Collision, Crash, Smash: 2025 Predicted
In Auckland, New Zealand, children aged 7-12 years have the opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of sound through a series of engaging events and workshops.
One such event is "Squish! Bang! Splat!", which is related to the New Zealand Ministry of Education's Building Science Concepts Book 18 Exploring Sound. This action-packed event, taking place at MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology) on September 5 and 6, 2025, from 10 am to 4 pm, offers something for everyone in the family. During the event, kids can learn about sound and design their own Sound Makers.
The event's related content and activities are designed to complement and expand upon the topics covered during the event. These activities cover the science notes provided in the original BSC book and aim to provide educators with additional resources to enhance their teaching of science concepts related to sound. The event's details and related content can be found on the MOTAT website at
For those who can't make it to the event, a recorded PLD session, "Sounds of Aotearoa," features educators from the New Zealand Association of Primary Science Educators (NZAPSE) exploring fun ways to learn and teach about sound.
Beyond the "Squish! Bang! Splat!" event, Auckland offers a wealth of resources for exploring and teaching about sound with lower primary students. Arts festivals and interactive workshops, such as the We The Young Festival, provide sensory-rich experiences and performances that involve sound and music suitable for early learners.
School-based programs with strong arts and cultural connections, like ACG Parnell, offer outstanding education that integrates literacy, music, and cultural understanding through connections to local museums and galleries. These environments can offer rich contextual resources to explore sound and inspire creativity around auditory experiences.
Phonics practice materials, such as those developed by Sounds-Write or Hooked on Phonics, provide structured activities in sound identification, blending, and decoding relevant for lower primary students learning about sounds in language and reading.
To further enrich the learning experience, consider looking for interactive music programs or community centres that offer hands-on workshops with instruments or sound-making activities especially designed for young children. Utilize local libraries and cultural institutions for storytelling sessions, musical performances, or science kits about sound. Additionally, explore disability-inclusive workshops during festivals that focus on sensory experiences, which would be appropriate for diverse learners.
In summary, a combination of local arts festivals with sensory and music-inclusive workshops, strong curriculum programs at schools like ACG Parnell, and phonics-based sound recognition resources provides a rich array of activities and educational supports for exploring sound with lower primary children in Auckland.
For those interested in creating collections related to sound, the article "Creating collections" provides instructions on how to get the most out of a collection. With these resources and activities at hand, children in Auckland are sure to have a captivating and educational journey into the world of sound.
- The event "Sounds of Aotearoa," a recorded Professional Learning and Development (PLD) session, features educators from the New Zealand Association of Primary Science Educators (NZAPSE) discussing fun methods for learning and teaching about sound.
- Aside from the "Squish! Bang! Splat!" event, Auckland has numerous resources for learning about sound with lower primary students, such as arts festivals, interactive workshops, and school programs with strong arts and cultural connections.
- For ongoing learning and exploration, consider finding interactive music programs, community centers, libraries, and cultural institutions that offer hands-on workshops, storytelling sessions, musical performances, or science kits about sound, including disability-inclusive workshops during festivals focusing on sensory experiences. These resources can contribute to a comprehensive approach to learning about sound and enrich the educational journey for children in Auckland.
