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Libraries and community centres are putting
on plenty of entertainment for schoolchildren these winter holidays, designed
to keep boredom at bay.
SCHOOLS are about to close for the winter
school holidays, meaning it is almost playtime for the city's youngsters.
Children can hear African folktales
And to keep them occupied over the weeks,
libraries and community centres are laying on the entertainment. There will be
story-telling, crafts, dance, games and sport.
Gauteng schools close for three weeks, from 26 June to 20 July.
Libraries
Parkview Library's holiday programme promises to be "very interactive, lively
and great fun", says Liz Lichter, the senior librarian. "Using small drums and
rhythm sticks, children will be able to participate in the telling of African
folktales."
This programme, called Drumtales, takes
place on Monday, 29 June at 3pm. The target age group are five- to nine-year-olds.
Entrance is free but booking is essential.
The Brixton Library presents three afternoons
of folktales for children between the ages of five and 12. The first programme,
Meet Mr Snowman, is on 1 July and is for five- to eight-year-olds.
A second programme, Winter Tales, is on
Wednesday, 8 July, and is mainly for six- to 12-year-olds. The children will
draw pictures as they listen to the story; at the end a collage will be made
using all the pictures.
The last programme, 15 July, is also for
six- to 12-year-olds, during which the children will read stories to each other.
"The programmes start at 2.30pm each day," says Althea Theunissen, the librarian.
Orlando East Library's school holiday
programme starts on 1 July with story-telling for children between 10 and 12 years
old.
On Tuesday, 14 July there is a peer to peer
reading group. "Children of the same age group will be reading to each other," says
the librarian, Victor Mphela.
"As part of the holiday programme we are
also going to visit the Orlando Hospice." This visit is on 14 July, for
children who are 13 years old and older. The activities run from 10am to 12pm.
The Dobsonville Library has planned one-day
event for 2 July, with a visit from Rand Water to educate children about water
conservation. There is a puppet show, story telling and colouring-in.
"We have invited children from crèche but
the event is also open to schoolchildren under the age of 15," says the
librarian, Noluthando Zililo. The day's activities start at 11.30am.
Community centres
But it's not all happening at libraries. Activities for schoolchildren are also
being laid on at various recreation centres.
Chiawelo Community Centre is hosting indigenous
games for all age groups. "The games that will be played include kgati and diketo,"
says Sibongile Matlhatsi, the centre's recreation officer.
Two groups of children over eight years old
are to perform traditional dances. These games and performances run from 29
June to 17 July, between 9am and 12pm.
Over at Jabula Recreation Centre, there are
games craft-making on 29 June, from 10am to 4pm. Children between five and 12 years
old are invited to take part.
"The children have to book; we need to know
how many are coming," says Monique Bailey, the centre's recreation officer.
They also need to bring their own lunch.
Maraisburg Recreation Centre has a busy
holiday line-up prepared for children over the age of six, with activities
starting on 29 June and ending on 14 July.
Different games and sports are planned,
ranging from morabaraba and kgati, to table tennis, soccer, diketo and netball.
Children can also participate in traditional
dancing, painting and crafts. On the last day, 14 July, they will be taken to
the ice rink to ice skate. The activities run from 10am to 3.30pm and participants
need to bring their own lunch.
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