Supporting Tamariki and Whānau Back to Kura

We know you’ll want to bring your ‘A Game’

Here’s our best ‘research-based’ tips to help..

1. Discover your Strengths, or simply look through the strengths and think about which ones may help you through this time. Choose a new one each day if you like, or stick with a goodie that feels right.
2. Spend some time reflecting on how you want to feel back at school. This is a great place to start your planning! Sharing these reflections is a great way to help others support you and your mahi too. 

A little bit of info for whānau...

If you have tamariki that worry a little bit or a lot, pass this PDF along to whānau. It provides some really simple ideas to just keep things smooth running in the lead up and on their school start day.

Great activities to settle back into the pace of kura

We’ve got a pile of Physically Distance-y activities ready to go on Sparklers, but here’s what we hear has been working best for the first few days:

• First Day Feelings - This allows you to guide a kōrero around how tamariki may be feeling and looking at ways everyone can care for each other while you’re settling back in. It also demonstrates how feelings and emotions can change over the course of the day. 
• Reflecting on Bubble life - Our fave friendly creature, Avon, had a fun chat with kids throughout Aotearoa about their bubble time! His questions are a perfect ‘starter’ for some creative reflection and later writing with your tamariki. It might be a great ‘keeper’ for whānau too:
  • What’s a lockdown bubble?
  • Who was in your bubble?
  • If you could have added any animal in the world to your bubble, which animal would you choose?
  • Who has had the best ideas to have fun in your bubble?
  • Did you have enough toilet paper?
  • Who’s been grumpy in your bubble?
  • What or who did you miss the most while in your bubble?
• Hikitia te Hā - Tamariki might need a bit of physicality with their breathing exercises this week. This activity will do just that. Otherwise - take some Tummy Breathing outside under a tree or try Nature Moves from our buddies at DoC.

And bit of fun…

We created these certificates so that tamariki or you can give the big high five to whānau for managing home-learning through some pretty challenging times.. Whether they did a little or a lot, they deserve recognition. And you know you’ll now be forever AMAZING in their eyes!

• Certificate 1: For kids to give to their whānau
  A certificate for tamarki to give to their parents and whānau.
  
• Certificate 2: For you to give to parents/caregivers
  A certificate for you to give to parents and whānau.