Kai Detectives

Taha Hinengaro – Supports how we think and feel
We nourish our minds and emotions through kai and inu wai.

Taha Wairua – What matters to us
We respect our values, beliefs and culture through kai and inu wai.

Kai Detectives is a simple, joyful game where tamariki use their five senses to explore kai in a mindful and fun way. It’s a great whanaungatanga activity that encourages connections through curiosity, sharing positive memories and celebrating that we all experience kai in unique ways. It also supports kōrero about culture, connection and wellbeing. Scroll down to our 'How to play' section for more!

• It's quick, light and fun – perfect for building connection, practising listening AND kōrero (serve and return kōrero), learning from each other.
• It supports tamariki to practise mindfulness by tuning in to their senses.
• Kai memories cultivate rich, joyful emotions.
• The activity celebrates cultural diversity and helps normalise diversity.
• It gently reinforces the idea that kai is more than food – it is connection, identity and story.

This activity works best when framed around curiosity rather than competition. Encourage tamariki to focus on:

• How kai looks, smells, feels, tastes and sounds.
• How memories and emotions connect to food.
• How different whānau have different kai traditions.

Reassure tamariki that there are no wrong answers. Everyone’s kai experiences are shaped by home, te taiao, culture and our favourite people and places. That is all kei te pai!

You can choose to use the Juicy, Crispy, Crunch worksheet to support the activity with prompts or to move the activity towards a piece of imaginative writing.

Help tamariki to firstly kōrero some of the adjectives they might use to describe kai.

Writing the five senses on the board will support tamariki with the game

• Smell – fresh like fruit, warm like baking, spicy, smoky, oily, sweet…
• Sound – crunch, crackle, pop, slurp, sizzling, ocean sounds, whānau chatter…
• Look – what colours? big or small? in a bowl, on a plate, in a wrapper?
• Feel – soft, crunchy, slippery, smooth, saucy, warm, cold…
• Taste – sweet, salty, spicy, sour, savoury…

Before you begin

1. Ask tamariki to quietly choose one special kai and a memory they have about it.
2. Invite them to think through the five senses: What does it smell like? What does it taste like? What does it feel like? What does it look like? What does it sound like? (e.g. crunch, sizzle, ocean, whānau voices)
3. Keep the kai secret!

Now play in pairs or small groups

Goal: Guess your buddy’s special kai.

1. Tamariki move into pairs or small groups to play – pairs work best when learning the game for the first time.
2. One player asks another a senses-based question.
3. They answer, and one guess is allowed.
4. Swap roles or move to the next person.
5. Continue taking turns until one player correctly guesses the kai. If playing in groups, this person can continue in the game by asking questions and guessing other’s kai.

Optional support rule:

To help with tricky kai, each turn players can reveal one letter of their kai to keep the game moving.

Wrapping up
Bring the class together into a circle. Ask tamariki to introduce their pair or other person from their game:

“My friend [Name] likes [Kai]!”

You can finish with a class cheer like “Yummm!” or “Ka reka!” for each kai.

Reflections

You might also ask:

• What did you notice about playing this game?
• What did you learn about your friends?
• Is there a new kai you’d like to try after listening to your friends?

Tamariki should end this activity feeling happy about their experience and their kai story.

The Sparklers team had a crack-up time testing the game, and we hope you do too!

You might:

• Use your tamariki memories of kai, or experience of the game to write imaginative stories – bring the senses into their writing.
• Use this experience to explore how we can use adjectives when telling our favourite Kai Stories.
• Explore how this activity connects to Te Whare Tapa Whā.
• Kai detectives get better with practise – make sure you re-visit this game to be the best kai detectives in your kura!

Let us know how you enjoy this activity, and feel free to share your pics over on our Sparklers Kaiako Community Facebook group️.