Bullying remains a significant issue in New Zealand, affecting the lives of many children and their families. With the rise of digital technology, the scope and impact of…
Turning 13 is a huge milestone, so why not celebrate with birthday parties that are just as awesome? Don’t worry, you don’t need to break the bank to…
In kid’s sports, there’s no doubt parents are essential – they’re the free ferry service, the half-time orange supplier, and the local cheer squad. But when it comes…
As families across New Zealand welcome the new year, growing concern looms over the wellbeing of our children. And one of those concerns is around e-cigarette use, otherwise…
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…
You may find yourself wondering, ‘is Santa really real?’ At Kiwi Families we 100% believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas. If you’re wondering what to believe,…
There’s nothing quite so cool as making your very own DIY toys and games at home, and then spending hours playing with them. There’s just something really satisfying…
Family movies are a great way to spend time with your loved ones and enjoy a fun and uplifting story. But did you know that family movies can…
I used my favourite ‘messy’ art technique making custom/upcycled coasters earlier in the year. I recently discovered blank baubles at Kmart and thought I could recreate it on…
Are you looking for a fantastic school holiday project for your budding artists at home? Well, I’ve got the perfect project for you, that’s tried and tested. This…
There’s nothing more I like than hand made, custom objects about the home. One of the simplest ways to create custom items is to just paint over objects…
This is a super-fun and engaging activity to do with your kids as a weekend project. I think you’ll really like building this marble run from cardboard rolls!…
Cactus are so cool! They’re like mini trees that can live in your house. My Mum and I made cactus stationery holders and they’re so much fun!
This isn’t the first time we’ve tackled a Viking-themed craft. Find out everything you need to know to make a Viking shield that looks and feels like the…
Of all the learning difficulties, ADHD or Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder is perhaps one of the most difficult for teachers to manage in the classroom and for…
What do you get if you have kids who love macaroons, a husband who loves beer and a Mum who loves hand-made Christmas decorations? You get this bottle…
Teenage pregnancy rates have been trending down in most countries in the developed world since the early 1970’s. As education increases, availability of contraception becomes more accessible and…
It’s cold outside but this easy to make heating pad or wheat bag will help keep you toasty warm. Wheat bags are so easy to make, and they’re…
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…
Finding suitable party games for teenagers, or tweenagers, can be tricky business, but we have some great teenage birthday party games that even your ‘coolest’ teenagers will enjoy.
Are you trying to think up a gift from your kids to that someone special in their life, a nanna or poppa for instance. Well if you are…
Here is another great use for those old Pringle tubes you end up with. They are the perfect size for your felts, pens and coloured pencils. So why…
With the Māori new year Matariki soon upon us again, my thoughts turn to the sky and to the stars.
It’s Christmas time, and I’ve been thinking about how to reduce waste this Chrissy. So I decided to make DIY Christmas Gift Bags. I have so many brown…
I think I’ve fallen in love with wreath-making! After making this I realised they are really, really easy to make and the materials you can use are endless.
Period Parties are all about celebrating this important milestone into womanhood. Commonly celebrated in many cultures around the world, it seems the Western culture is only just now…
Mother’s day, Father’s day, Christmas and Birthdays are always a great reason to think about, and give gifts to, those we love and hold special in our hearts.…
It can be scary for some parents when their teen decides to go vegan. For many parents a vegan diet is quite foreign, and lots of parents worry…
This little colourful terracotta plant pot will brighten up any corner of the garden or home. These can be made for both inside or outside display. They also…
I am loving playing with stencils at the moment. They are pretty easy to use and you normally end up with a fairly good result. I found a…
Wow what a year we have had. I don’t think anyone is going to forget about 2020 in any hurry. So as the year is pulling to a…
We recently bought a new home, which is all very exciting, and we’re now turning our minds to getting all the rooms ready before we move in.
I just love using driftwood for art and craft activities. It can be used for so many different projects and has the added benefit of getting to spend…
I have been looking around for an option for my daughter’s necklaces and brackets, which often just get left lying around on her dresser, or fallen on the…
This air dry clay hand dish makes a great gift for Christmas, Mother’s day or even birthdays. You can make it using your child’s hands, as a keepsake. And teens…
Christmas is a time for giving, not a time for receiving. The magic of gifts comes from holding the thought of a person in your mind, while you…
Air drying clay has to be one of my favourite materials to use with kids young and old. This Christmas I’m thinking about doing a bit of a…
Sexting is a really tricky topic for parents to deal with. How can you provide sexting advice when it literally didn’t exist when you were young? But a…
We have an old wooden toy chest that we acquired from my Poppy some time ago now. It’s been one of those must-get-around-to-doing projects for a long time.…
As a parent or guardian, it can be quite tricky trying to cook family meals your adolescent kids will happily eat. We take a look at the 5 key…
Supporting kids isn’t just about cheering from the sidelines, it’s also about making sure they’ve got the right gear to back up their active lifestyles. The sports that…
If you’re looking for a super-quirky Christmas decoration project, this one is for you. These candy cane wooden Santa’s are so much fun. You can just rest them…
Over the past few weeks I’ve been creating and making fun Christmas decorations to make my home feel more festive. With the right tools these whimsical wooden Christmas…
Using air drying clay to make Christmas decorations is so easy, and so much fun! It really is an activity the whole family can join in on. Here’s…
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…
My eyes were opened to the danger our society faces with online pornography and its influence on our young people. You may be your teen’s best source of information…
Last month I made this amazing painted driftwood mirror, that’s the perfect teen craft activity. I ended up with quite a bit of driftwood leftover from this craft, so…
From toddlers to teenagers, every parent knows that not getting enough sleep can make our kids grumpy and prone to tantrums. But what’s less well known is that…
The kids and I love heading to the beach to go scavenging, and always bring home a bag full of beach treasure. Find out how we turned our floatsome…
I got the inspiration for this great little family craft project from my school, where the kids were making something similar for wood-working. These bright and colourful bird…
Eve Gordon, from The Dust Palace Circus School, gives us some insight into the world of circus.
No doubt we’re all on the same page when it comes to cyberbullying. It’s a terrible thing that some young people find themselves driven to take their own…
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…
Here’s a super-simple and effective craft idea. The DIY jewellery hanger on painted driftwood is perfect for your teenager’s, or older kid’s room, to organise all that jewellery…
In response to a reader comment on our What is eczema article, Kiwi Families reached out to our wonderful Facebook community for advice. We had such a great…
We really can’t cope without our Mums can we? They’re always there for us, when we need a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to bend. And…
I’d just been thinking about making a cool decorative wall clock, when I was going through the aisle at Spotlight, only to see all the elements I need to make and…
I love concrete planters and I’ve been meaning to make some for a while now. So with Mother’s Day just around the corner, I thought what a great…
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…
It must be that time of year because at the moment I’m surrounded by school galas, kindy craft fairs and kids’ enterprise days at school.
The end of the final year at school can be a stressful time. Your teen will be focusing on exams and assessments. They’ll also be thinking about what…
Today I am going to show you how to make shell flowers. This is a great craft activity to make with older kids. And you get to start by…
Oh the minefield of teen birthday parties… You’ll walk a tightrope trying to satisfy your teen they’re doing something ‘seriously cool’, while satisfying yourself that it’s within the realms of possibility, budget…
My heart died a little bit when my daughter got ill and my arms could not comfort her. When she looked at the light, and turned towards the…
Our young teens often ‘feel’ like adults, but as parents, we habitually still treat them like kids. The fact is, they are still ‘kids’ in some respects, but they…
Bullying is repetitive, deliberate, and hurtful behaviour, aimed at causing harm to another person. If your child is being bullied, they may not tell you. Find out how…
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…
A driving test, whether a theory test or practical test, can be a nerve-wracking experience. Fortunately there are tried and tested ways of improving your memory and confidence,…
This is easy to make, looks fun and would make a great gift. Peppermint oil works well but you could use whatever oil you like the smell of…
In the old days when I was growing up – way back in the sixties and the seventies – school and home seemed like two different and separate…
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…
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…
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…
Of all the learning difficulties, hyperactivity is perhaps one of the most difficult for parents and teachers to manage at home.
After the summer break, it’s time to get ready to send the kids back to school. We become used to relaxed mornings, fun outings, seeing friends and family,…
It can be hard for parents to know where to draw the line between being too permissive, or being too strict. Try to think about discipline as guiding…
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…
Has your cute and cheeky child suddenly turned into an argumentative opinionated kid with an attitude to match? Do you find yourself saying yes to things just to prevent…
Anger in teens can be particularly frightening or upsetting for the adults around them. Teens are at a time of their lives when emotions can overcome them and…
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…
Sometimes teenagers seem to turn into different people overnight, and parents just don’t know how to handle their changing child – much less how to enjoy the teenage…
A young person’s world can be shaken by any number of difficult life issues, from the real shaking of an earthquake, to illness and injury, a bereavement, parental…
I don’t know about you, but I find it really tricky to think of great gifts the kids can give their Dad. I don’t want to spend a…
Over 2000 years ago, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said ‘All disease begins in the gut’. This is as true today as it was then. When our digestion…
Saying goodbye to those Primary school years can be hard. We often know the staff well and feel comfortable going in to talk to teachers to sort things…
It’s the moment every parent dreads: when your child sits there, glum-faced, looking at a blank piece of paper in front of them. They have a rapidly-approaching deadline…
Treat the family to a half-day or full day outing at a wildlife sanctuary. This is an outdoor experience for both adults and children of all ages, where…
Movies have been around for more than a century and we have all grown up with them. They have become an integral part of family entertainment, whether they…
Job hunting for the first time – prepare yourself If you haven’t been in paid work before, the process of getting a job can be a bit scary,…
It can be a worrying time trying to help a seemingly unmotivated young person find work. Often the most challenging young people to help are those who have…
How many times have you had to say to your child over the past week *“Listen to me…” *“You’re not listening…”
An overview article on What is Dyspraxia, including signs and symptoms and what treatment is available. Dyspraxia is broadly defined as a neurological disorder of motor co-ordination that involves…
This is an overview article on what is Dyslexia? Dyslexia is defined in the Dictionary as ‘an impairment or loss of the ability to read’. It comes from…
A diagnosis of autism is perhaps the most difficult a parent can face. Many children with autism live their lives cut off from any real communication with those…
Sensory processing is the mechanism by which we receive sensory messages and turn them into responses. Sensory Processing Disorder occurs when the child either under-responds to sensory stimuli…
Rosemary Murphy overviews the various treatments for ADHD, including medication, drug free options, and diet.
If you ask any senior teacher they will invariably tell you that there are more children today with learning and behavioural difficulties than there were 35 years ago.…
A Student Loan can help to finance your study at a tertiary provider and is made up of three parts: