Imagine Play Inspire

23/10/2025

Something I pondered a little while back... A world without art... What would it look like?

Art shows up everywhere:

Words, arranged neatly like precious beads on a necklace. Food, prepared with careful thought and attention to detail. Music, the language that reaches where words can't. Movies. Movement. Architecture. Performances. The design of your clothes, furniture, favourite products.

And yet, we so easily label art as the “extra”, "when I have time", or for the more optimistic ones of us: "one day I will..."

For tamariki, making is part of life. A natural, given, essential part. If we want to get philosophical, we might even go as far as saying making *is* life. The what-happens-if-I-do-this, the getting-messy, the failure-and-trying-again... that’s where resilience, curiosity and problem-solving live.

One small, simple thing you can try today: when your child shows you their creation, ask about the process...

“What did you use to make this?”
“Tell me about it.”
"Where/how did you start?"

Short. Open. Interested.

It shows our children that their thinking and their ideas matter. ❤️

22/10/2025

Last week, a parent from our 1:1 classes and I had an interesting chat around entering a state of wonder as an adult...

How do we keep wondering, and model that for our tamariki, when life is full, schedules are tight, and we’re often expected to have the answers?

The post emphasises the importance of nurturing curiosity in both children and adults. It suggests practical habits to encourage questioning and exploration, such as inviting children to ponder ins…

22/10/2025

Better late than never... Here are some snippets from our end of term exhibition in Ōkato, and some wise words from Sir Ken Robinson. 👌

This programme has been brought to life with the help of Creative Communities and Coastal Taranaki School.

21/10/2025

Oscar's Art Lab journey... After a few classes Oscar came home proud, calmer and more confident at school. He had found a quiet, joyful space to be himself. ❤️

Special thanks to Oscar’s whānau for your trust, and for sharing his journey.

Our term classes are in full swing. If you want to find out when spots become available again, jump on our mailing list via the link in bio. 🙃

18/10/2025

Had the best time getting playful and creative with some graffiti this morning...

Thanks Taranaki Arts Festival for putting this on! Who else gave it a go? Let me know in the comments 😊

25/09/2025

Taking a little over a week for a small creative break with loads of time and opportunities to play and learn.

Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Wellington for the with some of our local improviser community over at .

A week full of workshops, shows and no doubt a healthy amount of silly fun at awaits. I cannot wait! 😁

I'll be all little silent on here for the next week or so, and come back inspired and ready for more creative fun with your young artists next term. 🙋🏽‍♀️

PS: I'm aiming to share some learnings / observations / musings in our next newsletter which will land in your inbox on Friday. If you haven't yet, jump on the mailing list via link in bio.

25/09/2025

Blast off with Jeff and Tom in All The Things I Wish I Could Be, a wild musical adventure about two lovable dads who dream of becoming everything from All Blacks to ballerinas, mad monkeys to silly monsters. Bursting with original songs performed live, this “very Kiwi” comedy is packed with hear...

22/09/2025

The school holidays are here! Looking for an invitation to create & play? Try these Playdough Worlds...

You need:
Playdough (home-made or bought; or use plasticine modelling clay)
Nature materials (e.g. rosemary sticks, leaves, shells, pebbles)
Loose parts (e.g. beads, popsicle sticks, lids, colourful matchsticks)

The process:
1) Present materials with the magical words "You can make anything you want with this."
2) Watch and wonder in curiosity (or make one yourself 😊 ).

Tips:
💁🏽‍♀️ keep your working area clutter free, only provide the materials used for this project (avoids overwhelm and creates calm)
💁🏽‍♀️ use large thick cardboard or a piece of wood to build playdough creation on, so you can move it afterwards (without it falling apart 🫠)
💁🏽‍♀️ no need to buy arts & crafts materials, use what you can find in your garden, backyard and/or recycling bin (some young artists might enjoy a treasure hunt leading up to this project - what can you find in your neighbourhood?)

Want more activities like this one? Join our mailing list - link in bio. 🔗