Penguin Box Making

Day 2, Thursday 15th of July

Penguin boxes. The object that children enjoy making and penguins enjoy using and living in. We all gathered round the piles of wood and took the appropriate sizes. Working in pairs, we attacked the wood with nails and hammers to attempt to capture a homely atmosphere and box. The boxes themselves took about 30-50 minutes depending on our skill and ability. Once the wood was carefully nailed in place, we proudly sprayed a penguin on the top to inform the public whose box it was. Some of us wrote our names, messages and anything we wanted to decorate the 'soon the be homes' with. With the help of Mark Meyburg, RSNZ teacher fellow, we placed the penguin boxes in a safe and convenient location. I really enjoyed the experience knowing that I was helping penguins instead of hindering their life and growth with every day threats such as: dogs, cats, stoats, cars, litter, pollution etc. The 'feel good sensation', that helping others gives humans, was in the atmosphere as we diligently worked on the boxes. Once we had a picture taken we left the new community and went to have lunch positively glowing!

By Danii Allen, 13 years old.

The View From Holly Johnson

Making the boxes was fun but mine and Danii's wasn't working. That stupid nail would not go in! Everyone else was almost finished while we were trying to hammer in one stupid nail and every two minutes dodgeing cars! We finished eventually and after spray painted a penguin on, we placed the boxes putting Hannah and Cavaan's 'Enclave' in a special place so that their noisiness would not disturb the little children penguins sleeping in the other houses.