and just the third time that Puhoi Valley Cafe has entered the competition which saw 302 entries received from 32 companies.

Workshop lights career paths

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Ripples Cafe – Gulf Harbour

Buy 1 pizza & get 1 half price

Orewa Optics – Orewa

50% off selected sunglasses

Zakks Café – Whangaparaoa

Free scone with any hot drink

Schoolholidays

Hibiscusmatters 2 July 2014 | 13

school holidays

09 421 9700 www.northernarena.co.nz

Northern Arena, 8 Polarity Rise, Silverdale.cnr Whangaparaoa Rd & Hibiscus Coast Highway

Limited time only. Conditions apply.

Seniors ClubA special discounted membership for those aged 60+ who have plenty more life to live. Pop in & see us today!

I DID IT FOR...MORE TIME

WITH THE GRANDKIDS

09 421 9700www.northernarena.co.nz

GYM | SWIM | GROUP FITNESS | PERSONAL TRAINING

Prise your children away from their digital devices these holidays and suggest they read at least one book “the old fashioned way”. Even better, a second hand book, to prove that the paper version has real longevity. Anne Pretorius from Never Ending Books in Orewa shares some of her favourite books for the 11-year plus age group.

Holiday reading

Shadow >> by Michael Morpurgo A wonderful tale about a little boy called Aman who, with his mother, finds his way to England as a refugee from the war in Afghanistan. Before he leaves Afghanistan he is befriended by a dog he names Shadow. Unbeknown to him, Shadow is a trained bomb sniffer dog belonging to the British Army and is the reason he is eventually accepted in England as a citizen.

<< Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen MahThis tale is a true story about a little girl in China who has a very hard time after her mother dies giving birth to her. This meant that her older brothers and sisters blamed her for bring bad luck to the family, especially after her father remarries and the stepmother is particularly unkind. Originally written as an autobiography Fallen Leaves for adults when the author was in her 50s, the children’s version is actually a better read.

Owl by Joanna Orwin >>Read all about the Waitaha legend of the Pouakai – the giant man-eating eagle that is released from ancient times after Hamish disturbs some Maori cave drawings. Owl (a nickname for Hamish) and Tama need to learn to work together to entrap the eagle again and save themselves, Owl’s family and local farmers.

A great New Zealand tale.

<< Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech“Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins” – the first of a number of messages left at the front door. A very different mystery – after Sal’s mother disappears, Sal has to find out for herself where she fits in this world, and discovers that the more you love, the more love you have to give.

Orewa Library extra safeOrewa Library recently joined Auckland Council’s pilot Stand by Me – Safe Spaces programme. The programme is an effort to address all forms of bullying, including setting up safe spaces in Council facilities where children and young people can access information on a range of issues that affect them. It includes making a youth worker available weekdays, from 3.30pm–4.30pm, at the library in Moana Ave.

| Hibiscusmatters 2 July 201414

Peaches & Pickles: classes for 3 1/2–12 years old

School holiday programmeSchool holiday programmeJuly 7–11July 7–11

Book in now for our ever popular holiday programme,

� lled with loads of singing, dancing and drama! We are even making our very own video game movie + heaps

heaps more. Visit our website for details, or enrol now to avoid disappointment!

www.peaches

andpickles

.net

children’s theatre, parties and performing arts classes

Tickets selling fast – BOOK NOW www.iticket.co.nz

Oliver! Live on stage!Come see our Peaches & Pickles and Green Door students perform this classic story!  October 1-5, 2014

JULY SCHOOLHOLIDAY PROGRAM

SIGN UP NOW!

Week 1 : 7th - 11th JulyWeek 2 : 14th - 18th July

9:30am - 11:30am1:00pm - 3:00pm

or

www.snowplanet.co.nzFREEPHONE 0800 SNOWPLANET

91 Small Road, Silverdale, Auckland

food + espresso bar

fresh food & espresso coffee to go

monday–Friday 8am–3.30pm

Outside The Plaza, WhangaparaoaPhone 09 428 7624

facebook.com/twospoonsnz

school holidays

Plot to platewith Trish and Nigel Middletonfacebook.com/twospoonsnz

Natural magicWhether you are an accomplished gardener or a novice, gardening with children is a great opportunity for parents to partner with Mother Nature to make some magic. Gardening with your children is not only about teaching them and enjoying the fruits of your efforts but also creating memories and establishing role models that will serve them well in the future. Those of you exposed to gardening at a young age may very well have fond recollections of that, and of a parent, family member or neighbour who shared their knowledge and enjoyment with you.Gardening offers a great opportunity for exercise, fresh air, and fresh food. What a useful tool to help keep kids busy during the holidays. There is no better way for a child to appreciate good food and good nutritional choices than to grow it themselves.Our kids really love participating in gardening activities with mum and dad. They jump at the chance to put on their gumboots and help out. Watching them eat cherry tomatoes and strawberries straight off the plant is a delight. They even get involved with planting seeds – and the joy when they see the seedlings poking through! We hope that we are passing on not only skills that will help them in the future but also a love of nature and of the fresh healthy home-grown products we love to use in our café.Don’t expect perfection. Listen to your children’s ideas and let them experiment. Make sure projects and tasks are challenging but age-appropriate. Don’t leave young children unattended in the garden. Make it a rule that they don’t eat anything without permission; even seemingly innocent things like tomato plant leaves are poisonous.Here are a few simple ideas to consider: Plant a strawberry patch or plant in pots • Start a herb garden • Create a hanging basket • Plant out egg cartons with seeds • Be creative, look at what you can up-cycle, for example an old pair of gumboots, a teapot or teacups, maybe even tin cans as containers for plants • How about getting the kids to create some garden art out of recycled items?And go organic – the earth will thank you and so will your kids.

Hudson, left, and Piper Middleton enjoying the garden.