Media Release
4 November 2005
Children’s Day a Great Success
The Children’s Day website received more than half a million hits between August and October during the buildup to
Children’s Day on 30 October. “More than 10,000 people and organisations were contacted about the day, 50,000 balloons
were blown up, and 120,000 children received action packs in English, Māori and Braille,” says Child, Youth and Family
Public Awareness and Education Team Leader, Sue Lytollis. “The numbers are still coming in, but we can already state
that there were more than 500 events officially registered on our website, and we know that there were signicantly more
unregistered events, including those held by schools and kohanga reo. We would like to thank all the communities who got
into the spirit of the day.”
Family fun days, galas, costume parties, face painting, bouncy castles, balloons, teddy bears picnics, games and prizes,
and many more activities and events took place all over the country to show children that they are special and loved,
with ‘love and affection’ as the central theme.
“We have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and now we have Children’s Day,” says Sue. “But the day is about giving time,
not presents. The day is now in its sixth year and we’re excited to see enthusiasm and participation growing each year.
The tui was the indigenous animal profiled this year in conjunction with the day, and people really got into it,
organising numerous activities with a tui theme.”
Events were organised all around the country, from Kaitaia to Bluff
ENDS