Rainy weather forecast as school holidays begin

Rainy weather will not prevent a plethora of events and activities taking place in Tauranga this school holiday.

Options range from a Matariki puppet show to a robot workshop, a children’s film festival and more.

The Bay of Plenty forecast will start reasonably, with heavy rain expected in the region on Monday.

MetService meteorologist Angus Hines said Saturday was a “reasonable day” with a few showers and strong westerly winds.

Sunday would be similar, with wind, rain and sunny breaks in between, he said.

It would get “very wet” on Monday as a low-pressure system moves across the North Island – which will bring widespread and potentially heavy rain and strong winds to the region.
This weather is expected to continue on Tuesday, he said.

He urged people to “keep a pretty close eye on” severe weather warnings and warnings.

The weather would ease on Wednesday, but some showers were likely to persist through the second half of the week, he said.

He also said temperatures are likely to be muggy and “relatively warm” next week as the air comes from warm waters north of New Zealand.

Scheduled Events

Matariki Glow Show
The brand new giant puppet show takes place in Baycourt on Tuesday 19th July. Showtimes are 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

The biggest little circus
From highly skilled juggling to aerial acrobatics to a human changing room, this 45-minute family-friendly circus will be performed at the Lion Foundation Center on Tuesday, July 19. Showtimes are 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Sunny Side Up Children’s Film Festival
The festival screens a variety of short animated films by New Zealanders and people from around the world. It will take place at the Historic Village on Tuesday 19th July and will be on display throughout the day.

Night of the Lantern and Light Parade
The Katikati event will take place on Friday 22nd July at 17:00 from Kotahi Lane to Katikati town centre.

Armageddon Expo
Featuring sci-fi, gaming, anime, collectibles, TV and movie stars and comics, the event begins at Trustpower Baypark Arena in Mount Maunganui. It runs from Saturday 23rd July to Sunday 24th July.

For more information on all of the above events, visit www.bayofplentynz.com

Library activities for children and young people

robot rotation
Drop-in sessions are held at various libraries throughout Tauranga, where children (ages 7 and up) can try out robots in a range of fun tasks. No booking is required.

photobomb
Kids of all ages can listen to a story, then create their own cardboard photo bomb frame to transform into a silly character using craft supplies from the library. This activity takes place at various libraries throughout Tauranga during the school holidays.

Inkling art
In a 2-hour session with Inkling Art, you’ll learn how to draw manga-style illustrations. Registration is required for this event, which is suitable for 11-18 year olds.

Sew-A-Circuit
Kids can create their own animal bookmark that lights up in one session to introduce 5-10 year olds to the world of electronics. In a tweens and teens session you have the opportunity to create a mini monster pillow that lights up.

Visit the Tauranga City Libraries website for more information and to book.

Stay well this school holiday

dr Bay of Plenty District Health Board chief medical officer Luke Bradford said children should rest, play and reconnect with Whānau during these school holidays. Rest is particularly important for those who have recently been hit hard by a winter illness, he said.

He assumed the school holidays would act as a circuit breaker for the spread of seasonal flu, colds and Covid.

“We hope that the fact that they won’t be in the classrooms for the next two weeks will slow the spread of these viruses.”

Anyone who has not yet done so should also be vaccinated against Covid-19 and influenza.

He also encouraged those traveling on public transport and part of large indoor activities to practice wearing masks – but acknowledged it could be a struggle for young children too.

He said there had been a “clear shift in public sentiment towards mask-wearing” in general, and urged people to practice masking, keep a safe distance and maintain good hand hygiene as an act of public service.

In a social media post, Unite Against Covid-19 urged families traveling during these school holidays to ensure they have a plan in place should they contract Covid or become a household contact.

Some of these tips included:

• Plan how to get home safely to isolate yourself – you can only return home if you can drive there, you cannot use public transport, ferries or planes.
• Discuss the plan with your fellow travelers.
• If you cannot drive home, you will likely need to remain in place for the duration of the isolation
• If you get cold, flu or Covid symptoms while travelling, get tested immediately. Don’t wait until you get home.