Recycling Art! Quick Challenge #10

Put your art skills to the test and create a landscape inspired by steam and steel – the only catch is that it has to be made out of recyclable material. Check out the Auckland Art Gallery for ideas.

Remember to show us your creations by posting a photo to our Facebook pages
Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com 

Make and Break Codes! Quick Challenge #9

Watch Cryptography the science of making and breaking codes and create a Caesar cipher. 
Use the cipher to write notes to your family members and leave us a cipher note,  either on the blog or on your library's Facebook pages (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick) or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com

We look forward to deciphering your message!

Minute Challenge #13 : Toilet Paper Roll

This challenge may include more time tidying up than any of the other challenges. Unspool two rolls of toilet paper at the same time, using one hand per roll.  

Who's the quickest in your family? Let us know via the blog comment section or on your library's Facebook page, and tell us how easy clean up was too!

We'd love some photo evidence uploaded to our Facebook pages too.

Botany   Highland Park   Pakuranga    Howick

Listen and Enjoy! Quick Challenge 8

Kick back and relax with this challenge!  Simply listen to an audio book using Overdrive for Kids. "Reading/listening" is a great excuse to get out of your chores!
Once you're in Overdrive for Kids, the quickest way to find the audiobooks is by 
1. clicking Collections
2. then Tweens 
3. then filter your search by clicking Audiobooks.

Let us know what book you listened to and what you thought of it via the comment section below,  your library's Facebook page (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick) or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com

EPIC : Wearable Art!

Get ready to rock your wardrobe.

Explore the Oxford Art Online Database and find an image that you like. Use the image as inspiration to create your own piece of wearable art (from a tiny hat to a complete ensemble, the choice is yours).

Remember to show us your creations by posting a photo to your library's Facebook page (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick)  or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com or make our day and show up at the library wearing your design.  
We'd also love to know what image was your inspiration, so leave a comment on the blog!

The Digital Howick Geocaching Race : Quick Challenge #7

Race around the Howick Local Board area online and discover local hidden treasures to visit and enjoy with your family. 

How it works

Using Google maps, enter the co-ordinates e.g. -36.917475, 174.937942 and find the answer to the given clue using some good old fashioned deducing or Internet searching. Find out more about the answer by using the recommended online tools.

1.    Co-ordinates: -36.889825, 174.902459

What is the Maori name of the Volcanic Cone found in Pakuranga Domain? 

2.    Co-ordinates: -36.906882, 174.903059

Where do we find a re-creation of a New Zealand colonial village?

For more info explore the Libraries Footprints Collection.

3. Co-ordinates: -36.895672, 174.934188

What's the oldest building in Howick?  It can be found on the corner of Cook Street and Selwyn Road.

For more info explore the Libraries Heritage Images Collection.

4.  Co-ordinates: -36.891930, 174.881671

Where is a  popular children’s board game set on a hillside?

5.   Co-ordinates: -36.9569419,174.9111475

Where is Buddha day celebrated annually?

Let us know either in the blog's comments, on your library's Facebook pages (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick) or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com the most interesting thing you discovered.

Minute Challenge #10 : Bucket Head

Catch three balls in a bucket on your head.

Super easy or super hard? Let us know, via the blog comment section, on your library's Facebook page (Botany Highland Park Pakuranga  Howick) or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com 

Scratch Programming! Quick Challenge #6

Get ready to animate your name, using Scratch programming!

1. Open World Book Kids and search for a photo that you like and save it to your computer.
2. Now comes the fun bit ...  go to Scratch and click Try It Out
3. Click All Tips (on the right)
4. Select Animate Your Name, and follow the instructions

      5. Use the photo that you saved from World Book Kids as your background                  

      6. Right click on the stage to save your picture.
 7. Upload your photo creation to your libraries Facebook page

         (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick) or email it to us at      outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com

  

Minute Challenge #8 : Balloon Balance

Tap 3 balloons in the air for one minute.  If more than one person in your family can achieve this, keep adding 30 seconds to the time limit until you have a family champion!

Let us know via the blog comment section or on your library's Facebook page (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick)  who was the family's champion and what time they achieved.

We'd love some photo evidence uploaded to our Facebook pages too or email them to us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com.au 

Family Book Face Fun! Quick Challenge #5

Ever fancied yourself on the cover of a book? Always felt you had what it takes to become the hero or heroine of your favourite book? Gather up the family to have some awesome fun!

Each person finds a book with a face on it, line it up with your body showcasing the book’s head. Strike a pose with your family, take a photo and upload it to your library's Facebook: Botany   Highland Park   Pakuranga    Howick or email it to us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com. 

Alternatively pop along to Botany library on Wednesday 5 October at 10.30am and create your book face portrait there.

Explore and learn about Auckland Anniversary talking portraits and tell your own fun story if you dare! 

Minute Challenge #6 : Apple Stacker

Do you have the skills to stack 5 apples on top of each other?

Give it a go, and let us know  (via the blog comment section or on your library's Facebook) how quick and talent you are

We'd love some photo evidence uploaded to our Facebook pages too.

Facebook: Botany   Highland Park   Pakuranga    Howick or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com

EPIC : Transported Through Tme

This is my favourite challenge EVER!

The wonderful Katie at Highland Park Library has written an online choose-your-own-adventure story, and it's fabulous.

Read the story, do some sleuthing and hopefully live happily ever after.

Start your adventure here

Remember to let us know how you fared by posting a comment on your library's Facebook page (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick)  or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com

Make Some Magic! Quick Challenge #4

Learn a magic trick, and take turns amazing your family members with your skills!
Easy trick ideas can be found here or try this video.

Then come along to Highland Park Library on Tuesday 4 October @ 6pm to see a magic show, and maybe even perform in it yourself!

Let us know what trick you mastered via the comment section below, via your library's Facebook page(Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick) or email a photo of yourself as a magician to outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com

Minute Challenge #5 : Pasta Disaster

Place six pieces of penne pasta around the perimeter of a table. Hold a piece of uncooked spaghetti in your mouth and try and pick up the penne with it. 

Was this easy-peasy or a pasta disaster? Let us know via the blog comment section or on your library's Facebook page or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com

We'd love some photo evidence uploaded to our Facebook pages too.

Facebook: Botany   Highland Park   Pakuranga    Howick

Minute Challenge #4 : Cereal Scramble

Grab a cereal box and cut it up into 8 pieces.

Race against the clock to see who in your family can assemble it the fastest.

Let us know (via the blog comment section,  on your library's Facebook or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com) how quick you were, and don't forget we'd love some photographic  uploaded to our Facebook pages too.

Facebook: Botany   Highland Park   Pakuranga    Howick

Around the World at Home! Quick Challenge #3

Pit your wits against your family members!  Get into teams and race to answer the following questions – one team using Google and the other using the digital library database Culturegrams. Remember to think about your keywords you use.

If you only have one computer, do your challenge separately but time how long it takes you.  Post up the winning times on the blog comment section or your library's Facebook post  (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick) for this challenge On your marks, get ready, go!

1. Cleveland, Ohio has the world’s largest   _ _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ _   that is over 9m tall and 15m long.

2. What land mammals live in Antarctica?

3. The blue chakra in the middle of the Indian flag symbolises what? 

_ _ _ _ _   _ _  law or life

4. What is the name of a Jump Rope game played in Montenegro?

5. What is the name of the holiday that celebrates the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Burkina Faso?

6. What does the word ‘Tatau’ mean in Samoa?  _ _ _’_   _ _ _ _ _ _

7. What is the word for ‘market day’ in Guatemala?  _ _ _ _ _ _ _

8. New Year’s Eve is called  _ _ _   _ _ _ _’_   _ _ _ _ _  in Guyana?

9. Where in New Zealand do you see the first sunrise of a new day? Hint this is not on one of the main islands!  

10. In Burundi, how long do the parents wait before naming their new born child?

Minute Challenge #3 : Straw Lolly Transfer

Using a straw and your mouth, see how many lollies you can transfer from one bowl to another in one minute.

Let us know (via the blog comment section or on your library's Facebook) how many you managed, and who was the best lolly sucker up in your family. Don't forget to eat the lollies when you finish!

We'd love some photo evidence uploaded to our Facebook pages too.

Facebook: Botany   Highland Park   Pakuranga    Howick

Steam Punk Yourself! Quick Challenge #2

Make your own steam punk jewelry or accessories. 
Get creative with the old junk and bits and pieces lying around home and create some steam punk inspired jewelry or accessories.

If your wondering what steampunk is, check this out!  On this website you can even create your own steampunk name or character. If jewelry and accessories aren't your thing, give it a go instead.

If you need some help to get you creativity flowing watch this video or try this channel, they even steampunk a nerf gun!

Remember to show us your creations by posting a photo to our Facebook pages
Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com, or comment on the blog post and let us know your steampuink name!

Minute Challenge #2 : The Water Bottle Toss

Grab a full water bottle, and toss it onto a table.

Easy you say ...  well the water bottle has to land upright!

Let us know how many tosses it took to achieve the win in your family via your library's Facebook page or in the comment section of the blog.

We'd love some photo evidence uploaded to our Facebook pages too.

Facebook: Botany   Highland Park   Pakuranga    Howick

Minute Challenge #1 : Marshmallow Throwing

One person has a handful of marshmallows.

The other person stands 3 metres away with a cup in their hand.

The person with the marshmallows has 1 minute to get as many marshmallows in the cup as possible. Then swap. 

Let us know (via the blog comment section or on your library's Facebook page) who was the challenge victor in your family  and just how many marshmallows survived the journey and landed in the cup.

We'd love some photo evidence uploaded to our Facebook pages too.

Facebook: Botany   Highland Park   Pakuranga    Howick

EPIC : The Family Feast Challenge

Welcome to the first EPIC Challenge!  Be your own masterchef!  See if you can make, create and discover by undertaking our family feast challenges.

Weekend breakfast

Your first challenge is to watch this video. Pick a country, and make the matching breakfast as a family. Before you eat, take a photo of the meal, showing the flag from the country you chose, found on Britannica Library. Post the photo to our blog!

Pizza Challenge

Your second challenge is to create your own pizza from whatever ingredients you choose but make it look like a piece of art. Use the World Book Timeline database to find information on artists, their styles, and examples of their works. Choose a style of painting and decorate your pizza. Take a photo before you eat it and post the photo to our blog

Traffic Light Drink

Watch this video  and make your own traffic light drink.  Experiment with using different flavours and colours and see if you can concoct your own version. Share your creation with us on our blog!

Dessert – Cocoa

Your last challenge involves cocoa! Use Google to find out what country is the world’s biggest producer of cocoa beans,  then access the ‘Research in context’ database and find out what else  this country export? Choose one of these exports and use it, and chocolate, to make a dessert and post a photo to our website!

Babble Dabble Do! Quick Challenge #1

Check out the Babble Dabble Do channel on You Tube.

Create one thing from the channel, and upload a photo or video to your library's Facebook pages (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick) or email us at outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com.   And please leave a comment on the blog letting us know what you think of Babble Dabble Do! 

We'd love to see your creation in person too, so please bring it down to the library and show us!

Get Outside of the Library Box

'Outside of the library box' is fun and creative set of challenges for families to engage with together, either at home or in the library.

You will be challenged, have loads of fun , be inspired and maybe even learn a little something! It's aimed at families with kids aged 9-12, and you can spend as little (or as much) time on it as you want. It's here to inspire creativity and to bring families together by the completion of unique challenges.


The programme is simple, every Monday-Friday we will release a one minute wonder challenge. Do the challenge by yourself or compete with friends and families. Let us know how the challenge went by posting a blog comment, getting Mum or Dad to interact with our libraries Facebook pages (Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick) or by flicking us a photo or story of your success (or failures) via email to outofthelibrarybox@gmail.com.


Three times a week (Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday) we will unleash a quick challenge upon you. Same guidelines as above but if you create something please drop into the library and show your creativity off to us. We'd love to see your pretty/handsome faces.

Once a week (on Monday) we're dropping an extra EPIC challenge on you and your family. This will give you the opportunity to get ultra creative, work together and have a great time with your family.

Challenges will be published on this blog and on your local library's Facebook. Challenges can be done at any time, not just the day they're dropped! Libraries participating in Out of the Library Box are Botany  Highland Park  Pakuranga  Howick.