Art activities for preschoolers are as important to your child’s development as reading, writing and other physical development skills. We’ve pulled together 19 art activities for 3, 4…
Play dough has to be one of the best inventions for children! We use the easiest no cook play dough recipe you’re likely to find on the internet. Our…
This year, I made it my mission to start creating a set of quality dress up’s for my kids that don’t cost the earth. We have a special…
We’re really loving painting on rocks at the moment and after creating our 3 little pig story stones little miss 3 decided we should make the 5 little ducks…
I love this paint art project for kids, as it’s suitable for all ages. I did this art project with a class of 5 and 6 year olds…
I discovered story stones a little while back and decided it was time to share them with the Kiwi Families community. These story stones are inexpensive to make…
I have to admit I’m pretty addicted to Pinterest! I can waste many an hour scrolling through, looking for fun and fresh crafts to do with my kids…
W-sitting is a position in which you are sitting on your bottom, with knees bent, legs splayed out to each side, and inside of the foot pressing on…
In my experience of being a teacher and raising children of my own, I’ve discovered that kids love painting on all types of objects. In fact my daughter prefers…
I just love this little activity because it’s a fantastic activity for so many ages. I’ve done this with 3 year olds, right up to 8 year olds.…
The other day, while dropping my little girl off at kindy, I noticed she was having trouble using the scissors, while other kids around her seemed quite capable.
It must be because it’s coming up to Halloween because my daughter has gone spook mad. Every morning around the breakfast table the first thing she says is,…
Inspired by Halloween I thought what better idea than to create an invitation to play for magic potions this week. My little miss 3 loves mixing, stirring and making things so…
We were so excited when we found our first painted rock. Our 4 year old daughter found one randomly in a park in Whanganui when we were on…
This is a great kid’s painting idea that will have your kids coming back for more. My little miss 3 just loved pouring and exploring with the paint.…
Halloween is just around the corner, which means it’s a great time to get your spook on. Trying out some kids halloween crafts gives you a great excuse to pull…
Summer’s on the horizon – It’s time to think about water safety for kids. Water is an essential part of Kiwis identity and many children grow up spending their…
Children who refuse to eat certain things (or in some cases, most things) can be extremely frustrating for parents who want to ensure their little ones are getting…
The first spring flower craft idea I created was with my class during art and I thought what a great craft to share with our Kiwi Families community. They’re super simple to…
I love invitations to play they are such a neat way to inspire our children. I first stumbled upon the idea of invitation to play when I was teaching…
After reading What Could it Be? Exploring the Imaginative World of Shapes to my 3 year old daughter, I was inspired to make our own shape stamps to…
Pompoms are an all time favourite of mine, I used to make them all the time when I was a child. There’s just so many great craft projects…
Find out all you need to know about stuttering in children, the signs and underlying causes, and more importantly find out what you can do about stuttering, and…
Seriously divine. Vintage done beautifully, is, well beautiful. There is something about old school style that just takes my breath away.
Children dealing with sensory issues can find everyday activities and situations challenging. Find out what treatments for children with sensory issues are available.
Sometimes children’s behaviour can be totally perplexing. Do you find yourself asking questions like: ‘What IS her problem with getting her face wet – can’t we just have…
Language delays in children are a cause of much frustration and worry for parents. Often this anxiety is unnecessary, as these children catch up with peers in their…
A beam of sunlight projects through the window and across the bathroom. You notice the dust dancing in the golden light. You can’t see it, but floating in that…
Matariki is a small group of stars – the constellation Pleiades – that reappear in the sky in winter (in late May or early June) and, through the…
Here in New Zealand, we prize the ability to ingeniously solve problems. Being creative in our approach to problems is a matter of national pride. So much so,…
When your child is born, you’ll usually receive a Well Child Tamariki Ora My Health Book. Many parents will be particularly interested in the growth charts in these…
“They are not airplanes!!,” my six year old yelled. Followed by, “They are not pteradactyls.” And a fit of giggles. He knows he’s funny. Isaac is happily wiggling…
In a time where the school curriculum seems to become narrower and narrower, outlets for expressing creativity are becoming more and more vital in the lives of our…
Resilience is about our ability to cope with the ups and downs of life. Children need to learn to bounce back from disappointment. As they grow, they need…
As a parent, sometimes it’s hard to know how to choose safe children’s products and you’ll want to make sure the children’s products you buy and use are…
There are several reasons why New Zealanders have a higher risk for developing skin cancers – including a high proportion of the population with fair skin, our low ozone…
This craft activity is one to get the children involved with. Ask young children to draw something to do with Christmas: Santa, baby Jesus, an angel etc. Older…
These little people will be looking cute with grass for hair in a short couple of weeks. What a fun project – and it will be just as…
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…
This craft is an oldie but a goodie, I used to love making these as a kid and have to admit I rather enjoyed making this guy. Added…
After seeing my son’s toes forming callouses in his brand new leather shoes, I was forced to conclude that buying children’s shoes is not as simple as selecting…
Occasionally figures are published regarding how much it costs to raise children. The costs are often eye-watering! One of the major costs for kids is clothes. But clothing…
I’m sure that many of you will remember having hours of fun with paper dolls when you were children. Here are some great printables that you can use…
Outdoor clothing is essential in New Zealand’s colder months. Good outdoor clothing will not only keep your little ones warm, but will also save your sanity! Your children…
One of the things that makes Aotearoa/New Zealand special is the Māori culture and language. Although it is only spoken in New Zealand, the Māori language (Te Reo) is…
Children are constantly grappling with increasingly new amounts of information, environments, activities, expectations, people and so much more. Helping children to adapt to change, and to become more…
All children love to draw and colour and we’re so excited to bring you some gorgeous colouring in pictures and activities to do with your little people. We…
Hi everyone, Cecilia Robinson here with a few more tips on easing the transition back to school. I hope you have all had a fantastic summer break. Funny…
Parents are often concerned about whether their young child is developing within a normal range. All children develop at different rates, and most are faster in some areas…
It can be hard for parents to know where to draw the line between being too permissive, or being too strict. Learning to discipline your toddler and preschooler…
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…
Anger in preschool aged children can be pretty frightening or upsetting for the adults around them. We may feel overwhelmed in the face of such strong emotions, or…
Travelling with children, and family members, who have food allergies can add extra stress to family holidays. The secret is to plan ahead! Check out our tips for travelling with family…
Rainy days are the one thing parents do not need during the holidays, but they happen. We have great ideas for free or low cost rainy day activities…
Young children love arts and crafts, and you do not need lots of art supplies to keep them happy. A pack of crayons is all you need to…
For our children, just the same as it is for us, there are times when they have their big difficult feelings that really need loving attention. No matter…
Using paracetamol (Pamol and Panadol) with kids can be a difficult business. On one hand, you’ve got a poor, sick child and on the other hand, you might…
Throughout our lives, we’re exposed to many different germs which are potentially harmful to us. Some of these, like colds, are minor and our bodies can easily fight…
Many children (and parents) find immunisation visits are an easy and relatively pain-free experience. For some children (and parents) however, needles can be scary, especially on the first…
Over the next few weeks there will be a myriad of emotions at the school gate. Tears glistening in the eyes struggling to be held back, excitement with…
All vaccines are thoroughly tested to ensure they are safe and work before they are licensed and used in the community. After being licensed vaccine safety continues to…
Every year children are seen at emergency departments with injuries caused by toys they’ve just received as Christmas presents.
Find our quick reference table of free Online Games – Science & Literacy – fun for kids. Let your toddler, preschool or primary school boys and girls learn science, literacy,…
From toddler on your chances of choosing books without your little one around decreases!
The overall aim of the Ministry of Education’s school transport policy is to “…provide assistance to students who, because of the geographic location of their home or their…
Here are the key terms that you need to understand special education.
An RTLB is a Resource Teacher: Learning Behaviour. Around schools and among students they are commonly called RTLBs. An RTLB works within schools giving support and providing assistance…
For any parent the ‘starting primary school’ phase can be an emotional and worry-filled period. There’s changes of routine, environment, teachers to deal with, new expectations of your…
An IEP is an Individual Education Programme. The terms is often used, but not always understood by those who use it.
GSE (Group Special Education) is the abbreviated term used for the Ministry of Education, Special Education.
Choosing a school for our precious children to attend can be an unnerving experience no matter what. Add to that angst a child with special educational needs and…
Early Intervention is support designed for young children from birth, or from the time they are identified as having special educational needs through to their attending school.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) believes every child and young person can be educated and every student in New Zealand has the right to take part in education…
School visits are one of the many chances you have to help ready your little one for the next step on the NZ education ladder.
Dr Maria Montessori founded the first Montessori community in 1907 in the slums of Rome, Italy and an educational philosophy grew from her work with these fifty poor,…
The Rudolf Steiner/Waldorf movement recognises that schools should be truly comprehensive: open to all girls and boys, with a curriculum for all pupils which is as broad as…
Playcentre is early childhood education that promotes and encourages parents to be the first educators. Read our Playcentre article for more info.
Find out what a nanny is and what they do, how much a nanny costs, where to find a nanny in New Zealand, and how to hire a…
Dr Maria Montessori founded the first Montessori community in 1907 in the slums of Rome, Italy and an educational philosophy grew from her work with these fifty poor,…
At Kohanga Reo all education and instruction is delivered in te reo maori (Maori language). Learn more about Kohanga Reo and how it works in our article.
So you are about to launch into the Kindergarten phase of your life. Our Kindergarten article explains how Kindy works in New Zealand and what to expect.
Home based care is care and education provided by adults in either their own home or the child’s. Find out more about home based care in our article.
Understanding what a Day Care centre is and what exactly they do is important. Our Day Care article will give you this information and answer a lot of…
Te Kura (formally The Correspondence School) offers distance learning programmes for almost 27,000 students per year across New Zealand and overseas.
Researching and choosing an ECE service can be a nerve-racking process. We’ve got information in our Choosing a Service article that may help you along the way.
Early Childhood Education (ECE) is the education and care provided to kids before they go to School. Learn more about education options in Early Childhood.
The Childcare Subsidy helps low and middle-income families to access childcare services. Find out more about the Childcare Subsidy and eligibility here.
From 1 July 2010 all three, four and five-year old children are able to go to early childhood education (ECE) services for six hours a day, 20 hours…
Home schooling is basically just that, educating children in their home rather than in a school environment. Home schooling in New Zealand is also referred to as Home Education.
Te Kura (formerly The Correspondence School) provides distance learning for students of all levels in New Zealand. Learn more about Te Kura and how it works.
There are two main types of toddler tantrums. Knowing how to handle toddler tantrums will be much easier if you can recognise which type your child is dealing…
When ultrasound was first turned toward the wombs of pregnant women it revealed that babies suck their thumbs even before they are born.
This guide on sleep needs for children tells you about the expectations for your baby, toddler, young child and teenagers – about naps, sleep habits, overcoming sleep problems…
Frustrated in your efforts with the behaviour problems and development issues of your young boy or girl? Whether it be a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 year…
Nightmares, night terrors and sleep walking are equally scary for parents and children. We provide an overview of the causes, signs and symptoms in children and what you…
One year old normal developmental stages? Milestones of a typical two yr old boy? Growth schedule for a three year old girl? Checklist for a four year old?
Looking for guidelines or checklist of the developmental stages and milestones for your toddler boy or teenage girl? We provide excellent articles for Parents on the key stages and milestones in…
Ever feel like you just blinked and your baby turned into a full-blown toddler? Those early years fly by in a blur of growth and change. If you’re…
Night time wetting is one of those problems talked about frequently when it relates to toddlers but rarely when it comes to school age children and even less…
Slow the pace down in the holidays with some reading and storytime activities. Find ideas about how to get started in our 7 great reading and story time…