There’s something for the everyone in the whānau at the WORD Christchurch Festival. Check out these awesome free events for kids!
Books come alive!
Saturday 9 August, 10.30am to 2.30pm
Te Ara Ātea, 56 Tennyson Street, Rolleston
Grown-ups, bring your tamariki along to Te Ara Ātea in Rolleston to meet five authors and illustrators nominated for the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards! There's something for tamariki of all ages, including colouring and craft activities all day, storytime and singing with Juliette MacIver (best for ages 0-7), book reading, bird song and craft with Kiri Lightfoot (best for ages 4-8), and learning how to make and publish a book with David Riley (best for ages 7-12). This will be a popular event and registrations are recommended to make sure you get a spot.
10.30am – 11am: Juliette MacIver!
Join for a special story time with singing and clowning around with Juliette MacIver, writer of over 20 children’s books including Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam, That’s Not a Hippopotamus!, and her two latest, The Grizzled Grist Does not Exist and Duck Goes Meow. Best for ages: 0 – 7 and their grown-ups.
11.15am – 11.45am: Rachel Clare!
How great is playing outside? Rachel Clare brings nature inside with her book Play Wild which is full of fun activities. Come and forage for special treasures to make a nature wristband with and hear other cool ideas to celebrate te taiao / our natural world. Best for ages: 4 – 10 and their grown-ups.
12.00pm – 12.30pm : Kiri Lightfoot!
As the sun sets, which creatures come to life as others drift to sleep? What goes on in the forest under cover of darkness? Join Kiri Lightfoot, listen to her brand new book Te Ngahere i te Pō / The Forest at Night and explore the hidden world of nocturnal creatures in Aotearoa New Zealand’s bush. Listen to some bird song and make your very own Ruru. Best for ages: 4 – 8 and their grown-ups.
12.45pm – 1.15pm: David Riley!
David Riley writes books about his favourite sports people. His new book Black Magic looks at our sports uniforms with silver ferns that are worn by Aotearoa’s teams. In this session he wants to help you make and publish your own book! So get thinking, what sports do you love and who is your favourite sporting hero and why? Best for ages: 7 – 12 and their grown-ups. This is for all tamariki, but is especially inspiring for boys.
1.30pm-2pm: Rachael King!
Come join our band and celebrate Rachael’s awesome book series Violet and the Velvets, about tween Violet and her ragtag group of friends who love music, mystery and adventures. Expect music and fun! Best for ages 8 – 14 and their grown-ups.
Supported by Selwyn District Council and the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Book launch: Violets and the Velvets: The Case of the Angry Ghost by Rachael King
Thursday 28 August, 5.30pm to 7.30pm
Scorpio Books, Free
Come to Scorpio Books to celebrate the launch of the second book in Rachael King’s kids’ series Violet and the Velvets! Drawing on the author’s experience of being a teenage girl bass player, the Violet and the Velvets series is all about the DIY JOY of playing in a band, competing at BandChamps, and solving mysteries. All ages welcome – not just for children! – with refreshments and (perhaps) surprise entertainment to start your festival evening off with some lighthearted fun.
The Case of the Angry Ghost: Violet and the Velvets Book 2
Storywalk
Saturday 30 August, 11am to 12noon
Tākaro ā Poi Margaret Mahy Playground, Free
Our Tūranga Children's Librarians love being set free to bring stories to the city! Join them for a storytelling walk through Tākaro ā Poi Margaret Mahy Playground, create some craft together, and stay for a play. If you'd like to stock up on library books (or play with some Lego) Tūranga is just around the corner! Make a day of it and stick around until after lunch for Loopy Tunes' Rangatahi Boogie, just across the road at the band rotunda. This special storywalk is free, but registration is encouraged.
Rangatahi Boogie
Saturday 30 August, 2pm to 3pm
Edmonds Band Rotunda, Cambridge Terrace
Join Ōtautahi superstars Loopy Tunes for Saturday afternoon waiata in the Edmonds Band Rotunda beside the Ōtākaro Avon River in the central city. Sing along with Siu and Leah and have a kanikani with the whole whānau. Near to both Tākaro ā Poi Margaret Mahy Playground and Tūranga library, this will be an awesome day out!
More from Loopy Tunes
There's also a special event celebrating a local legend of books for children.
Gavin Bishop: Legend of Children's literature
Saturday 30 August, 10.30am to 11.30am
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
Gavin Bishop is a multi-award-winning household name for generations of Kiwi families. Beloved Ōtautahi Christchurch author and illustrator Gavin Bishop (Tainui, Ngāti Awa) ONZM has a long and dazzling career of bringing history and imagination to life on the page, and he joins Morrin Rout for a conversation about his life and work.
More WORD
Check the programme online or pick up a printed copy from your library.
- WORD Christchurch website
- Follow WORD Christchurch on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
- Our WORD Christchurch 2025 page - Find books by writers coming to this year's festival
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