Sparklers is normally a classroom, wellbeing toolkit, and Sparklers at Home supports this. It holds may of the same fun wellbeing activities, but for the living room or lawn!
Learn about the importance of the Matariki whetū (star) cluster and its special appearance in the winter sky marking the beginning of te mātahi o te tau (the New Year).
Sharing kai is a big part of Matariki, so create a special placemat to use for shared kai during Matariki with your whānau.
Welcome some fresh air and some sky magic by making a manu tukutuku (kite).
Make a moemoeā (wish) upon Hiwa-i-te-rangi, and how to make a good moemoeā (wish) come true!
Nothing says festivities like bunting! Representing all of the special whetū of Matariki - each whetū offers a whānau adventure in line with their significance.
We're seeing more face masks around, which is great, but some tamariki may find this worrying or strange - here's a way to normalise face masks.
Our native manu have unique characteristics - pīwakawaka are playful, kea are curious and this gives us a great opportunity to explore with our tamariki how we can be too!
If we're feeling tired or stuck in a bit of a rut, there are simple things we can do every day to feel good.
This activity contextualises the Whare Tapa Whā model by allowing tamariki to make their own whare and practise all the things that contribute to their overall hauora.
One of the best things we can do to lift our mood is have fun in the outdoors. Our friends at the Department of Conservation and Tākai have helped us develop lots of fun, bubble-friendly ways to do just that!.
Back in bubble time might feel hard, but get your routine sorted and you'll soon be rocking it!
Create a kete of things to do to boost your hauora and wellbeing. This might be especially important during our bubble and home-learning time when things may feel challenging sometimes.
Learning our pepeha connects us to our family and history.
Create a mean piece of artwork and talk about emotions - Emotional Rollercoaster is a win win activity!
Make some paper flowers to make someone's day (and your own!)
One of the best things we can do for our wellbeing is to be kind or give to others (our time, actions and words).
Help your tamariki build empathy and learn the key to being a good friend.
Sometimes a shared goal is a great way to change the focus and reconnect us. This will do the trick!
When we feel connected to others it makes us, and the people we connect to, feel good. This activity for older tamariki highlights this.
Apps and tracks and great facebook pages all supporting our te reo Māori
Capture memories of your whānau - it builds connection both to them and your family's history.
Expressing gratitude helps us feel good, and it's got the science to back it! Give it a go, make it a habit.
Learn about energy levels and how we can match them to fit the situation.
Get on top of the big emotions like anger and worry with this fun technique.
Support your child to learn their strengths and discover yours too - while you're at it!
Names are important and often have special meaning or a story. Share and capture these.
Kids need to calm their energy or big emotions - step one, learn to tummy breathe!
Practise tummy breathing to lengthen our time relaxing and being mindful. A whānau chillax!
A super simple introduction to mindfulness using your next snack break to practice.
Honing in on our senses develops our mindfulness skills – and mindfulness gives our wellbeing a boost!
Having things available that help us calm down is important at any age - start em young!
When we 'lose ourselves,', in a calm activity it's called a 'flow' state. AND is happiness producing!
We all need a favourite space to retreat to! This activity validates the need for everyone to have a calm, happy space.
A fun activity which helps us learn about the connection between music and our moods
The all you and your tamariki need to know about anxiety - sometimes understanding the neuroscience really helps.
Your whānau needs to talk about how you're all feeling (in a good way!) Here's a fun place to start.
Mindfulness has heaps of wellbeing benefits. Here's a week of opportunities to learn to be more mindful.
Read Rising Tide, or listen to the audiobook in English and te Reo Māori as a way to connect with your child , kōrero about resilience and find active strategies to build resilience too.
An activity to identify some of the music we feel connected to, and why.
This is a fave in the classroom and easily brought to home - so much fun!
This is a goodie to take to lawn, let your inhibitions go and have some dramatic, active fun!
Hikitia te Hā is a simple breathing and mindfulness sequence that anyone can learn using our videos.
This is a mindfulness activity where you and the kids can find some proper, inner calm.
Simple whānau activities that have the added bonus of boosting wellbeing!
A fun workbook series taking tamariki through all they need to know to tuputupu (grow) kūmara (and your mental health too!)
Help your kids talk about how they're feeling - in a fun way!
Having a predictable routine can help both younger and older children feel secure and happy. It also means loads less stress.
Having a child with differences can be tricky for you, and your child. This guide shares some things to try, based on the most up-to-date research.
When our kids have sleep issues, it’s challenging... for everyone! Here are some tips that can help.
Our tamariki mightn’t have to pay bills, cook dinners or organise carpools but just like us they face daily demands and worries, and what seems trivial to us can be important to them. So what can we do to help?
Being grateful and kind boosts the way we feel, and tends to make us more likeable human beings. So how can we help our tamariki learn these important skills?
Experiencing frustration, disappointment, fear and jealousy is challenging, even as adults. This guide offers tips and advice for helping your tamariki understand and manage big emotions.
If you're looking for ways to support your tamariki (and yourself!) in the aftermath of severe weather, here are some helpful tips.
Our tamariki need the basics – like food, warmth, shelter and clothing – but how can we foster their self-esteem and make them feel safe and loved? Here are our top tips.
Supporting our kids to be who they truly are can make a huge difference to their wellbeing. This guide shares our top tips for staying their greatest source of support.
There's lots of expectations that come with this time – for us and our tamariki, so here are our best tips to support you both.
Parenting is awesome, but it also has its moments! Head here for more parenting tips and tricks.
Compassionate Parenting with Joyce
