Rotorua children unleash their creativity these school holidays

(From left) Isla Brown, 11, Spencer Beals,5, Erin Beals, Connor Dickie, 4, Caitlin Dickie, 9, and Tori Williams work on making flax crosses. Photo/Shauni James

Using imagination and unleashing creativity has been a popular school holiday pastime for many Rotorua children.

Rotorua Children's Art House co-ordinator Maria Marshall says the theme for this school holiday's programme was superheroes.

She says children have been making everything to do with superheroes, including utility belts and capes.

Maria says the programme has been fantastic, and has been full every day.

"We do a lot of play. They are constantly playing, and that's how they create - from a place of play."

Kaito Hollis, 8, says he likes art because he enjoys making things and it is fun.

"Imagination is the best thing."

Alissa Gaugler, 9, says she has made a magical fishing rod and a watermelon.

She says she likes this school holiday programme because you can choose what you make.

Children at the Rotorua Children's Art House with their superhero creations. Photo/Shauni James

The Arts Village director Mary-Beth Acres says the team has had a great time with the holiday programme.

"It has been overwhelmingly positive for us, with lots of families here and the building full of a happy, bubbly, creative vibe."

She says this is also the first programme the village has run since the cafe opened, and it has been great to see parents stopping in early for a coffee and a chat.

"We really enjoyed having a performing arts component to our programme for the first time in a while using two very talented local artists - Simone Walker and Cian Elyse White.

"It has been really busy with lots of kids returning, as well as a whole lot of new kids.

"It's great to get to know the families - a lot of our tamariki are coming here over a number of years so we see them grow up and catch up with them about what they have been doing."

Mary-Beth says the most popular days were those taught by Lani Eyles, who runs the after-school art programme.

"We had a long waiting list of people wanting to book into her two days as she has such a high profile and strong reputation as an artist, and has been teaching with us for a number of years.

Classes included sewing, painting, drama/performing arts, puppet-making, felting and printing.

"The kids who come to our programmes are creative young people and it's really exciting to see them light up doing what they love.

"We also really love that our artist tutors are all able to get some paid work teaching their crafts - they are all such amazing people and light up the children they teach.

Ava Akuhata, 11 (left) and Charlotte Rose, 10, with their canine creations at The Arts Village. Photo/Shauni James

Meanwhile the Rotorua Museum's School Holiday Drop-In Craft Activities has been quieter than usual, events and engagement co-ordinator Tori Williams says.

She says in the first week children were able to make crowns, in line with the Queen's royal birthday, and the second week had been flax crosses for Anzac Day.

In the next school holidays the crafts will be Matariki themed.

Tori says she enjoys meeting families through the craft activities.

"It's also offering something free to the kids that sometimes aren't able to do different crafts or activities."