Tinder Box

   

Striking a Spark for our Pioneer Past.

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Testimonials

A few words from our satisfied clients.  I would print them all but there isn't enough space!
 Thank you thank  teachers and students who wrote letters of appreciation.

From Teachers and Principals

St Mary’s School Ellerslie March 2011
 The ‘Toys before Electricity’ Visit to school was hugely successful in inspiring the children at the start of the studies. Having the toy making later in the term (and with its connection with Highwic) gave the children purpose in their studies and a clear outcome to look forward to. The children have since ‘customised’ and painted their tops to mirror the optical toys you first showed them, by using concentric circles on the tops and a single colour on the handles. Will send you photos when they are completed. Thanks again for all your hard work, it was much appreciated.
Sharron Alexander

Note: St Mary’s school booked a visit for toys before electricity at the school, two weeks later I met them at Highwic house – an historic building. By prior arrangement with Wendy Johnstone, education Co ordinator, Highwic house, a room was made available for the Tinder box toy making activity. The groups of students were shown around the house and in turn, came to me for the toy making activity.

Kingsway School June  2010
One of the best presentations and hands on activity ever had. Pace,  control and relevance to the students was excellent!
Jenny Harvey.

Stanmore Bay School August 2009
Thankyou Richard for another great session. As  always you were very  well organised and you timed your presentation to fit with the full schedule of five classes.
 The photos that were taken by the teachers are so useful in promoting further learning, and will provide an excellent base for designing assessment sheets. Your presentation will also support the teachers future planning, and the post-visit resources will be extremely useful and enjoyabvle for the children.
Thank you
 From the middle school Stanmore Bay Primary School

Mauku School November 2008
Great resources - really neat that the kids could have a play. Thank you for visiting us again.

Tinder Box Comment: I have visited Mauku school three times. This time the teachers had selected the Victorian toy programme which  I have provided before. It was satisfying  upon my arrival to be approached by students who had seen the programme before, were  obviously  older, but still  remembered  the the names of the toys and the visit with pleasure.

Summerland School November 2008
All the  students had a great, positive experience. Thanks.
The afternoon sessions were a bit rushed because of the amount of toys to look at (Toys  before Electricity ( also known as Victorian toys)
Possibly a  microphone may have helped to hear some of the comments made, particularly at the beginning of the session.

Tinder Box Comment: Toys before electricity affords a very exciting  presentation for the students and they love playing with the toys. Experience  has shown me that the toy sessions could never be long enough and students would happily play with the toys all day! The  Tinder box toy resources is extensive. However, I have to work  within the time  frame. Sessions should be 40 minute minimum. Construction was taking place on a building right alongside the hall and it was difficult to compete with the noise. Unfortunately, I don't have a small  Pa system but will consider getting one for the future.

Waitoki School July  2008
 The children were highly motivated by this programme. It was great for them to see real artefacts from the past, that we have talked about in  class. Theyparticularly enjoyed playing with the Victorian toys - one child said, she wished she lived in 1900! the toy making activity was excellent and very well prepared! thank you Richard!
Cathy Kemp

Tinderbox comment: Waitoki school selected a programme of Food for  thought (original artifacts), Victorian toys  (Toys before electricity) and Craft in support of  the Victorian toy activity (toy making). This was a visit to a small school with 18 students participating,  My third visit to this school

Our Lady Sacred Heart
Fantastic  resources. Perhaps more hands on available for juniors, but well presented and all children can tell  adults how to make butter. An  enjoyable day had by all.

Albany School
 Your visit was enjoyed by both staff and children alike! I have had so  many positive comments from other staff members and the children's work following the visit is fantastic. Its so nice for children to gain an understanding of the  'physics ' of simple toys and even more complicated ones - as today's'  'push a button make it go toys'; lack this. The children also really appreciated the hands on nature of the visit. I have given your details on to other syndicates to use at future dates, and enclose a select  few pieces of writing from some of our   5 year olds. Thankyou!
Leanne.

Mt Eden Normal School
(Mt Eden School selected the Victorian  toy  presentation)

All teachers and children really enjoyed and learnt heaps from your visit.  We could have spent longer  playing but this is only  what the children expressed.  Good information shared. Excellent hands on  resources
Thanks
 Grace Brougham.

Westminster Christian school
(West minster Christian school selected two toy activities.)

the Victorian  toy activity
The craft in support of toys  -  Toy making activity

Absolutely  fantastic. Children fully participated in the program and felt they had really accomplished something  major in successfully making a toy

Very interesting and excellent for getting creativity going - they all want make their own toys now!
Laetitia Breytenback.



Weymouth School

• A photo and explanation of each toy for reference.
• raised  interest level and knowledge of the children.
• All the children were " absorbed."
• A great "hands -on"  delivery.
• Great "value for money"
• Knowledgeable presenter.

Thanks Richard.
The  children and staff thoroughly enjoyed your visit -  : a "great springboard for our topic."

Waitoki School
 The children were highly motivated with  the "Tinder box"  presentation. They particularly enjoyed the  toys section and being able to play with the  toys  that are very different to their own.
The transport section was a little less motivating but as you said this more  difficult to get across, with just photos to draw on as a resource.

Pomaria Primary School  Henderson

Pomaria school  selected a dual activity programme of Victorian toys and  Craft in support of toys.

Their syndicate wrote:

• Highly recommended  programme to other schools.
• Highly enjoyable, informative, interactive. 
• Children get to work with  materials, very much a hands on exhibition and experience.
• Extremely well organised!
• Children were engaged, motivated, enthusiastic the whole time.
• Worksheets were relevant to the topic and to the presentation. Thank you so much.

Point View School

Point View School selected a  three activity programme Victorian toys, Craft in  support of Toys and  Food for Thought (original artifacts).
Jean Mallinson for the middle syndicate  wrote:

All activities, were relevant to the curriculum, presentation of the activities was good.  Our expectations were met and the post-visit resources were useful.
Food for thought (original artifacts) was very well presented and a nice contrast to the toy presentation ( the  Victorian  toy presentation.)
Craft in support of toys.(The  toy making activity) Fantastic. Maybe more time could be allowed.
Very  valuable experience. A fabulous hands-on experience - great to see boys so fully involved. Children intrigued by toys -  all wanted to have "these toys" now. Perhaps more time allowed in the "Toy  experience"

Presenters note: We would love to give more time! The students would have stayed all day however, each activity was  45 minutes in duration, and  the other students were keen to have their turn. A  great visit. Good to see such enthusiasm in   students.

Conifer Grove School

This is rather late but we would like to thank you for the very informative sessions, way back in May.  We all enjoyed your hands-on approach and your generosity in allowing the children to actually experience the toys of the past.  That enabled the children to gain a good understanding of the toys, and how they worked.  The children were always anxious and interested to see what they would be playing with next.  Their interest was always captured.  We thought you had a lovely manner with the children, and also gave them the right amount of information.  Your explanations could be heard amongst the noisy enthusiasm!
If you had any hand-outs of actual pictures of the toys, we thought that may help with classroom follow-ups.  We now have our own pictures that will certainly supplement our next unit in two years time!
We are aware of the other programmes you have available, and maybe we would consider those next time, too - such as workshops that involve making the toys.

Thank you very much
 
Kind Regards
Linda Ross, Senior Teacher - Middle Syndicate. Conifer Grove School

St Paul's School Massey

We invited The Tinderbox team to speak to our Year 3 and 4 students when we were studying TIME.  We wondered...' what was life like in 1904 '?  The children moved around work stations during the day and gained such valuable information through this authentic experience.  I would certainly recommend Tinderbox to other schools who wish to study life in the past. 

Mariette Poortman
Deputy Principal
St Paul's School Massey
Phone 832-7200
Fax 832-7202

Dear Pru and Richard
Thank you so much for bringing all of your lovely things and your knowledge to share with my children last week. Your visit complimented our "Olden Days" study  perfectly and gave the children greater insight into life back then.
Cathy Kemp, Waitoki School.

Dear Mr and Mrs Lees
Thank you for your visit. Room  2 really enjoyed what you had to show, especially being able to touch these  precious things.
Jan Reid, Glen Eden Primary.

And from the students.

 Feedback following The Toys before electricity  activity and Crafts in support of toys

Dear Mr Lees
Thank you for teaching us how to make toys. I enjoyed the part when you showed us the toys  and I didn't know that life without  electricity will be fun as well.

I like the marble race! Making toys was my favourite part. I enjoyed the part  when you taught us how to make spinning tops. It worked out very well.
The toys from now and then is different, because we use electricity now to make toys. Before we didn't have the use  of electricity and plastic but it was very fun as well and thankyou for coming!

Dear Richard
Thank you Richard for coming to New Windsor school to show the Tinder box and the toy and book you show us was Magic and there was bubble pipe to blow and Jacob ladder and the marble race and yo yos too. My favourite toy was toy marble race and my second favourite toy is Jacob ladder and it was easy to play it and I played the peepshow and was three holes to look. And there was soldiers and there was three soldiers and I didn’t play with the pantin.

Dear Richard and
Thank you for coming to the school. It was cool. The Jacob’s ladder were cool. I like the pecking hens. I think you are talented. I think all the toys were cool. I like these toys better then my toys at home. I didn’t like the lead soldiers because they are poisonous. Did you make all the toys?
From Loe

Dear Richard and Prue
Thank you for taking us to the Tinder Box I really had fun over there. My favourite toy was Magic Pictures because it was really funny and the funniest thing on there is the nose. I had fun with it. It was really cool and I had fun at Tinder Box. I want to go in the Tinder Box again cause I had heaps of fun
From Teina. New Windsor School

Feedback following the Toys before  Electricity and Food for Thought Activities
Dear Mrs Lees
I thank you for bringing the  toys and olden day things to show us them at school. You showed us the iron and the dolly and the spinning top too
 from Victoria.

Thank you for showing us the  Olden day things. I liked the washing tub.
from Jessica

Thank you for coming to my school for  Pioneer Day and thank you for showing us things.
from Madeleine