From left, Leon Tauroa, Rangihana Te Hauora and Cale Hor from Russell School in Porirua show off their cardboard carving skills.

If it sounds a bit quiet in Porirua's eastern suburbs next week it will be because 300 children are spending the day in the capital.

Eight eastern schools are heading to Wellington to take part in Aotearoa's first parade to celebrate Maori Language Week.

Cannons Creek's Russell School principal Sose Annandale is in charge of logistics for the day in town.

Virginia Fallon From left, Jadda Angel Piwar-Karati, Reign Te-Waaka and Oceania Takao from Russell School in Porirua work on one of the decorations for their float which will take part in the Wellington parade for New Zealand Maori Language Week.

"The principals got together and decided that our schools should go," she said. "We need to help elevate the language to the position it deserves in this country."

READ MORE:

* A multimedia guide to the Maori alphabet

* Is this the answer to saving the Maori language?

* Mispronunciation of maori words 'not good enough'

Annandale said the schools had been working together and would be taking banners, flags and balloons into Wellington.

"It's the first time we have done anything all together like this and we all wanted to walk together representing Porirua."

Children at Russell School are busy making the decorations for the float the eight schools are sharing.

Oceania Takao said they were carving tikis, taniwha, kiwi and morepork out of recycled cardboard and painting posters. "It's quite hard work, but sometimes it's really easy as well."

Leon Tauroa said carving cardboard was good practice for when he was a bit older and allowed to carve bone and wood.

The parade will get under way in Wellington on Monday, July 4, at 11am.

The theme for this year's campaign is "akina te reo" which is about using the language to show support, including for New Zealand athletes heading to Rio for the Olympic Games in August.

So far 3875 people and 14 floats have registered to take part and it will be live streamed for anyone who can't attend.

Te reo rugby ambassador Nehe Milner-Skudder will be signing rugby balls and throwing them out to the crowd.

Maori Language Commission chief executive Ngahiwi Apanui said all New Zealanders had a role to play in the revitalisation of te reo.

"We are taking te reo Maori to the streets and making it visible in places and spaces where it isn't. We want to involve Maori and non-Maori in the biggest celebration of te reo that our country has ever put on."

The parade will start outside Parliament and make its way to Te Papa via Lambton Quay.