When Reddit user u/RodneySquirrel said “I just saw the best handled temper tantrum in Wendy’s yesterday”, it sparked over 500 responses sharing their insights on handling tantrums. Here…
Potty training a non-verbal toddler can be a unique challenge, but with the right strategies and understanding, it can also be a rewarding journey. Non-verbal communication doesn’t mean…
Remember that time the Starship Foundation had those adorable doggos collecting donations on Auckland streets? They raised a stack of cash while spreading good vibes! Creative fundraising like…
You need something from the shops but your child insists they’re old enough to stay home alone. Your heart says “no”, but your brain wonders… maybe? It’s a…
There’s 101 things to do in Auckland, but when it comes to visiting with kids some activities are better suited. We discovered 51 epic things to do in…
Are you looking for ways to earn money from the comfort of your own home? Well, you’ve come to the right place! As parents, we understand that making…
We’ve pulled together the top 20 educational websites for kids updated for 2024. These are educational websites full of games, video, content and activities to keep your kids…
At this time of year, families are entertaining their kids by painting pictures or having an impromptu dance party. While these activities are fun, art and dance movement…
School attendance is important, but truancy (that’s when kids skip too much school) is a growing problem. It’s been getting worse since 2015, and it’s something we need…
As parents we have dreams for our children. We hope they will live happy lives with a sense of purpose. But how do we make sure children learn…
Here at Kiwi Families, we love crafting ideas that are simple enough for little ones to have a go at, but difficult enough to keep older kids engaged.…
There are lots of different ways to potty train your child. Some parents are super-lucky and watch as their child virtually trains themselves, others find it takes much longer…
Have you been wondering how you can celebrate Matariki the Māori New Year at your place. Here’s 5 fresh ways to celebrate Matariki with your family.
Wellington provides a scintillating range of things to do and places to go for all members of the family throughout the year. Here’s our list of 31 Things to do in…
Not living with your child full-time doesn’t mean you lose your rights—or your place—in their life. Being a non-custodial parent in New Zealand comes with a unique set…
The origin of Guy Fawkes dates back to 1605 when a group of 12 men tried to blow up Britain’s House of Parliament. Guy Fawkes Night is an…
Tip toe quietly through the night, creeping cautiously, taking fright, ghostly ghouls and pumpkin lights, its Halloween time again tonight…
What child doesn’t want to create their own treasure box or Jewellery box. This is a super easy craft that can be great for a rainy day, a…
After numerous, and sometimes disastrous, attempts at finding a consistent ad partner for our blog, we finally found Nirvana with Monumetric – probably the best ad network for…
Having kids create their own gift bags is a really cool way to add a special touch to any gift. It also helps save a lot of wasted…
ZURU Sparkle Girlz Princess Cone and Princess Cupcake Dolls are adorable little dolls designed for creative play, brought to you by ZURU Toys, the company behind Bunch O…
If you are looking for a special toy this school holidays look no further than Sparkle Girlz! Brought to you by Zuru Toys, the company behind Bunch O…
Gutter board is one of the most underrated games to come out of the 80s. Sure Skip-it was all the rage for a bit, slip-n-slide was cool and…
The noughts and crosses game is such a great game for kids, and all ages can play it. It’s one of those games that just never gets old.…
It’s getting close to halloween so my thoughts are on dressing up just now. Although my own daughter is pitching for a scary bunny mask, not every child…
We are busy home schooling at the moment while the country and the world is trying to contain COVID-19. This week the theme is Pirates, so what better…
In this edition of our Side Hustle Series Cat Macnaughtan, Next Magazine Her Own Business Award nominee and creator of the massively popular card game Getting Lost Game, teaches…
I don’t think painting stones and rocks will ever get boring! There’s just something fun about painting on a surface that isn’t paper and is found in nature. These…
Cake it Forward is Wellington’s home of contemporary cakes. Wedding cakes that wow, beautiful birthday cakes for all ages, and cake decorating classes. We also offer private parties…
Discover how to turn the $199 Kmart Cubby House into a playhouse palace fit for a princess (and prince). We inject a bit of Kiwi flavour into the Kmart Cubby House…
This year I decided to starting decorating my home early with Christmas decorations. You see for the past 2 years we haven’t had the tree and decorations up…
At this time of year, we’re all looking forward to some time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to relax and re-charge and enjoy the…
Banana Pops have become the new after school treat at our place. One part healthy, one part decadent, our kids just love ’em. Here’s our super-simple Banana Pops…
Courtesy of the Farmers Santa Parade you could win these wonderful stocking fillers: Simon Optix and Hearing Things The team behind the largest Christmas Parade in the country is…
We love working on Halloween crafts at this time of the year, it really gets us into the festive spirit of it all. Here’s how to make a…
Holy-quacamole Father’s Day has crept up on me fast this year! I truely feel like it was just yesterday that it was the 1st of August. Time just seems…
Hannah Blumhardt and Liam Prince from The Rubbish Trip stop by with some timely advice about feeding your family snacks with less waste. Snacks that are cheaper, healthier…
Having a new baby is exciting, exhausting and time consuming. It can also be a frustrating time for your older child or children.
I’ve just discovered the joy of making my own DIY bottle necklace. The initial idea to make one was because I was thinking about creating some more craft…
I’ve always loved making robots with kids. As a school teacher I used to love letting my kids go crazy with a bunch of recycled items to create like…
Getting your insurance sorted can feel a bit like decluttering your home; you don’t usually feel like it, but once you’ve done it, you feel a calm sense of…
Just in time for the school holidays, we have this awesome Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul movie prize pack from 20th Century Fox to give away. The…
13 year old Molly Redican recently presented at Facebook Headquarters in Melbourne, and wrote about her experience exclusively for Kiwi Families.
Moranifesto is Caitlin Moran’s collection of some of her favourite pieces that she has written, loosely collected into topics “The twenty-first century, where we live,” “The feminisms,” and…
They did… I did … I hope she does… We consciously and subconsciously carry through our lives pre-conceived ideas, learnt behaviour and negative influences from our upbringing. It’s…
Win a $500 coupon from Wotif.co.nz to put towards your next family holiday! Whether it’s a New Zealand family road trip, or an overseas destination you’re into Wotif.co.nz…
In this busy modern world, cities are expanding and backyards are shrinking. Yet the desire to grow food is more pressing in the face of rising food costs and…
The Kiwi Families team got the opportunity to interview Mister Maker for his upcoming tour. Read on to find out what he’s looking forward to when he gets…
Win 1 of 5 DVD copies of Ever After High: Way to Wonderland. A spell gone wrong magically transports our favourite fairytale friends to Wonderland where they go…
One of our best friends’ daughters was turning six recently. I asked her what she wanted on her cake… and she said a unicorn. So this is what…
I’ve been a bit slow to the personal blender party and I’m always a bit skeptical about fads. However, the kind people from Nutribullet offered to send me…
Normally only available to members, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is giving away a 2-night family stay at its historic beach house in Smelting House Bay, Kawau…
We have thrown some cracker birthday parties over my teen’s 15 year existence and hosting them is a lot of fun albeit kinda chaotic and exhausting!
Nigella Lawson is back – causing us to slow down, pause and enjoy feel good food. Sounds good, right? From bowlfood (soups and noodle dishes) to tasty sides…
Win a family pass (4 tickets) to a Hi-5 House of Dreams show – 3 show locations to chose from! Join Hi-5 and friends for a brand new…
I have been thinking about traditions, and family, and how to make the effort lately. It’s easier not to make the effort. You feel the desire not to…
Win a family pass to a Hi-5 House of Dreams show – 3 show locations to chose from! Join Hi-5 and friends for a brand new national tour Dream…
Just occasionally, as a reviewer, a book arrives that takes your breath away. Little Elliot – Big Family has become our family’s new favourite. It is entrancing. “A…
The Uniden baby monitor is a video monitor that can connect to your computer or TV and can even be Skyped. It has a colour monitor as well…
So surely I can’t be the only mum out there who has wondered “Can I make a themed cake myself or do I really have to pay $150 – $200 for something…
New Zealand owned household brand Mrs Rogers is known for their high quality and all natural range of salts, peppers, herbs, spices and seasonings, but did you know…
Nutritionist Claire Turnbull has recently published a new book – Feel Good for Life and we thought she might have some valuable thoughts to share with parents, because who doesn’t…
When Great-Uncle Horace brings back lost and homeless animals from his travels around the globe, it falls to Zoe, and her mum, the zoo vet, to settle them…
Improv for Kids The Improvisors Circa Theatre, Wellington 7 -18 April (no Sunday performance) $10 per person
In this early thirties, Stephen Fry – writer, comedian, star of stage and screen – had, as they say, ‘made it’. Much loved in A Bit of Fry…
Sarah O’Neil (Sarah the Gardener) who wrote The Good Life, is back with her second title to motivate Kiwi gardeners – Play in the Garden. With 120 pages…
Food is a big part of our culture and traditions in New Zealand. It can be as simple as meeting up with a friend for coffee to the…
We love celebrating in our house, by saying woohoo to the big things and finding reasons to celebrate the little and weird things too. Being a single parent family,…
Welcome to the jungle…of fun! The cast of the animated hit comedy Rio returns — along with a new flock of all-star voice talent, including Oscar® nominee Andy…
I am reclining on a couch with my six month old baby boy asleep on my lap. He is resting after a big feed. It consisted of breast…
“Mom, can I pleeeeaaase go to Regina’s* Birthday party/Sleepover on Saturday?” pleads Miss 14. “Which one is Regina again?” I reply. “Remember, she’s that new girl I met at School last…
Mrs Mo’s Monster is about a monster eating all kinds of stuff. Mrs Mo asks the monster if he wants to try a new thing and the monster…
It’s Allergy Awareness Week soon and we talk to a family where allergies are part of everyday life. Kiwi mum, Amanda, talks about living with allergies for 6 year old Amelia.
Cookies are delicious, but these cookies are even more delicious because they have a chocolate surprise inside! They are reasonably straight forward the only tricky thing is cutting…
Here’s an easy and cheap idea for a Piñata using any sort of cereal box. I made a robot but you could make just about anything, an animal, a…
Hooo weee! Can’t kids’ birthday parties be just a little bit crazy?? The food; the gifts; the decorations… it can all just get a bit out of hand.…
Another year is almost over… Christmas has been and we’ve all breathed a sigh of relief. And then there’s New Year! I’ve never been a particularly boisterous celebrator…
A ‘retro-style’ hardback with a fabric cover and ribbon bookmark, The Way We Used to Cook provides a range of classic recipes across six chapters (Scrumptious Soups and…
From Rudolf and Santa to Slinki Malinki and the proverbial Pukeko in a Punga Tree, there’s a Christmas-themed picture book for everyone. In most bookshops, though, Baby Jesus…
Coming from a family of five born from the 40s through to the 60s, we all raised our family within easy distance of each other. Now fast forward to…
Connection: You know when things just flow like a mid-summers breeze… conversation…laughter…getting each other’s jokes…touch…your inner child ventures out…you feel alive…happy…they get you, you get them…at peace…loving…kind…warm…and all…
This is part 2 of our Family Christmas menu – a delicious selection of food that’s just perfect for a Kiwi family Christmas. Here’s the menu for you…
The word “ceremony” may conjure in the mind an image of the pageantry of a royal wedding with all its formality, expense and protocol. However one of New…
It was the school holidays and the call came from the younger five (6-9yrs) grandchildren who do not live with us. ‘We’re bored can we come to your…
Children have fun learning and bonding, which develops a sense of confidence and security. As a kaiako (teacher) of children in home based childcare, I’ve learnt that having…
Combining games night with a family meal is one way to have a lot of fun. You can get dressed up, divide family members into who is responsible…
With all the stress of modern existence, it’s easy to become bogged down in responsibility and timetables and find there just isn’t much time left for fun.
Outdoor activities are a great way to keep the kids entertained and to help them to burn off energy. This is especially important during the school holidays when…
Miss Mouse is your one-stop-shop for all your birthday party, baby shower, engagement and wedding requirements. Offering boutique party supplies and an assortment of goodies for hire, they…
We know that lots of you are keen cake decorators, so we thought we’d give you the chance to show off your skills. If you’ve made a birthday…
I constantly hear protests from Mums who say they don’t have time to exercise – that they’re exhausted by the time the kids are in bed and don’t…
Whether right or wrong, right from birth children are getting messages, both positive and negative, about what it means to be a boy or a girl. So can gender affect…
Giraffes can’t Dance is a young children’s book about Gerald the Giraffe who can’t dance at the annual dance party
Combining craft with making lasting, visual memories is a fantastic way to bond together with your children. If you’ve never tried scrapbooking before, it doesn’t have to be…
Sometimes it can be pretty difficult getting everyone into an activity when they’re at different ages and/or stages of development. So today we look at spending some school…
Ever wonder what to do for your child’s birthday party? Do you feel pressured to keep up with the latest party trend? Maybe your children expect bigger and…
Do we have the Easter Bunny to thank for a couple of days off each autumn? Does the New Zealand government have such sympathy with chocolate lovers that…
Combining exercise with family activities has many benefits, and not just to our waistlines and fitness levels. Active kids eat better, sleep better and think better and so…
A timely article inspired by my daughter who turns 6 tomorrow. The years are going by fast, but very early on I started thinking about traditions and celebrations…
All children have moments of aggression. Aggressive behaviour in children is a fairly natural emotional response. But no parent wants that sinking feeling of realising their child has…