Mum life, stress, and why your hair might be falling out

Guest post

Being a mum is nonstop – school runs, meals, errands, late nights, and about a thousand other small tasks. Your body takes the hit, and sometimes that shows up in your hair. If you’ve noticed more strands in the shower, on your brush, or scattered across the bathroom sink, don’t panic. Hair shedding is common for mums and, in most cases, is fixable.

This guide explains what’s really happening, simple steps you can try at home, and when it’s time to get professional help – all in plain, no-nonsense language.

What’s actually happening to your hair?

Stress can push hair into a resting phase called telogen effluvium. It sounds dramatic, but it simply means that more hairs stop growing and fall out a couple of months later.

It’s not always stress alone – other triggers can cause the same reaction.

Key points:

  • Hair grows in cycles, and stress can pause growth.
  • Shedding often appears 2-3 months after a stressful event.
  • Most of the time, hair grows back once the cause is addressed.

Common triggers for mums

Extra shedding is common if any of these have happened in the past few months:

  • Childbirth or major hormonal changes
  • Ongoing sleep deprivation
  • Crash dieting or sudden weight loss
  • Illness, high fever, or significant infection
  • Emotional stress or long-term anxiety
  • Certain medications or medical conditions

If you’ve had a baby in the past year, postpartum shedding is especially common. For a helpful overview of body changes after birth – and how to navigate them – see this post-birth body changes guide.

Signs to watch for

It may be more than “normal” shedding if you notice:

  • Large amounts of hair are coming out when brushing or washing
  • A noticeably wider part or a thinner ponytail
  • Bald patches or obvious thinning
  • Shedding lasting longer than six months

If you see sudden bald spots or other worrying changes, book a GP appointment promptly.

Five quick things you can do today

Start here – they’re easy, low-cost, and effective over time:

  1. Swap to a soft brush and use a wide-tooth comb on wet hair.
  2. Skip tight ponytails and braids that pull on roots.
  3. Add one protein-rich snack or meal daily (eggs, yoghurt, beans).
  4. Include an iron-rich food if you don’t eat much meat (spinach, lentils, fortified cereal).
  5. Try a simple breathing break three times daily – inhale for three seconds, exhale for six.

Those small wins add up. For more healthy, energy-friendly ideas, check these brain-boosting snack ideas.

Nutrition and simple supplements

Your hair needs calories and nutrients to grow. Skipping meals or crash dieting can starve your hair before it affects anything else.

  • Eat balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and iron.
  • Vitamin D, B12, and iron are common deficiencies for mums — ask your GP for blood tests before starting supplements.
  • Biotin is often overhyped; it only helps if you’re deficient and can interfere with lab tests.

Rule of thumb: Aim for a colourful plate at every meal, keep meals regular, and only add supplements if medically advised.

Scalp care and gentle handling

A healthy scalp is the foundation for healthy hair.

  • Wash with a gentle shampoo, massaging lightly rather than scrubbing hard.
  • Apply conditioner to the lengths and ends, not the roots.
  • Reduce daily use of hot tools; air-dry when possible.
  • Try a 2–3 minute scalp massage each night to improve blood flow.

When to see a professional

If shedding is heavy, doesn’t improve after 3–6 months, or appears in patches, it’s time for a medical check. Your doctor can test for:

  • Iron deficiency or other blood-related issues
  • Thyroid problems
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Medication side effects

If you’re curious about medical treatments – from prescription options to clinic-based procedures – you can discuss them with a specialist. Clinics such as Gro Clinics can explain potential pathways so you can make an informed choice.

Longer-term and clinical options

If home care doesn’t help, your GP or specialist may recommend:

  • Blood and hormone tests to pinpoint the cause
  • Topical treatments like minoxidil
  • Prescription medication for specific conditions
  • Clinical procedures in specialist settings
  • Referral to a dermatologist or endocrinologist

Every option has pros and cons – a professional will match treatment to the cause of your shedding.

Stress-busting routines that fit mum life

You don’t need elaborate “self-care” – just realistic, bite-sized changes:

  • Take a 10-minute walk with the stroller daily.
  • Make one family meal screen-free each day.
  • Create a small bedtime ritual (tea, teeth, two-minute tidy).
  • Swap one weekly task with your partner or a friend.
  • Use baby’s nap for a short rest instead of another chore.

Lowering stress isn’t instant, but it can improve hair health over time.

A simple 30-day plan

Week 1:

  • Switch to a gentle hair routine: wide-tooth comb, soft brush.
  • Add one iron- or protein-rich meal daily.

Week 2:

  • Book a GP appointment if shedding is heavy.
  • Practise 3 daily breathing breaks.

Week 3:

  • Limit heat styling. Opt for soft buns or loose braids.
  • Take a 10–15 minute walk three times this week.

Week 4:

Reassess. If shedding hasn’t eased, arrange a follow-up with a specialist.

Final note – it usually gets better

Hair shedding after stress, illness, or childbirth is extremely common for mums. Most women see improvement within a few months once the triggers are addressed. Be patient, stick to simple, healthy routines, and seek medical advice when needed.

Quick checklist:

  • Be gentle with your hair
  • Eat regularly and prioritise protein
  • Sleep and stress matter
  • Get blood tests if shedding is heavy
  • Consider clinic options only after medical checks

You’re already doing so much. Take one small step today – your hair will likely catch up soon.

This article was written by Lucy Mitchell, Content Manager for Current.com.au | The Home of Australian Product Reviews, with editing by Kidspot NZ.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by Kidspot NZ of the website, information, products or services contained therein. All views are those of the author.

Medical disclaimer: As per our T&Cs, we make every effort to ensure the information we provide is accurate and update, but the information contained in this website is not intended and must not be taken to be the provision or practice of medical advice or services nor a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have questions, concerns about your health or treatment or would like more information, contact your doctor. Always see your doctor or other qualified health professional before starting or changing any treatment.

Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink | Review

Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink Review

Baby Steps® believes in the natural goodness of New Zealand whole goat milk to nourish and support your child as they take their foundational steps through life. Read reviews from Kidspot parents below.

To provide balanced and gentle nutritional support for your little one, Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink is formulated with 16 vitamins and minerals. This toddler milk drink is also:

  • Formulated with Omega-3 DHA from Micro-algae.
  • Fortified with Zinc, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C to support a healthy immune system.
  • Vegan and Halal friendly.
  • Free from palm oil, soy, fish oil, refined sugars, gluten and preservatives.
  • New Zealand-made and owned – Baby Steps® owns its own manufacturing facilities for oversight of the production process from beginning to end.

Baby Steps® utilises its Fresh Milk Processing and Wet Blending Method to ensure consistency in the nutrition profile of its products, whilst delivering a fresh and clean taste. They also proudly work alongside New Zealand’s local farming community, believing that high-quality nutrition can only come from an environment treated with utmost care and integrity.

By adding optimal ingredients to the natural goodness of goat milk, Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink supports your child’s growth and development, giving you peace of mind that your little one’s nutritional needs are being met.

This product is intended as a supplement to a normal diet to address situations where intakes of energy and nutrients may not be adequate to meet an individual’s requirements.

Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink is available at participating Woolworths, New World and Pak N Save stores or online at babystepsnz.co.nz.

Reviews of Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink

We’ve given 10 families with a child aged between 12 and 36 months old the opportunity to trial and review Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink. See their reviews below.

Review by Missyanne8

4 star rating

My 23 month old girl gave the Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink a go and she loved it all the same (she is a huge milk drinker). I was keen to try this product as I have heard so many good things about goat milk. I also compared the nutrition information and the goat milk had more protein and fat compared to her regular formula. My little one loved the little goat on the packaging too, and I loved how clear the information was on the can. I would definitely recommend this product to other parents out there.

Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink review

Review by Briina53

5 star rating

My girl is 19 months old. I registered to trial the Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink because I have heard so many good things about it from other Mums I know. But I was a bit hesitant to purchase a whole tin to trial in case my little one didn’t take well to it. I was so glad we were given this opportunity to finally trial it.

Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink review

We have been using it for 3 nights now, and my girl has taken to it very well. The first time, she pulled her bottle out of mouth to check it as she could definitely tell it wasn’t her usual milk. But soon after, she continued to drink it. She has liked it ever since. Seems more gentle on her tummy, too.

We will definitely be purchasing this one from now on. 100% recommend to all.

Thank you, Kidspot and BabySteps, for giving us this opportunity to trial this amazing product. My girl absolutely loves the baby goat soft toy & book. Many thanks ❤️

Review by LeaB

My children are 16 months old and 35 months old. I wanted to see if my children would like the flavour of Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk, which also has the extra vitamins and minerals that they need.

The packaging has the right blend of colors – not too bright or too dull. It has a pull tab inside, making it easy to open.

Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink review

My 16-month-old child likes the goat milk. He drank the whole cup of milk when he tasted it for the first time. My 35-month-old child is a picky eater, so he didn’t finish drinking the milk.

I will purchase this in the future because my youngest child likes it. It’s good for him because it has the vitamins and minerals that are needed to support his growth. It is made in New Zealand, which is a bonus. I will recommend this to those who want an alternative to cow’s milk.

Review by Sabyford

4 star rating

I wanted my 2 year old to try this Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink, as he’s currently going through a fussy eating phase. And hope it will provide him some of the nutrients he may be missing out on at the moment.

He was very excited to try it because of the cute goat on the tin. We both love the cute packaging, and it is super easy to prepare.

He loves it, and keeps asking for more! He likes it both warm and cold. I’ve also been using it in his cereal too, and he loves it. He gets excited when I pull the tin out to make him a drink!

I will probably purchase this in the future, when on sale if my budget allows, as it is a bit pricey for us at the moment.

I would definitely recommend this formula to parents dealing with a fussy toddler. Overall we’re both very happy with this formula, and I am very grateful for being chosen to trial it!

Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink review

Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink review

Review by briii12

4 star rating

My child is 2 years and currently drinks another brand toddler milk. I was keen to try this as an alternative, however I just looked it up and it’s twice the price so going off of that I probably wouldn’t purchase going forward.

Baby Steps Toddler Goat Milk Drink review

My daughter enjoyed it from the first try though so if $$ wasn’t a factor I would 100% purchase this. Love the packaging , and loved our freebies. Thankyou.

More reviews from our trialists

(If you have a product to review, please add your review as a comment at the bottom of the page)

Charblincoe 5 star rating

My 1 year old loves this product. We have a sensitivity to cows milk but no issues with baby steps goat. This was a favourite and we will continue to buy this product. Would recommend to anyone who is wanting to try goats milk to try baby steps.

Shris 5 star rating

A new favourite for our little one!
Our two-year-old has taken so well to the Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink — it’s honestly become our new go-to! We were looking for something gentle on the tummy but still packed with all the right nutrients, and this formula has ticked every box.
I really love knowing it’s made here in New Zealand with such care — you can tell from the fresh, clean taste and smooth consistency. It’s great peace of mind knowing it’s fortified with vitamins and minerals. The fact that it’s free from palm oil, refined sugars, soy, and preservatives is a big bonus for us too.
Our little one drinks it happily, and we’ve noticed great digestion and steady energy throughout the day. It’s comforting to have found something that not only supports growth and development but is also made by a company that clearly values quality and sustainability.
We’re so glad we gave Baby Steps® a try — it’s definitely earned a permanent spot on our shopping list! 🍼💛

pckramer My 16 month old loves baby steps goats [milk drink].
We have tried full milk but she isn’t a huge fan and seems to find it hard to digest. I also love the fact that on days that her eating isn’t so great she is getting what she needs from the [baby steps goats milk drink].

We asked our readers to tell us why they would like to trial this product …

Neeky101 I’ve tried alit of milk powder but my baby doesn’t seem to like the as much
Mamasparkles Have done alot of research into goat milk and eczema my toddler suffers from eczema so would love to try this product to see if it helps thanks
beckyvaega We are trying to wean our little one from breastfeeding and haven’t found a good formula to do so! A few of my kids have a dairy intolerance as well, so would love to see if this helps with her digestion. Yes please!
Kira.B My son has just come off breast milk and will be full formula feeding.
I would love to try this milk on him to before trying him on normal cows milk to see how he goes and whether it is a good alternative for if he can’t drink cows milk.
Both my sister, brother and mum are lactose intolerant so it’s something I’ve been keeping an eye out with him
LauraS9081 Would like to give it a try before I buy a tin to see if baby would like it
Acacialeet She has recently gone to mix feed with cows milk and breast but having trouble with regular bowel movements so woukd love to test if goats milk would be more gentle on her tummy as I had similar issues as a baby! Ive heard good things about this brand and would love to try it for ourselves
Charblincoe My son has used goats milk formula as an infant, been having sore tummys on regular cows milk, hoping it’s the right one for us
Peeacee Great nutrients as they start daycare.
briii12 We are still having bottles which I didn’t plan on and would love to try this alternative to what we are using.
Briina53 Currently my baby is drinking Karicare formula 12m+.
We would love to try this one out.
I have seen this one a few times, but a bit reluctant to purchase without trying it out first.
Saltycaramel We ourselves struggle with digesting milk often opting for oat soy or almond but there hasn’t been many non milk nutritionally more complete milks on the market so this may solve our babies troubles and our minds as well
Duckiee1923 I am still breastfeeding my 2 year old and would love to start weaning him so would like an alternative to him feeding from me and I think trying to baby steps  toddler milk drink would be a great alternative for him to have and still give him the nutrients he needs to grow
Sabyford I would like to try it as my son is going through a fussy stage with his eating. And hope this would give him some of the nutrients, he may be missing out on.
vicemw My 2 year old loves milk! We’d love to give it a try
Michellesmith19 My son struggles with eczema and I have breastfed him all his life. I want to wean him but want to use a milk that is not going to affect flaring up his eczema. I would love to be considered to see if he will react to it.
Jordanboyle1920 my daughter is dairy free and would love to try a new formula to see if it good for her tummy without having to pay the price for a new one
lmpgal she is allergic to dairy, she gets rashes from it, she is also very active and a fussy eater, especially when out which includes kindy
Marristep Trying to find a suitable product for my toddler to be healthy and nutritious for him before he transitions to milk.
Missyanne8 I have heard good things about goat milk but have yet to give it a try for my little girl. She is currently drinking both formula and fresh milk. This would be a welcome change to the formula especially if there is less sugar and offers better nutrition. I have also seen this particular goats milk quite a lot on my social media. Happy to give it a go.
Shris I have an almost 2 yr old who does not really like regular blue top milk.
Would like to try and see how he responds to other milk alternatives.
Thank you.
Shris.
Christiana I don’t think he drinks enough milk so would like to see if he enjoys this and encourage him to drink more. He also has milk allergy to dairy and gets eczema flare ups if he has too much.
Ecarter1 Interested in trying new goat formula
ashleyjade92 Both on perception medication formula and have neen to scared to buy and give a go
Leabalascopo I would love to try this so that my kids get the extra nutrition that they need. This is more important for my 35-month-old child because he is a picky eater and drinking the milk will give him extra nutrients.
BluffBokkie1978 The formula looks interesting.
Rickardg I prefer Goats milk since it is a lot kinder on childrens stomachs
Simran It has good ingredients and I feel like my baby will like ot
Pckramer Gets sore tummies from too much milk and bowel movements aren’t great
BluffBokkie1978 I would like to try it to test it out.
Hannahjanepether Trying to help my daughter get passed really bad nappy rash and this will be a good look into whether she may have a slight intolerance to cows milk, I’ve tried doctors and they’ve been useless
Kayleychambers I am wanting to get my child of the boob and I think this will be better for her tummy and make the transition easier

Please note

  • You must be a Kidspot member to take part in the trial. Not a member? Then sign up now.
  • If you are chosen as a reviewer, you will receive an email from Kidspot, and the product will be sent to the postal address on your registration.
  • Each selected reviewer will receive: Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink 900g can.
  • Terms and conditions apply, including:
    • Open to Kidspot members 18+ only. Only available for NZ residents.
    • If you are selected, you will be required to use the product as soon as possible and complete a questionnaire, as set out in our review instructions.
    • Your name, address, and contact phone number will be given to the supplier for the purpose of delivery.
    • Please note that comments provided by reviewers may be used by Baby Steps® on their website and social media channels to promote the product.
    • FREE product available only while stocks last.
    • Click here for full terms and conditions.

Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink: Gentle nutrition for little tummies

Promotion for Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink

When it comes to nourishing your toddler, finding a balance between natural goodness and the right nutritional support is important. That’s where Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink comes in, crafted right here in New Zealand, with care, quality, and your little one’s wellbeing at heart.

The natural goodness of goat milk

Goat milk has been enjoyed for generations as a naturally nutritious choice. It’s a source of essential vitamins, minerals, and protein, all of which play a role in supporting healthy growth and development. But what makes it especially unique is how gentle it can be on little tummies.

Easier digestion: Goat milk contains smaller fat globules than cow’s milk, which can make it easier for toddlers to digest.

Unique protein profile: Lower levels of the alpha S1-casein have been linked to better digestion. Goat milk can have as low as 5.6% vs 38% in cow milk.

Prebiotic support: Goat milk naturally contains more prebiotic oligosaccharides than cow’s milk. These special carbohydrates feed the good bacteria in the gut, helping to support digestive health.

More than milk: complete nutritional support

To build on the natural benefits of goat milk, Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink is carefully formulated with:

  • 16 vitamins and minerals for balanced nutritional support
  • Omega-3 DHA from micro-algae
  • Zinc, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C to support healthy immune function

Baby Steps® utilises its Fresh Milk Processing and Wet-Blending Method* to add essential vitamins and minerals directly to fresh whole goat milk in its liquid form before blending. This helps to ensure consistency in the nutrition profile while maintaining a fresh, clean taste that toddlers enjoy.

(*Wet-blending method: the vitamins and minerals are added to the fresh goat whole milk in its liquid form and then blended together.)

Proudly New Zealand-made

Baby Steps® is proud to be New Zealand-made and owned. All production takes place in its own facilities, enabling complete oversight and control over the manufacturing process. Baby Steps® works closely with local goat farmers to source the freshest New Zealand goat milk, supporting communities while ensuring the best for your toddler.

Peace of mind for parents

Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink is suitable for vegan and halal-friendly diets. It is made with care, with milk as the only allergen. It’s designed to supplement your toddler’s normal diet in situations where energy and nutrient intakes may not be quite enough, giving you confidence that your little one’s needs are being supported every day.

Parents who have tried and tested Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink have provided their feedback. Here’s a sample of the reviews.

Such a hit!

The Baby Steps Goat Toddler Milk has been such a hit with my daughter who is 2.5 years old. She has an incredibly sensitive gut and doesn’t usually take well to other formulas but has had no issues with this at all, and she enjoys the taste too which is such a bonus. As a mum who has always been incredibly anxious about how my little girl will reach to formula, I am so pleased with the quality of the milk and how gentle it has been for her. The packaging is fun yet simple but stands out on the shelves which makes it appealing too (bonus points because my daughter loves the rainbow and the animated goat on the tin too). I will definitely be repeat purchasing this formula for my daughter.

Reviewed on 09/09/2025 by Munirih.

Trust what we’re buying

We have been trialing Baby Steps goat milk for our 2yr old (27month) daughter. She appears to be really enjoying it and will specifically request goats milk to drink. I haven’t noticed any digestive issues and she appears to tolerate it well. She has a very broad and healthy diet and I feel confident that I’m giving her another source of good nutrition. The packaging is cute and isn’t too busy. The information is clear and easy to read and understand. We would purchase this product again for our toddler as we have had a very positive experience and feel we can trust what we’re buying.

Reviewed on 08/09/2025 by Felicity.

Highly recommend

I switched to this goat milk formula for my toddler, and the results were almost immediate. His eczema, which had been a constant struggle, improved quickly, and his skin is now so much clearer. Not only is it gentle on his stomach, but he also loves the taste! It’s been a game-changer for us, and I highly recommend it for little ones with sensitive skin or digestion will definitely be purchasing in the future.

Reviewed on 16/04/2025 by Katie

Baby Steps® Toddler Goat Milk Drink is available at participating Woolworths, New World and PAK’nSAVE stores or online. RRP $43.95.

For more information, visit babystepsnz.co.nz

BraveFace Jr Stay Cool Spray | Review

Stay Cool Spray can help your child calmly work through those stressful situations they want to conquer, whether they’re six or 18.

Don’t let nerves hold your child back from nailing that test, scoring the winning goal, or being brave on stage. Whatever the moment, Stay Cool Spray is a pocket-sized security blanket.

Stay Cool Spray is formulated with passionflower, which helps overcome feelings of stress and nerves. Take just two sprays and experience rapid calm.

Stay cool and focused – and meet those big moments head-on.

• Relaxing herbal day spray
• Feel calm from the passionflower
• Natural grape flavour
• No added sugar and alcohol free
• No artificial colours or flavours
• Pocket-sized and easy to use
• Vegan-friendly and non-GMO
• Researched based doses
• Non-addictive

Stay Cool Spray by BraveFace Jr is available online at BraveFace.com, Chemist Warehouse and your local pharmacy.

Get your FREE Stay Cool Spray

Get your FREE Stay Cool Spray

Reviews for Stay Cool Spray

We gave Kidspot families the opportunity to trial and review Stay Cool Spray. Read their feedback below.

Handy size and appealing/positive packaging. Being 6, my son takes a while to calm and get past his anxiety and melt downs. This may have helped but also forced him to take a few breaths.

Great tasting product that actually works!

This stuff actually works! I’m very impressed she uses it to wind down before bed and it helps loads she has ADHD so has been hard to find something that actually helps with the wind down before bed I’m very impressed.

It is such a great product for young people, whether they are usually anxious, or for the occasional stressful time.

So easy to take and my youngest age 7 loved the taste. He said he felt calmer after taking it. I think he seemed calmer as well, thanks for letting us try it!

I love the idea, the spray it’s easy to use and it made a difference. But the taste is the only part that made it hard.

I believe there was a noticeable difference, which was really quite amazing. I would happily purchase this after it runs out.

I think it works well to help them calm if you can get it into them before they hit another level of mad.

Needed to use for longer to get best out of trial. Thanks for opportunity.

Fabulous product which has helped our son manage his anxiety in a game changing way. Thank you so much x

The younger child had more noticeable calming effects but both said they found it helpful and would like to continue using it.

The taste was great, my daughter loved it. Certainly helps when you are trying to calm them down when it tastes good.

Great to use for my adhd son once his medication had worn off.

Perfect non-invasive way to support our child with regulating big emotions.

It definitely helped the kids feel calm, whether that was because the product worked or the idea if something helping them calm, actually helped to calm them. Would buy again though as something definitely worked.

I will continue to keep trying it until it runs out.

Pleasantly surprised with this product. I even tried it myself during the busy-ness of one evening – cooking dinner and managing kids’ emotions & I definitely felt calmer after using the spray. It will be definitely handy to have on hand – thank you for the opportunity to trial it!

I’d love a much nicer taste.

This helps extremely when our youngest boy is having an emotional filled moment or when he’s getting extremely frustrated. We also tried it when he has been unsettled and not wanting to go to sleep, it seems to have helped calm him a lot in those moments. Sometimes he has to be bribed to have it, as he doesn’t like the taste very much.

Great idea, we have tried many calming remedies but this is the first spray.

My daughter has very bad car sickness on long drives and very anxious in a long drive that she will be sick and mostly always does I gave her the spray before we left home and it was the first long car trip that she didn’t feel or be sick a win win situation . My other daughter also felt less stressed going to school for her assessments.

This spray was more effective and efficient at getting my daughter calm and ready to go to sleep than previous spray (rest and quiet kids formula) I would say stay cool spray helped calm her mind in half the time that the rest and quiet did – 5 minutes stay cool spray versus 10 minutes rest and quiet.

Couldn’t believe how quickly my son calmed down after 2 sprays while having a giant meltdown and hyperventilating.

It helped her to settle at night and made her feel relaxed after the spray.

My 15 year old daughter has been using it and says it really helps keep her a bit calmer in anxiety inducing situations.

Found this to be awesome! I had seen it in social media previously, but never purchased due to the “what if” it doesn’t work. Used on 3 boys – 1x prepubescent who has a very short temper at the moment, 9yo who is an overthinker and a 7yo who has no patience with an attitude to boot. The afternoon when in use, it was like I had 3 different kids. There was no fighting, bickering or tantrums. Worth its weight in gold I say! Thanks for allowing us to trial it team!

Our son uses it when he has trouble sleeping. Whether it’s placebo or not, it seems to help him wind down and sleep. He likes it.

My daughter does a lot of shows and really has bad anxiety but this has helped so much to keep her calm.

We have a 14 yr old neuro divergant autistic child that suffers from autism (anxiety sounds and food issues) he tried the spray and loved the taste and he said it def made him feel calmer .. like a comforting lavender pillow (his words) its helped him and also helped the family with his stress and anxiety better and hes more able to cope.

My kids like the packaging. It is pretty and easy to carry.

The kids really enjoyed the taste and were happy and eager to use it. My 11 year old said he felt calmer and more relaxed after a few minutes from taking the spray. He likes to take it at night, he says it helps him with settling for the night and before he goes to school he finds it is makes him feel calm for the stress of the day.

This works wonders helping him feel relaxed he’s very impressed and happy about this product.

My daughter responded positively to this spray. We’ve used similar products before, and she was happy to trial this. It helped settle her mood on tired, ’emotional’ days, and in moments of overwhelm.

They love the taste.

Perfect for my son with adhd in the awkward time frame between when his medication wears off and bed time.

My grandchildren loved it it helped them a lot.

My 6 year old is not a clingy child but struggles when I leave her at school in the mornings (clings, tears, “don’t go Mum” etc). Using this spray has meant I have been able to leave before the bell (unheard of) and with little, if any, upset. We also used it before the dentist appointment, which she was really nervous about and she was absolutely fine! Hopped in the chair, did all the things. Amazing!! I will be recommending this to everyone and only wish I could use it too.

Can see a definite change in my tween daughter’s mood.

My daughter asked if she could have it at school for when she feels overwhelmed so she must have noticed a change herself when having a spray.

Thank you for including my family in the trial and even sending a bottle for each child. Very generous. We will definitely keep using especially with the lead up to Christmas.

I’ve bought the brave face mango chews before they are great. My kids liked that product.

Thank you, this was a great and better tasting alternative to Rescue Remedy which we sometimes have to use. Letting my child self administer and see that they won’t LOVE the taste and treat it like a lolly, but know it helps to reduce the stress and anxiety in a situation makes it a perfect solution for my children. I tried it too and can vouch it does settle the soul.

Taste is a big weird but no worse than any other herbal remedy we have tried. My daughter is excited to use it during her exam time.

Our eldest has autism and it is hard to bring him back down when he is over stimulated by things or plain old just having a tantrum but by distracting him with this spray it helped bring his focus to that sensation on his tongue and then the flavors that come with it..it’s a 10 from me ..only trouble was getting Jim to let me give him a spray lol but the color helped.

These are fantastic, love how great they work! I would love to buy more of your products 😁

My girls said it tasted like caramel 👌

Some children may not like this flavor so I think you should come out with other flavors too.

Great taste.

I found after using a few times it worked better

Right before high school exams my son took the spray. Calmed his thoughts and made him feel relaxed.

I just wanted to share that my 13 year old is going through exam preparation for school, she is been anxious about them and has started having trouble going to sleep. I’ve started giving her the stay cool spray and it has noticeably changed her ability to relax and get a decent sleep each night. It’s been wonderful!

I used this on my grandson as he has been having trouble regulating his emotions since his mother ended an abusive relationship several months ago. He comes back from overnight stays with his father is often angry and unable to regulate or explain his emotions, we had tried other product’s but he either didn’t like them or they had little effect. This he likes the taste – but not so much as he wants it too much and it really helped calm him. Thankyou so much, I am so happy with this product.

My 8yo struggles with anxiety. 2 sprays when when we are about to leave the house has made a noticeable difference. Love that it’s sugar free and has nothing artificial, it has a great grape flavour and the bottle makes it convenient to chuck in my handbag for on the go days.

This spray is amazing. My children have been quite anxious with fights going on at school which they are not used to and just with different situations at school so they keep the spray in their bags if required and I could imagine they will take it on overseas adventures in the future also. Thanks so much for this opportunity. It has truly been amazing for my children.

Miss 11 is bullied and has high anxiety and it definitely helped.

Interesting smell, so kids didn’t want to try straight away. Taste wasn’t bad once they did try.

My 2 grandson’s loves this spray and both were so calmer and different after taking spray.

Awesome to use.

My 6 year old will happily takes this, says it tastes like honey, she also said she felt calmer after taking it. We’ve only used it a few times and she’s not extremely anxious currently but will definitely keep using it.

Like that it was in a spray. I liked the flavour myself. One of my children didn’t and the other one was ok with the flavour.

Love the fact it’s herbal and safe for kids.

My 8 year old did not like the taste and did not want to use. My 11 year old who experiences anxiety found the flavour palatable but would not describe it as grape. He found tue product useful as it brought calm quickly. He liked it before school and before bed. It gave him more confidence as he felt he had an added tool to address his concerns.

My child liked the flavour was a lot better than the last. I noticed some change is her staying calm, and I think with using more we will see more improvement.

Great product.

Noticeable changes in kids behavior! Would definitely recommend!

I got my daughter to take this before a swimming competition she was quite nervous even though she didn’t like the taste she seemed not as nervous after taking it she wasn’t quite sure whether it made a lot of difference or not but I think I noticed that she didn’t seem as nervous as she had before.

Took about ten minutes after spraying for my 9 year old boy to calm down.

The girls really liked the flavour. They said it tasted like oranges/grape.

Wasn’t sure if 5 year old would like this as have tried other products before and he didn’t like the taste. Was really pleased with the product, he liked the taste but it’s strong enough that he doesn’t want too much of it!. He spends a few nights a week at his fathers and can come back stressed and angry at me but this definitely has helped destressing him, he calms much faster. Really appreciate being able to try it. Thank you.

This works so well for my adhd son, when his medication wears off between tea and bedtime, he really enjoys the taste.

Both my kids think spray tastes more like raisins than grapes lol.

I think it’s a great product. There was definately a change in my childs presentation, even if not significant. They were a lot more manageable.

Tried Stay Cool on 3 boys – (1 prepubescent who is very short tempered, 7yo who can lash out when things go wrong and our 9yo who is cruisey but can get overwhelmed) The afternoon it arrived the boys had a taste- there was no bickering and usual shenanigans and it’s like I had 3 angels! I actually couldn’t believe it – an afternoon right till bed time with no drama or going ons! They all agreed that the flavour doesn’t taste like grape but more liquorice like. I’m very well impressed. Thanks for the opportunity to give it a go!

It’s a fantastic product.

Feedback from my older daughter (13 years old) after she tried the spray: It is easy to spray and use with good packaging. The flavour of this spray is similar to raisins. Many children may like it. It works pretty well, but the flavour is sometimes too strong. My younger daughter (10 years old) and my son (6 years old) also tried the spray. From what I observed, it worked perfectly as they stopped being upset almost immediately after I sprayed the product into their mouths! That’s amazing!

This arrived at a great time, a few of my children had sports and academic events which were worrying them and causing anxiety and lack of sleep. We’ve tried another natural remedy to calm nerves and not really felt there was any affect. I’m quite impressed by the Stay Cool Spray, there was a noticeable calm and my kids loved the taste of it – saying it tasted like raisins, yum!

They loved the taste, they asked for more doses !!!

Great packaging and ease of use, my daughter said it tasted like caramel which is good!

Convenient to use and the packaging was great!

Please note

  • You do not need to be a Kidspot member to take part in the trial.
  • If you are chosen as a reviewer, you will receive an email from Kidspot and the product will be sent to the postal address on your registration.
  • Each selected reviewer will receive: Stay Cool Spray 30ml.
  • If you have received the product, please complete our quick survey to provide feedback.
  • Terms and conditions apply, including:
    • Open to Kidspot members 18+ only. Only available for NZ residents.
    • If you are selected, you will be required to use the product as soon as possible and complete a questionnaire, as set out in our review instructions.
    • Your name, address, and contact phone number will be given to the supplier for the purpose of delivery.
    • Please note that comments provided by reviewers may be used by BraveFace on their website and social media channels to promote the product.
    • FREE product available only while stocks last.
    • Click here for full terms and conditions.

10 tips to make the most of the school holidays

School holidays are a chance for kids to recharge, families to reconnect, and parents to (hopefully!) keep their sanity intact. Striking a balance between planned activities and downtime is the key.

The school holidays always seem to sneak up quickly. While the kids are excited for a break, parents are often left wondering how to keep everyone entertained without exhausting the budget (or their own energy!). The good news? With a little planning and plenty of room for flexibility, you can make the holidays fun, memorable, and even relaxing for the whole family.

Here are 10 tips to help you get the most out of the school holidays.

1. Create a loose plan

A little structure can go a long way. Pop a calendar on the fridge with a few activities pencilled in so everyone has something to look forward to, but keep it flexible enough for last-minute changes. If you’re working during the holidays, figure out what days you can take off, when you’ll need childcare and when #2 will be handy to fit into the schedule.

2. Choose a class or workshop

School holidays are a great time to get the kids into something new or to nurture some talents. Local sports clubs, community groups or attractions often run school holiday activities or programmes. Whether it’s learning how to rollerskate, picking up on some coding skills, or creating an artwork, you can make it even more fun by finding them a friend to go along with. Check out our school holiday directory for programmes in your area.

3. Check out community events

Libraries, community centres, and councils often put on free or low-cost activities during the holidays. Story times, craft sessions, or family fun days are great ways to break up the week.

4. Get out into nature

Some of the best days don’t cost a thing. Explore local parks, beaches, or bush walks, pack a picnic, and make a day of it. Nature has a way of entertaining kids (and tiring them out!).

5. Try themed days at home

You don’t need to spend big for kids to feel like it’s special. Have a movie afternoon, complete with homemade movie snacks, or pitch a tent in the backyard for a mini camping adventure.

6. Allow for some downtime

Holidays don’t need to be wall-to-wall activities. Kids (and parents) need time to slow down too, whether that’s reading a book, building LEGO, or simply enjoying a lazy morning.

7. Plan a ‘big’ treat

Choose an outing to make the holidays feel special – like a trip to the movies, a trampoline park, or going to the stadium to cheer on their favourite team. Explore our school holiday guide for ideas.

8. Let the kids have a say

Ask your kids what they’d like to do. Their ideas might surprise you – and often they’re simple, like baking together or riding bikes.

9. Keep an “I’m bored” box

Have a stash of board games, puzzles, craft supplies, or baking ingredients ready for those rainy days. A quick activity on hand can turn boredom into creativity. Or try our Boredom buster jar idea.

10. Leave room for spontaneity

Some of the best memories come from unplanned adventures, like an impromptu ice cream run, a picnic dinner at the beach, or even just staying up a little later for a family games night.

School holiday activities

her world julieWritten by Julie Lankow

Julie is Editor for Kidspot NZ and our MVP. Her hobbies include laughing uncontrollably at her own jokes, incidentally revealing her age during quizzes, and never taking anything too seriously. 

Favourite motto to live by: “It ain’t nothing but a thing”

Post pregnancy skin treatments to maintain your glow

Guest post

Becoming a mum is one of the most wonderful journeys you can go on in life. However, it is no secret that pregnancy and childbirth can cause major issues for your skin. Between hormonal shifts, lack of sleep, and the demands of caring for a newborn, your complexion can soon end up looking and feeling like a shadow of its former self.

While the degree to which women are affected does differ, many experience pigmentation, dryness, post-pregnancy acne, or a loss of that radiant glow. However, as galling as this prospect may be, there are safe, effective, and practical ways in which you can care for your skin during the postpartum phase. This post will highlight some of the most effective of them. Hopefully, they will help you to feel confident and glowing again.

Understanding hormonal skin changes

For many mums, hormonal changes after giving birth can have a major impact on their skin. Often this manifests as increased pigmentation, known as melasma, which appears around the cheeks and forehead. However, others might notice post-pregnancy acne or dryness due to reduced oil production.

While these changes are completely normal, they can be a source of frustration when you’re adjusting to life with a new baby. That is why understanding the root cause of the issue is important, as it helps you choose treatments that are safe and effective. This is particularly important if you’re breastfeeding.

How to maintain your glow

If you are experiencing issues with your skin post-partum, the good news is that you can take steps to counter them.

Here are six strategies you might want to employ:

1. Creating a postpartum skincare routine

Just by following a simple postpartum skincare routine, you can go a long way towards helping restore your balance without taking up too much of an investment in your time.

A good way to do this is to start with a gentle cleanser that won’t strip your skin’s natural oils. Once you have done this, follow with a hydrating serum or moisturiser that will lock in moisture. Ideally, you should use products with hyaluronic acid or natural oils, as this can be very effective in supporting skin hydration.

It is also vital to apply sunscreen on a daily basis because UV exposure can make your pigmentation after pregnancy much worse. Try to choose one with a broad-spectrum SPF, and put it on even if you’re just heading out with your baby for a walk in the pram.

In addition, if you have really sensitive skin, a gentle exfoliation once or twice a week can also brighten your complexion. It is a good idea to choose a soft scrub or an enzyme-based exfoliant, as this should help you remove dead skin cells without too much irritation.

2. At-home skincare remedies for busy mums

Sadly, not every new mum has time for a lengthy beauty routine. But that’s ok because there are several at-home skincare remedies you can adopt that fit into a busy day. These include a nourishing face mask, which, even if worn once a week, can give your skin a significant boost.

It’s always good to use products with natural ingredients for glowing skin, like aloe vera, honey, and oats, as they are soothing and easy to find. In addition, cold compresses can also reduce puffiness around the eyes when you’re low on sleep.

Overall, these small steps add up and can make a noticeable difference over time.

3. Seek professional support

If your skin is really getting you down, it’s a good idea to seek professional advice and support from a specialist company. For instance, VCI has skin treatments like rejuran that are designed to improve skin health and hydration levels.

This type of professional care can be a great option if you want faster, more targeted results. Specifically, it could address pigmentation after pregnancy, uneven skin tone, or skin that feels tired and dull.

4. Treating pigmentation after pregnancy

One of the most common skin concerns new mums have is pigmentation after pregnancy. This can appear as dark patches or uneven skin tone.

While topical creams with vitamin C or niacinamide can help to brighten the skin gradually, if you have more stubborn pigmentation, professional treatments might be a better option.

They include microdermabrasion, low-strength chemical peels, or targeted laser therapy. However, you should always consult with your doctor first before embracing these solutions.

5. Dealing with post-pregnancy scne

Many women experience breakouts after childbirth, and often it is caused by a combination of shifting hormones and stress. To avoid them, the key is to keep your skincare routine gentle and avoid over-cleansing. You should also use a mild, non-comedogenic moisturiser, while a spot treatment with low-strength salicylic acid can be beneficial if your skin can tolerate it.

If your acne is severe or persistent, it is advisable to see a dermatologist. They can provide you with expert advice on safe treatments while breastfeeding.

6. Good nutrition and hydration

Your skin reflects what’s happening inside your body. That is why it is always important to consume a balanced diet comprising plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. These foods go a long way towards supporting the repair and rejuvenation of your skin.

It is also recommended to eat Omega-3 fatty acids from foods like salmon and chia seeds, as this can help keep skin supple. At the same time, it is essential to stay hydrated. So, make sure you are drinking at least eight cups of water a day.

This article was written by Lucy Mitchell, Content Manager for Current.com.au | The Home of Australian Product Reviews, with editing by Kidspot NZ.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by Kidspot NZ of the website, information, products or services contained therein. All views are those of the author.

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The ultimate guide for moving to Australia

Guest post

According to the Department of Home Affairs, there are just over 598,000 New Zealanders permanently living in Australia. Many have made the switch across the ditch for the warmer weather (we bet they don’t miss those Central Otago winters!), better job opportunities, a romantic relationship, or a change of scene.

If you’re thinking about joining their ranks and moving from Aotearoa to the Great Southern Land, you’ll be embarking on a life-changing decision. As a parent, you will naturally want to be sure your family settles in quickly and happily. That means understanding visas, schools, healthcare, housing, and a host of other things that come with relocating to Australia. It is a lot to comprehend. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

This guide will help you plan your new life abroad with greater understanding and confidence. Hopefully, it will help you start your next chapter as smoothly as possible.

Moving to Australia

Before you cross over the Tasman, it is vital to have a clear plan in place, as this will make the entire process much easier. A great resource to get you started is Muval’s moving to Australia checklist. It covers everything from paperwork to shipping, which can save you time and help you stay organised.
However, outlined below is some more specific information about what you will need to understand.

1. Your visa options

If you are a New Zealand citizen, moving to Australia is actually pretty straightforward. Most Kiwis can live and work in Australia indefinitely on a Special Category Visa (SCV). This is granted when you arrive, so long as you have a valid New Zealand passport.

Should you not be a New Zealand citizen, you will need to research what relevant Australian visa options apply to you. These may include skilled migration visas and partner visas. It is a good idea to check the Department of Home Affairs website for the latest requirements.

2. Cost of living in Australia vs New Zealand

In Australia, the cost of living might surprise you because, depending on where you settle, it can be a lot more expensive than in New Zealand.

The price of rent, properties, groceries and fuel may be more than you are used to, particularly for those who are swapping cities like Christchurch, Hamilton, and Dunedin for Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Before committing to the move, take the time to compare the cost of living in Australia with that of New Zealand. You’ll want to make sure you will be able to afford it over a period of 10, 20 and 30 years plus.

3. Choosing where to live

Comprising a landmass of 7.688 million km², Australia is a massive country. As a result, there are several places within it you can call home.
If you are to move across the ditch, you’ll need to decide where you want to initially base yourself. This could be anywhere from a city or coastal town to a hinterland area or even out in the bush.

Many Kiwis initially head to the cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Hobart, before venturing further afield. That said, many beach lovers opt to go straight to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Aside from being popular holiday hot spots, there are large communities of New Zealanders at both.

4. Finding schools in Australia

If you are moving with children, schooling will, of course, be a top priority. Overall, the standard of public schools in Australia is generally pretty high. In addition, most areas, including regional ones, also have very good Catholic and independent schools.

You’ll find it easier to choose a school in Australia once you have picked where you want to move to. That said, you should be aware of the role school zones can play in most states, because public school enrolments are based on where you live.

5. Healthcare

One of the major benefits of being a New Zealand citizen is access to Australia’s Medicare system. This covers basic medical care such as GP visits and hospital treatment.

To get started, you will need to enrol in Medicare after you’ve arrived in the country. This can easily be done at a local Medicare service centre with your passport and proof of address.

For those who want private health insurance, there are plenty of options available. They include Bupa, Medicare, and HCF. All of these can offer you extra coverage, such as dental and optical services.

6. Job opportunities

As a Kiwi, the good news is that finding work in Australia is often easier than it is for other migrants. The main reason for this is that New Zealand citizens can work without needing a separate work visa.

You’ll find excellent job opportunities in Australia for Kiwis across several sectors. These include healthcare, education, trades, IT, and hospitality.

Before you move, start browsing job boards like Seek or Indeed. It is also a good idea to connect with recruiters in your chosen city. Ideally, if you can secure a role before you arrive, this will make things easier for you.

7. Renting a home in Australia

It’s a good idea to initially rent when you arrive in Australia. But unfortunately, the country’s rental industry can be extremely competitive, especially in the bigger cities.

To secure yourself a place, you will need proof of funds/income, valid identification, and good references. However, it can take a while to find something suitable. For this reason, it can be helpful to arrange short-term accommodation for the first few weeks while you attend inspections. This gives you time to explore neighbourhoods and find the right fit for your family.

8. Settling in Australia with kids

Moving countries can be a massive upheaval, and it can take time for everyone to fully settle into their new surroundings. However, there are several ways to make it easier for the whole family. For example, you can get involved in local activities, such as joining sports clubs or playgroups. In addition to being fun, these are great places to meet people and make friends.

It’s also worth exploring your new surroundings together as a family. Visit local parks, beaches, and attractions so you can all become familiar with where you now live and find new places you will quickly love.

This article was written by Lucy Mitchell, Content Manager for Current.com.au | The Home of Australian Product Reviews, with editing by Kidspot NZ.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by Kidspot NZ of the website, information, products or services contained therein. All views are those of the author.

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Environ skin care heroes

Promotion for Environ Skin Care

When it comes to looking after your skin, the basics are always a must – cleanser, toner and moisturiser. But as mums, our skin often goes through a lot of changes, from pregnancy and late nights with little ones, to the natural effects of getting older. That’s when having the right products on hand can really make a difference.

Environ Skin Care is a salon-only brand trusted by women all around the world for over 30 years. Created by world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr Des Fernandes, it’s been named Best Medical Skincare Line in the global Aesthetic Everything Awards seven years running. We’ve rounded up some of their most-loved products that will help support your skin through every stage of life. Keep your favourite on hand for when your skin needs a reset and use as a treatment for a week, alongside your normal regime.

Environ Skin Care professional products and stockists can be found at psb.net.nz. Book yourself into a salon, clinic or spa and ask about Environ products for your skin.

Best for stressed, dry, reddened skin

Environ Focus Care Youth+ Seriénce® Night Serum

This serum is like a little dose of calm for your skin at the end of a busy day. Stress and lack of sleep can leave skin looking dull, tired, and more prone to premature ageing.  Seriénce® Night Serum is the first of its kind to target and counteract inflammaging (the visible skin damage caused by stress), helping restore calm, resilient, youthful-looking skin. Packed with powerful antioxidants, it helps strengthen your skin’s natural defences so it can better cope with everyday stress. While you sleep, it works to brighten up tired, dull-looking skin and bring back a healthy, radiant glow.

Environ Seriénce® Night Serum

It also helps to smooth out fine lines and soften deeper expression lines like frown lines or smile creases, leaving your skin looking more relaxed and refreshed in the morning. Think of it as an overnight recharge for both you and your skin.

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Best for hydration

Environ Focus Care Moisture+ Vita-Complex Super Moisturiser

Environ’s Vita-Complex Super Moisturiser is a rich, fast-absorbing cream that gives your skin the extra hydration it craves. Packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and nourishing ingredients, it helps soothe dryness, irritation, or sensitivity and keeps your skin feeling soft and comfortable. Perfect for everyday use, it’s also a lifesaver during the colder months when skin needs an extra boost.

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Environ Focus-Care+ Vita-Complex Super Moisturiser

Best for skin revival

Environ Focus Care Youth+ Tri-Biobotanical Revival Masque

Environ’s Revival Masque is often called a “face lift in a jar” – and for good reason. This award-winning, innovative product has been loved around the world since it launched back in 2014, thanks to the way it delivers both instant and long-term results. Celebrating its 10th birthday in 2024, it’s still a go-to for anyone wanting smoother, fresher-looking skin without the fuss.

Environ Tri-Biobotanical Revival Masque

Revival Masque is an intensive powerhouse booster which works instantly and progressively over time to smooth, lift, tighten, even, brighten and refine the overall appearance of skin.

With a blend of gentle acids to support natural renewal and hydration, it’s the perfect at-home alternative or add-on to professional treatments. Best used in the evening, it’s a cult favourite that’s loved worldwide.

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Best for anti-ageing

Environ Focus Care Youth+ 3DSynergé™ Filler Crème

3DSynergé™ Filler Crème is an advanced powerhouse booster for home use, to target lines, wrinkles and loss of volume in ageing skin.

Dr Des Fernandes explains how 3DSynergé™ was inspired by two aesthetic dermal filler techniques. “Traditional dermal fillers are made with varying types of hyaluronic acid, which don’t act as natural hyaluronic acid. The skin’s natural hyaluronic acid has a high turnover, and we lose about a third of our stores every day. Dermal fat fillers are used to replace lost volume but require surgical intervention. Obviously, a cosmetic cannot become a structure in the skin as a filler does, but 3DSynergé™ isn’t designed to replace fillers; instead, it offers both hydro and lipidic benefits.

Environ Focus Care 3DSynergé™ Filler Crème

Optim-Hyal™ stimulates the natural synthesis of hyaluronic acid in the skin while HyaCare®50 is a low molecular weight hyaluronic acid. It also includes the intelligent peptide Reproage® to boost the benefits of youthful radiance and Mĕiritage™, a powerful blend of ancient Chinese root extracts that help protect your skin from stress and ageing, keeping it healthy and strong.

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Find a stockist at PSB.net.nz

Best for pigmentation

Environ’s Focus Care Radiance+ Intense C-Boost Mela-Even Cream

Pigmentation is probably one of the most difficult skin conditions to target effectively. But with Environ’s innovative Focus Care™ Radiance+ Range, pigmentation, uneven skin tone, and dark spots may be a thing of the past.

Environ’s Mela-Smart System™ is a simple 3-step routine with 4 clever products that work together to tackle dark spots, uneven skin tone, and dullness. It includes a prep lotion, two serums, and a vitamin C cream that helps brighten, smooth, and firm your skin. With regular use, it can help fade discolouration, soften fine lines, boost your skin’s natural glow, and even support protection against sun damage. The result? Healthier, more radiant-looking skin.

Environ’s Focus-Care+ Intense C-Boost Mela-Even Cream

(For optimal results, combine the Radiance+ Range with your daily Vitamin STEP-UP SYSTEM™ routine.)

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Written by Kidspot NZ with information supplied by Environ.

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Little Bellies | Review

Little Bellies is passionate about providing wholesome and delicious foods for babies, toddlers and kids, and is excited to share a selection of their snacks in our free trial.

Little Bellies was founded by two brothers after one of their children was diagnosed with severe sensitivities to food. The safe snack options at the time were limited so they made it their mission to make simple, wholesome, age-and-stage appropriate snacks that parents could trust. The Little Bellies range is safe for self-feeding and certified organic with no artificial colours or flavours.

The Little Bellies TASTY TEXTURES range for 7+ months babies introduces soft shapes, with subtle flavours and new texture experiences for mini mouths, that little fingers can hold.

The MORE TO EXPLORE range for 10+ months babies brings new adventures in taste, shape and texture to help promote independence.

The TODDLERS IN TRAINING range for 12+ months toddlers includes snacks and meals with more adventurous textures, shapes and flavours to encourage a positive transition to toddlerhood.

Visit Little Bellies New Zealand to explore the full range of wholesome snacking for Kiwi kids.

Each of our reviewers received three Little Bellies products from the selection below:

Little Bellies Banana Pick-up Sticks

Organic Banana Pick-Up Sticks (7+ months)

Soft melt-in-the-mouth sticks of puffed organic corn with banana that little hands can hold to encourage safe self-feeding. Ideal for first-stage snacking.

Organic Sweetcorn Round-a-bouts

Organic Sweetcorn Round-a-bouts (7+ months)

Deliciously crisp organic sweetcorn rings that melt in the mouth for safe self-feeding. Ideal for first-stage snacking.

Organic Berry & Apple Softcorn

Organic Berry & Apple Softcorn (10+ months)

Soft puffed corn snacks with berry and apple that melt easily in the mouth to encourage safe self-feeding. Ideal for second-stage snacking.

Organic Pear & Vanilla Paws

Organic Pear & Vanilla Paws (10+ months)

Crunchy little paws with a dash of delicious pear, a touch of vanilla, plus the added goodness of sorghum. Second stage snacking for 10+ months.

Organic Animal Biscuits

Organic Animal Biscuits (12+ months)

Delightful organic wholegrain animal-shaped biscuits for toddlers from 12+ months.

Organic Gingerbread Men

Organic Gingerbread Men (12+ months)

Delightful organic wholegrain gingerbread men biscuits for toddlers from 12+ months.

Reviews for Little Bellies

We gave 50 families the opportunity to trial and review Little Bellies. Read their reviews now.

(Please note that due to the ingredients in these products, they are not suitable for children with allergies to gluten, milk, wheat, or soy.)

Review by SydneyE123

My boy is 16 months old tomorrow and really enjoyed the organic pear and vanilla paws after his nap. They are a good size to eat and when I asked if they were yummy he nodded yes. It will be difficult to get him to stop eating them! Great snack, I think I would be open to purchasing them. Yum, not messy and healthy! Great for the car too as we are often on the go.

I next had my son try the organic banana pick-up sticks. He liked it but still had his hand in the pear and vanilla paws which he seemed to prefer. I think I would buy the pear and vanilla paws over the pick-up sticks. He would get a new pick-up stick with an unfinished pick-up stick in his other hand! Overall another yummy on the go snack.

Finally, I had him try the organic animal biscuits, he put them back and wanted the pear and vanilla paws! Definitely his favourite of them all!

Review by Beckyvaega

5 star rating

Wow! These products are great! My little one who is 12-months, absolutely LOVED trying these. We tested out the Organic animal biscuits, pear & vanilla paws, and the banana pick-up sticks. She absolutely devoured the banana pick-up sticks. They were her favourite. They are long and easy for her to hold while biting them. I think she loved the fact that they would easily dissolve in her mouth too. In second place were the pear & vanilla paws. She would put the whole thing in her mouth though which did worry me a bit. But they did dissolve easy enough in the end. The packaging size for these two products were great to take in my bag for her snacks out and about. Good amount for the day too. The animal biscuits were a hit as well. She would get about 3 at a time and eat them. Perfect to put into a lunch box. She would always reach for more! Nice to have alternatives to feed our baby/
toddler. We will definitely be purchasing all of these in the future. Thanks, from a very happy wee girl and her mummy 🙂

Little Bellies Snacks review BV

Little Bellies Snacks review BV

Review by HayleyW

5 star rating

We were lucky enough to receive Berry & Apple Softcorn, Sweetcorn Roundabouts and Gingerbread Men.

My three girls (aged 1, 4 and 6) absolutely demolished them! These snacks fit so well into my girls’ food journey as I have one very picky eater who is hard to get any type of vegetable into! This range offered her an opportunity to try something new with nutritional benefit.

Easy packaging to take with you and they are appealing to the kids without being overly bright and cartoon-like.

The favourite of my six year was definitely the Berry & Apple Softcorn, they didn’t last long at all! My one year kept asking for more of the Gingerbread Men so they were a clear favourite of hers.

We will continue to purchase these products, we love the range and the variety available. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for convenient but nutritious snacks.

Little Bellies Snacks review

Little Bellies Snacks review

Review by LeaB

5 star rating

I received three products: organic berry and apple softcorn, organic sweetcorn round-a-bouts, and organic gingerbread men. My child is 15 months old and has recently grown his molars, making it easy for him to chew the food. He likes to eat a variety of foods, so I knew that he would like all of it.

I showed the three products to my child, and he decided to eat the round-a-bouts first.

Little Bellies Snacks review

Little Bellies Snacks review

My child’s most favourite is the berry and apple softcorn. He prefers to eat the softcorn because he can put the whole piece in his mouth and chew it. On the other hand, he has to bite the round-a-bouts and then chew them. He can eat the packs in one sitting and shared some of it with his 2-year-old brother, who also enjoyed eating the food. My 2-year-old child used to eat Little Bellies products when he was younger, so he was interested to try them again. My child ate the gingerbread men one piece at a time because they filled him up quickly. I transferred it to a snap lock so that my children can eat it whenever they want.

The packaging of the three products is good because it is easy to open. I will recommend this to other parents who want to give healthy food to their children. I like the products because they have no added sugar and are naturally flavoured or sweetened with fruit.

Review by LaurenS

5 star rating

We received in the mail three different packs of snacks to trial with my daughter. The little bellies tasty textures 7+ months banana flavour. The more to explore range of 10+ months pear and vanilla. Lastly a toddlers in training biscuits for 12+ months.

My daughter is 16 months old and learning new textures and getting more confident with crunchier food.

My daughter 1st tried the 12+ months animal biscuits as that is what her age range is at the moment. As she tried it she was immediately wanting more, the crunchy textures and taste of the biscuit got her hooked and she loved every bite of it. The second snack she tried was the 7+ months organic banana sticks. She loved this tasty treat. It was a subtle flavour, soft to chew and melted in her mouth which she enjoyed. And the last snack she tried was the pear and vanilla 10+ months snack. The puffed soft melt snack was tasty and was easy to grip in her hands as it was shaped as paws which was easy for her to hold. She enjoyed this product very much and wanted more of everything.

Her favourite by far was the 12+ month organic animal biscuits. The crunchy textures, and grape-flavoured biscuit really got her wanting more.

Little Bellies Snacks review

Little Bellies Snacks review

My reviews:

  • 7th month old organic banana sticks: When I tried it as a mum I noticed that the earlier stage of snack was easier to eat, melted more quickly and only had a subtle flavour of banana. I had no stress in knowing my daughter wouldn’t choke on it if she was in that age bracket.
  • 10+ month old pear and vanilla paws: When I tried it I noticed that it was still melt in your mouth texture but more flavour which I enjoyed. Bite-sized for me but big enough for my daughter and easy for her to hold.
  • 12+ month organic animal biscuits: I loved these omg, the sweetness was beautiful and only flavoured by grape juice which is reassuring as a mother that my daughter isn’t esting too much sugar. I loved the crunch and animal pictures that each individual biscuit brought.

The packaging is convenient and allows for easy storage in the pantry and always made sure to stay fresh. I would 100% purchase these in the future for my daughter as an on-the-go snack and would recommend it to other parents out there who are going through the baby journey as well.

Review by Marristep

5 star rating

We received the Banana Sticks (7m+), Pear and Vanilla Paws (10m+) and Animal Biscuits (12m+) to try. The first two were destroyed very quickly by our 23-month-olds – we gave the Sticks for him to enjoy during our bike walk and the Pear Paws he had as a post-nap snacking along with some fruits and yogurt. He absolutely loved these! The biscuits are now a new go to favourite not only for a toddler but our 4 and 8 year olds also loved these as an afternoon treat to take to the playground and share. They enjoyed doing little role play with the animal-shaped cookies too 😊 loved these! And will definitely buy and recommend as a healthy (low sugar) snacking alternative for kids (and not only!) of all ages.

Little Bellies Snacks review

Little Bellies Snacks review

Little Bellies Snacks review

Review by Michellesmith19

5 star rating

We were very excited when we received our products from Little Bellies. We were lucky to try the The Banana pick up sticks, Pear and Vanilla Claws, and the Animal Biscuits. My little one dug in straight away to see what treats he got. The Banana pick up sticks were his absolute favourite. Light enough but delicious and he also enjoyed the texture. My little one didn’t enjoy the Pear and Vanilla Claws as much as I thought he would. Was still easy enough to pick up and snack on but he wasn’t overly fond of the claws. The Animal biscuits he also liked, it wasn’t too hard or too soft of a texture. The taste was subtle but still enough to make it tasty. My little one is a very adventurous eater and is exposed to a wide variety of foods from an early age. These snacks make it very handy to take along when you are out and about or to tie them over until they have their lunch or dinner. Thanks a lot for giving us the opportunity to review Little Bellies.

Little Bellies Snacks review

Little Bellies Snacks review

Review by ChantelleG

We were lucky enough to receive three products to trial for my 17 month old. He tried pear and vanilla paws, Banana pick up sticks and organic animal biscuits suited for 12+ months. The pear and vanilla paws were by far the favourite of the three! My son really liked holding the packet himself. They were a good shape for him to grab and hold on too he ate the whole packet. Banana pick up sticks are awesome for an afternoon snack. I really like how they give you a sticker on the back of the packet so you can reseal the packet, this keeps them fresh. They are a longer shape so easy to handle. Next was the animal biscuits. These were also popular and naturally sweetened with grape juice. I actually tried these myself and found them very pleasant. My son also liked grabbing these and looking at what animal he got – very cool! Thank you for letting us take part in the trial. We most definitely will be buying more.

Little Bellies Snacks review

Review by Acacialeet

We received the berry softcorn, sweetcorn roundabouts, and gingerbread men to review. My daughter age 1, is already a massive fan of the softcorns but was yet to try the other two products. She absolutely loved them both! She enjoyed the round shape of the Sweetcorn ones and found them quite fun to try stack onto her straw! The gingerbread men are now also a huge favourite, she quickly ate the first bite and went “mmm” and then proceeded to ask for more!! These will be such a cute wee treat to offer her when we are also snacking. So handy for on the go as well as they have minimal crumbs while being eaten. We will definitely be purchasing all of the items we have sampled and more from the little bellies range, especially now we can buy the 12m snacks! Highly recommend these snacks for on the go and little treats for your kids!

Little Bellies Snacks review

Review by Leole

Little Bellies Organic Sweetcorn Round-a-bouts – my son was intrigued by the rings and seemed to enjoy walking around hanging onto it. Once he bit into it he was disappointed every time that it was no longer a ring. Texture was enjoyed, and the packet is convenient. The issue is once you move it into another packet it seems easy to break out of the ring shape. For the sake of breaking I’m not sure I would buy this again unless I knew the whole packet would finish immediately.

Little Bellies Organic Berry and Apple Softcorn – my son loved the colour on these little puffs, the bright pink had his attention immediately! I was grateful said color didn’t transfer onto his clothes. He seemed to like the flavor and looked like he was savouring it! Packaging is great and they transfer with no issues to other containers without breaking. I would recommend this as it appeals to kids in both taste and colour!

Little Bellies Organic Gingerbread Men – my son was in love with these! This was his favourite product that I needed to go buy more fairly quickly after!! He loved the shape, looking at the little faces and would eat the head or a limb first with a smile. They smell pleasant and he loved the taste so much he kept asking for more! I would highly recommend this!

Little Bellies Snacks review

Little Bellies Snacks review

My son Orion is 15 months old, and these snacks are essentially what he lives on! He loves to eat food that he can hold in his hands, put into his mouth, take out of his mouth and enjoys flavour! All 3 met his “hold on and eat” mantra!

Read reviews from our trialists

(If you have a product to review, please add your review as a comment at the bottom of the page)

Mom

4 star rating

Little Bellies Snacks reviewOur family was lucky enough to be chosen to sample 3 different packs from Little Bellies.
Sweetcorn Round-a-bouts
Berry & Apple softcorn
Gingerbread men
And the favorite/s was…..drum roll please…. 🥁 BERRY & APPLE SOFTCORN and GINGERBREAD MEN!!!!
These were sampled by both my one and four year old. Both gravitated to the berry and apple softcorn at first with most of the pack disappearing before Mom could have a quick taste lol. We loved the softness and the popcorn taste. Would absolutely buy these again.
Gingerbread men were winners too, not to hard or soft. You actually get a decent amount in the pack too. I was surprised that they are sweetened with grape juice! Another tick and added to shopping list.
The sweetcorn Round-a-bouts were not really a winner, definitely not a much flavor as the other two.
Overall very enjoyable and we appreciate been selected for the trial. This has encouraged us to try more from the little bellies range.
ABoyd

5 star rating

Little Bellies review ABLittle Bellies review ABMy 2 year old Theo got to try out the organic banana pick up sticks, organic pear and vanilla paws and the organic animal biscuits, he absolutely loved the paws and the biscuits, he liked being able to pick them out himself, he liked picking which animal to eat next. Theo wasn’t too fussed with the pick up sticks but his younger sister loved them.
Ames22

5 star rating

Little Bellies reviewMy 15 month old was chosen to review the Little Bellies snacks. We tried the Organic Sweetcorn Round-a-bouts 7+ months, Organic Berry & Apple Softcorn 10+ months and the Organic Gingerbread Men 12+ months.
My son is a fussy eater and has some food sensitivities so his food journey has been a slow journey so far. He loves crunchy foods so these snacks are exactly the type of food Ive been looking for.
My son loves all 3 of Little Bellies snacks that we tried and the best part is that they are made with organic ingredients.
My son’s favourite was the Organic Berry & Apple Softcorn, he held these in his hands well and they gave a great crunch when he ate them.
The Organic Gingerbread Men were a close second as he really enjoyed these too and they are such a great size for him to eat.
We would absolutely recommend all 3 of these products as my fussy eater ate them without hesitation. They are great to have on hand to use when out and about too and a great snack size.
Since the trial we have already bought these products again and will continue to keep buying these for my growing toddler to continue to enjoy.
Meganfionapatterson

5 star rating

Little Bellies reviewWe received the Organic Banana Pick Up Sticks, the Organic Pear & Vanilla Paws and the Organic Animal Biscuits. My 17 month old daughter is loving lots of different foods now and having 3 meals a day, these bits fit in perfectly as snacks throughout the day around meal times.

My daughter absolutely loved the Banana Pick Up Sticks and these were gone in a few hours (she was constantly asking for a “Crackaa”). She also enjoyed the Animal Biscuits, they were perfect as she currently has her incisors coming through and it helped to have something a bit harder to chew on. She enjoyed the Pear & Vanilla Paws however we found them a bit messier as she wanted to hold the bag and kept tipping them everywhere, although they are fine in adult hands. All three of the products are super convenient, especially to keep in the nappy bag when you’re out and about and hunger comes knocking, or to keep little hands occupied while Mum & Dad are trying to eat (we didn’t receive it this time but the Little Bellies Berry & Apple Softcorn is our usual favourite to take to a cafe).

We’ll continue to purchase these product and recommend them to anyone who is looking for a snack for on the go.

Kokli346

5 star rating

Little Bellies reviewOur little one is a foodie and always crave for food. To fit in our busy work schedule , we try to cook and buy some baby food in supermarket . We have given him to try little bellies and he savor it. It was nice to see him able to hold the food and eat them playfully. His favorite is organic gingerbread man and he keeps asking more more 🥰 and the different shapes and size of organic sweetcorn round-a-bouts and berry and apple softcorn have made meal times more fun and engaging. Our 12 months old really enjoy these exploration additions to his meal schedules. Looking forward to get more varieties for him to try 😀 😄 😁
brquimat

5 star rating

These little bellies snacks will be a go to snacks for my 2 kids. There are different variety of snacks to choose from. Different shapes, taste and healthy!
chloebowden my 13 month old is a sucker for anything little bellies and this wasn’t any different we love that they’re safe for him to munch on and are awesome tummy fillers between meals we love that they’re low sugar and salt and easy for him to grab
Louisa21

5 star rating

Little Bellies reviewMy 16 month daughter loved these! We tried the Gingerbread Men biscuits , Sweetcorn Round-a-bouts and Berry & Apple Softcorn.

When my daughter saw these, she was so happy and curious. The packaging was appealing and she felt like she could have a snack – mum did too, a guilt free one! My daughters favourite was the gingerbread men. She loved the taste and was always reaching out for more. As a parent, it’s great knowing that I can purchase these snacks for my daughters preschool lunchbox. It’s convenient, and I feel great knowing that these snacks are made with organic ingredients. I will definitely purchase these. Thanks!

Briina53

5 star rating

Little Bellies reviewMy little girl Arabella absolutely loved this range. Her favorite is the crunchy paws & the animal biscuits.
Taste: 10/10
Texture: 10/10
Easy to eat:10/10
Fun shapes: 10/10
Healthy snack: 10/10
Packaging: 10/10
Overall -10/10
One happy 18-month-old 😊Definitely recommend it to all.
Thank you Kidspot for letting us trial these products ❤️
Jacquzzzi

5 star rating

Little Bellies reviewWe were sent the pear and vanilla paws, the banana pick up sticks and the animal biscuits for our 2 year old. We actually almost didn’t get a photo of anything as the package arrived while we were out and Mr 2 was home with his grandma- he saw the sticker on the box and recognised it because he has seen these at the supermarket and tried some of them. He insisted on them being opened and we returned home to some empty eaten packets- whoops! Always a good sign! His favourite are definitely the pick up sticks, for the crunchy texture and the way you can hold them easily and crunch crunch down all the way. So cool they come in their own tray too, and means they’re less likely to be broken! He liked the paws also, and they were less “dusty” and more bite sized which is always helpful. The animal biscuits are the most “fun” as he liked picking out the animals but I think ultimately the crunchy, melt in your mouth texture of the other two were the winners. He could eat both those other bags in no time at all, definitely a favourite, but the biscuits he only wanted a couple and wasn’t too interested in the flavour and texture. Overall such a win though!
Missyanne8

5 star rating

Little Bellies reviewLittle Miss Sophie (22 months) was so lucky to get to try the Little Bellies banana pick-up sticks, pear & vanilla paws, and the animal biscuits. She was so happy with the animal biscuits that she wouldn’t let go of the box. It was also her first time trying biscuits, and she absolutely loved them! She also enjoyed the banana pick-up sticks as they are similar to other flavours and textures that she has had. The pear & vanilla paws were a new flavour and shape for her little fingers to navigate, but she also loved these as she came back to say “more please!” I will likely purchase these products in future as there are so many flavours and textures to explore, plus this little girl can’t go without snacks!
Yabby90

4 star rating

Little Bellies reviewWe were lucky enough to trial the animal biscuits, the pear and vanilla paws and banana sticks! I would have to say the animal biscuits were the biggest hit in our house with my 22 month old, 5, 8 and 10 year olds all loving them and devouring them in seconds. The banana sticks and pear and vanilla paws were also loved by my youngest and were always eaten whether it was in his preschool lunch or a snack when we were out and about. We loved them all.
KolacM Delicious!! We got given 3 packets: gingerbread man, berry & apple softcorn and sweetcorn round-a-bouts.
Our youngest child is 1,5 years old and big fan of this brand. He loved all 3 products. So easy to pack them when we are on the go. We used them mostly as car snack for roadtrip or just a little incentive whilst waiting for school pick ups of our older boy.
Our whole family enjoyed the gingerbread man pack on a day out at a beach-no sugar and wholemeal flour-ideal guilt free snack for the whole family.
Thank you so much for having us being part of this trial. Will definitely keep purchasing these products.
Quirkykiwi

5 star rating

Little Bellies reviewMy son is 15 months old and we received the pear and vanilla claws, banana pick up sticks and animal biscuits.
He loved snacking on the claws, helped himself and took a few out at a time of the bag for afternoon tea.
The sticks he had in his lunch box at daycare and as a lunch snack at home while in the high chair. Gripping these was easy but he ended up throwing it over the side. He loves banana and I tried one but it had no flavour. I found this style of snack goes stale quicker than the firmer style snacks.
The animal biscuits a really handy in his lunch box but also as a treat to give him when we are having a sweet food that he can’t have. He always eats the biscuits first in his lunch box. I love that these taste like wine biscuits! And eating one takes him about 5 minutes. If he’s loose he runs around thinking our dog is trying to get it from him!
Saz We were given Banana Sticks, Pear and Vanilla Paws and Animal Biscuits. This product range is actually not new to us as we have already been fans right from the younger age products.

All of these were eagerly consumed by our child and are so useful for an on-the-go snack. It is nice to know that it will be a healthier option then some others.

They have been readily available from supermarkets we go to as well. Even the older kids were keen for a bite. Thank you for the opportunity to review this product.

CarinF

5 star rating

My 18 month old loves little bellies! It’s the first time we had tried the gingerbread men and it was an absolute hit. We will definitely we getting those again. My babe loves the soft corn too. Little Bellies is definitely on our shopping list each week
kikimop

5 star rating

We have always loved these products. I am the biggest fan of the biscuit boxes as they have so many inside so it’s a great bag supply to have on hand. They hold together really well and don’t leave a mess. The corn puffs don’t have much flavour, but the children don’t mind at all. I think they love the texture and there are a good amount of them in the bag too.
vannrose

5 star rating

I got the Banana Pick Up Sticks, Pear and Vanilla Paws, and the Organic Animal Biscuits. Our 1 year old loved all the snacks especially the Banana Sticks. She likes holding on to the sticks while eating them. She was also fascinated by the animal crackers because of all the animal shapes. Personally, I am a fan of the brand and I also believe these are very good quality products. I had a try myself and I am addicted to the Organic Animal Biscuits, it’s sooo yummy! No wonder kids love it 🙂

We asked our readers to tell us why they would like to trial this product … read their comments below!

Chaitime Introducing new fun and healthy things to my child’s diet is important and making it s afe also when working out if she likes sweet or salty, soft, biscuit, crunchy, chewy, something she can Auckland on so this range seems perfect
Englishswallow We haven’t tried the whole range but in general it’s a great trusted brand and really appropriate for this age group. Really keen to see what Mr 2 thinks of the rest of the products before we buy them
Zoeinnz Haven’t tried these yet, always looking for great grab and go snacks that my kids will like
Yabby90 We’re always on the hunt for healthy, low-sugar snacks we can take on the go. As our fourth child, he’s constantly being whisked from one sport or activity to the next, so convenience is just as important as nutrition. So we would love to give some of these a try especially the toddler ones.
Adrianne I like to find snacks for my Son that are healthy and tasty and convenient.
Maddyw My 8month old loves food she would love to be selected to try this product and we will happily review it. I also have a 2yo that can help review it too.
Thank you
Missyanne8 My 21 month old loves her snacks and has recently learnt how to ask for snacks. I am one of those mums that really study the ingredients list in baby snacks as I only want healthy snack options for her. The Little Bellies organic range looks like it would be perfect to try, and my little one would appreciate these so much! I’m forever buying new snacks for her to try so she can discover what flavours she likes and dislikes!
amanda.fellows These look like healthy option my s onon would eat
marketa.vaega We love the outdoors and are always on the go. Snacks are the most important part of this so we don’t have meltdowns throughout.
Briina53 Would love to try out healthy snack options for my toddler. She’s a foodie, and loves trying new food.
briii12 I have a little bellie that would love to try these. A fun handy snack to have on the go or in the lunchbox. This would be awesome to try!
Hipogriff My daughter is dairy and soy free so its hard to find snacks that she can enjoy and she has loved these products since she was a baby and would love to try something new
hollyroberts We love this range of kids snacks, we often take them out with us as an easy option for my son to enjoy, something that’s healthy and also dissolves easily. Especially in the start of his food journey introducing new textures we started with this range of baby snacks as we used them for our first daughter and knew they were good for starting solids.
HayleyW We LOVE Little Bellies and buy the soft corn regularly but we haven’t tried the biscuits or anything he pick up sticks. Would absolutely love to try these for my 16 month old (but my 4 & 6 year old girls will probably try get in on the tasting too!).
Blair Beaumont Try new stuff for bubs
Mom I want to see if my one year old will try something different. I’m always hesitant to buy something he may not like. It will also help in making decisions for my baby girl once she starts solids.
SydneyG Such good quality, yummy and healthy
Saltycaramel I have a 11 month old we are trying to introduce and find out her preference in textures and flavors, the eays ahe likes to hold things, swears and savory and in a safe and healthy way these sound fantastic our neighbour’s child is 12 months so we are finding them so different but this could really help i never realized about so many textures from crisp to airy to biscuit to soft bake and to just be careful and give in small bits and also how important it is almost to have them be interactive too the food itself. She’s a fussy wee ball of sunshine
Ames22 My son loves finger food mostly so would love to try these products
kikimop This brand is always very convenient to have in the car or throw in a bag. We have always used them so really interested to know what their new flavours/ shapes are.
Leole Malama-Prasad My 1 year old is always looking for snacks to try and enjoy. This would give our family the chance to try new snacks to have at home, on the road, out and about. I’m always making my snacks it would be nice to try some bought snacks.
Michellesmith19 I would love to try these new snacks in my toddlers diet. It’s always hard finding something that is healthier with added benefits but that they will also love. It would be amazing to trial a snack that would also be handy for out and about. I think he would be a grateful participant 😁
Kelsey2022 I am always trying to find healthier options for our daughter- like any kid she loves snacks but I’m always after healthier/yet delicious options. Alot of the time healthier isn’t yummier. Thanks for the opportunity
chemikills Lara has a dairy, egg and soy sensitivity that we’ve been encouraged to test further. So exploring some of these snacks would be positive.
a_codyre I have often thought about buying these for my children but I am unsure as to weather they would like them.
AngieG hes just starting out with finger food n would love to give these a go, always keen on trying him with new things
Brendaruzzel I would like to try variety of snacks for my son so I could have options whenever I buy snacks at grocery store
anzac_waltz to explore and trial your baby products
vannrose I would like to have my child sample new treats she might love to snack on. It’s also a great way for us to get to know the products. My child loves snacks so this will be perfect for her.
Marristep We are always on the lookout for healthy and nutritious snacking options for on the go, travel and lunch boxes, and these products sound great 😊
Kristy I would love to try these products as I am always looking for quick easy snacks for my little ones and they would enjoy snacking away on these
scanning88 I would love to try these Little Bellies products as I love to find new products that are quick and easy to add to my daughter’s kindy lunchbox or have in the car for a eat snack on the way to somewhere when she gets hangry!
Lily We have already tried some of these products and love them so far. We are about to venture into the 8 month foods. Bubs has 4 teeth already and loves a quick crunchy snack. Keen to try the next step of snack for him
rw91 We have bought snacks in the past, but they haven’t hit the spot. These are expensive so would like to try them to see if my little one will actually eat them!
Chloe.ross I have a toddler who loves snacks and I am always on the look out for new products for us to try
Markus274 We want to see if she will eat them as she is a fussy eater
Leabalascopo My 2-year-old used to eat Little Bellies snacks since he was 7 months old. My 13-month-old hasn’t tried Little Bellies yet, so this would be a good time to try it.
cyoung33770 My (just turned) 1 year old loves to snack, so most of his meals are made up of different varieties of small snacks for him to eat so would love to try new products to add to his meals
Leala0810 My daughter loves her snacks! So easy to take out and about and I’m sure she would love them!
Jaime My little one wold love to try these, we are going through the fussy faze and snacks are the main things she will eat at the moment. She is also not walking yet and have just started physio so having easy snack on hand will help distract while we are working out her legs.
Beckyvaega I have a VERY fussy little one. We are always looking for new snacks to try! Especially ones that I can chuck into her lunch box when we head out (which is a lot with 3 big older sisters doing activities). Would love to give these a try and hopefully find something my darling eats!
Livbalani Our pantry is always stocked with little bellies and we are always excited to try new products to broaden our flavours and textures!
Mamasparkles Pear and vanilla paws
Gingerbread men
Organic animals
Thanks so much
Acacialeet We love little bellies and have ever since she turned 6-7months and was eating more snacks. Its our go to brand and would love to try new ones and more now that’s shes hitting a year old!
Itsmesara My boy is very fussy, it’s hard to get him to eat. Would love to try some new snacks and see if they work for us going forward!
Nzha371 Trying a range of snacks for my baby so we can take on the go when we go out and also provide healthy and nutritious alternatives to them.
Gbrown We struggle to find snacks that my son like and we have tried one snack from you guys and he loved it!!!
Kelliedony I would love to try out the products as my wee girl comes to diary farm with us I looking for easy and yummy snacks on the go that are healthy and easy to find in supermarkets.
LauraS9081 Would love to try before buying to see if they would it them.
itsmeklarisse We have been buying Little Bellies products since my eldest turned 6 months and she had loved it since. Love how new products have come out so would love to see both kids to give them a try!
Kokli346 I am a pharmacist and get asked sometimes about the baby foods, so I will be keen to find out so I could recommend accordingly. Being a new father, letting Jayden try out these Nz brand is something new for us.
Romaburke0916 I’m always looking for low sugar options that my toddler will like when we are on the go!
Meganfionapatterson We are already big fans of Little Bellies in our house and would love to try some new products
Alisha My son who turns 1 this month lives your products and would love to try more! We really love that all ingredients are good and healthy 🙂
Shantahliacat We have a very keen wee snacker on our hands and are always keen to expand our snack choices!
Laurenmoir Ella loves to snack and is always keen to try new foods – these look delicious and convenient
Tammya We already love our snacks have tried a few things of the range would love him to experience even more as they are so ideal for travelling
LaniM My daughter has always looooveed the little bellies snacks! It was some of the first things she ever tried when she started eating solids, with the blueberry and strawberry pick up sticks or puffs being her favourite! And still a favourite to this day! We haven’t introduced her to biscuits or sweets of that kind yet so we’d love to trial her with some of these. Thank you so much 🙂
ChantelleG My son has tried some and he loves them so I’d love for him to try more.
Kristins8 Something new, it’s organic and my child is learning to eat different types of snacks
hjderby Exposed to a range of foods from starting solids so finding easy and good on the go snacks that I don’t have to prepare and will become a go to would be great
Jordie My daughter loves these and it’s her favourite thing to eat if I want her to eat something it would only be these half the time
llam021 Wanting to offer more variety and flavours and textures to my 14 month old for snack options
Louisa21 Maeve loves a snack! She is a cracker girl so I think this might be useful for you and I
CarinF We love your oat bars and pop corn. Keen to try your other products
Saz I would love to explore healthy options that my toddler would enjoy at home and on outings.
Quirkykiwi We use your banana rusks daily and he loves those and I’ve bought other snacks that he hasn’t liked. So it would be nice to try a variety without paying for them! Haha he is a big eater and I use the rusks as a reward when he finally sits down in his car seat
Nikita2022 My boy has become very fussy with snacks so would love to try and see if he likes them
Morgie We love little bellies! My 2 year old is obsessed and I am due any day now with another who when able I’m sure will love these too!
JessRachael My little one absolutely loves his food and I’m always trying to find new products that I can put in his daycare lunch to make it more interesting for him and so far all the little bellies products we have used he has loved! Our new world doesn’t have a huge amount of stock for little bellies so would love to be able to try the products we haven’t tried before
Leannabelle He is a hungry little lad and absolutely loves his snacks. I’d love to see what he thinks of these!
SpiderrWebb My daughter is at the stage of trying new foods. These look like they would be great as snacks, and to introduce different textures into her diet!
Janinec Always trying to have healthier snacks in the house and something that is easy to take in the go
Cazrock My child is very fussy ! Would love to find a go to snack
chloebowden my son absolutely loves his little bellies snacks truly a favourite out of all the little belly friendly snacks
Ryleyroo Ryley is a fan this brand of children’s food. His favorite snacks are the banana popcorn.
He likes trying all the flavors.
Trying these would give him more flavors to explore.
Kyrie123 Because my son is going through a picky stage with snacks it’s just wanting to change up his taste buds abit and trying something that’s natural and not artificial.
morganmitchell I make everything from scratch myself but would like the convenience on a health snacking alternative for when we are on the go
Jen.saphire My kids love trying new things 😔
LaurenS We’ve had a few of your products and my daughter really liked them, were hoping to see if she would like anything else that you might have.
Lylee12 I would love to try some different options to see if I can improve my daughters interest in food,
Rachael3 Little miss 3 loves these kinds of treats, perfect for a picky eater. I like to encourage her to eat healthy snacks and these kind of treats have worked wonders in the past. Thanks for reading
Taimania91 I’ve tried most of them and my baby loves them also she has a habit of choking except these are easy for her to swallow
Suzettebouwer2 My little one loves the strawberry little bellies sticks and it would be good to try and share his experience with the others
alexandra.makareta My daughter is learning how to feed herself. She has tried other baby crackers and loves them. They are really helpful in getting her to learn hand to mouth coordination and chewing. I’d love to try these new snacks and flavours with her and see how she likes them

Please note

  • You must be a Kidspot member to take part in the trial. Not a member? Then sign up now.
  • If you are chosen as a reviewer, you will receive an email from Kidspot and the product will be sent to the postal address on your registration.
  • Each selected reviewer will receive: 3 x Little Bellies products.
  • Terms and conditions apply, including:
    • Open to Kidspot members 18+ only. Only available for NZ residents.
    • If you are selected, you will be required to use the product as soon as possible and supply a review, as set out in our review instructions.
    • Your name, address, and contact phone number will be given to the supplier for the purpose of delivery.
    • Please note that comments, images, or videos provided by reviewers may be used by Little Bellies on their website and social media channels to promote the product.
    • Click here for full terms and conditions.

DIY storage solutions for your home

Decorating with Resene

Tidying up and keeping things in their place is a breeze with these ideas by Resene for colourful and practical storage.

Check out more Resene DIY projects for fun and practical storage.

Cute coat rack

Hooked on colour

This cute coat rack for a kid’s bedroom catches the eye with its pastel hues. Or turn it into a bathroom towel rack by painting in a range of blue and green Resene testpots.

Top Resene decorating tip: Use the Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer to seal and smooth the surface before painting. This ensures that your colours go on evenly and reduces the need for multiple coats.

Find out more

Father's Day toolbox

Father’s Day tool box

Create a tool box for Dad as a thoughtful gift this Father’s Day. Or, instead of the Father’s Day-themed message, add his name for an anytime gift.

Top Resene decorating tip: Choose Dad’s favourite team colours in Resene tespots for a custom decoration.

Find out more

Sunrise shelf

Sunrise shelf

Shelving has never looked this good! Display your precious trinkets on these ombre-effect shelves which will add a focus of sophistication.

Top Resene decorating tip: Make sure you have your choice of Resene testpots all ready before you start painting, as you’ll need to do the whole thing in one go to blend the ombre colours while the paint is wet.

Find out more

Bench seat

Budget bench seat

Turn a simple bookcase on its side and add some woven baskets to transform it into a stylish seat with storage for shoes, etc. Add a coat rack beside the bench for coats and backpacks and you’ve got a handy place to get the kids ready in the morning.

Top Resene decorating tip: The addition of the pine bench, stained with Resene Colorwood wood stain, adds a contemporary touch for a designer-look result.

Find out more

Geometric drawers

Turn old into new

Upcycle a tired old set of drawers and give it a new purpose with a bold geometric paint design.

Top Resene decorating tip: Turn your favourite image into a Resene colour palette with the online Resene Palette Generator. This amazing tool allows you to upload an image which will generate a Resene colour palette to match based on the most common colours in your image. It also allows you to download swatches to save or share.

Find out more

Floating shelves

DIY floating shelves

Floating shelves are a stylish and practical storage solution, offering a sleek way to display your favourite décor, plants, or books – all without sacrificing valuable floor space. This design utilises the Resene Wallpaper Collection to add a designer touch.

Top Resene decorating tip: For the topcoat, choose a durable enamel-style paint such as Resene Lustacryl (semi-gloss) or Resene Enamacryl (gloss) – both are hard-wearing and easy to wipe clean, perfect for shelves that will hold decorative items or books.

Find out more

Ideas from Resene for creative kids

For kids’ room inspiration and ideas, visit your local Resene ColorShop and view the habitat plus – kids’ spaces book online. 

Supporting every bite: How Little Bellies helps Kiwi kids grow with confidence

Promotion for Little Bellies

Feeding your baby is about more than just mealtimes – it’s a journey of discovery, growth, and development. From those first curious nibbles to confident toddler snacking, each age and stage comes with exciting milestones.

Little Bellies is here to support Kiwi parents through every step, with wholesome snacking for Kiwi kids that’s carefully crafted to suit growing appetites and developing skills.

From first tastes to independent eating

Every baby starts somewhere – and often, it’s with a curious squish, a playful squeeze, or a cautious lick. That’s why Little Bellies embraces the natural instinct to play with food as a meaningful and important part of development. Their age-appropriate snacks are created not only to nourish but to encourage babies and toddlers to explore new tastes, textures, and shapes at their own pace.

Through every stage, Little Bellies supports the development of fine motor skills, palate preferences, and even your child’s budding personality. Here’s how their snack ranges are aligned with key feeding milestones:

7+ months: Tasty Textures

As your baby becomes ready for solids, Little Bellies’ Tasty Textures range introduces subtle flavours through soft, puffed snacks that are just right for mini mouths and little fingers. These snacks are ideal for first-stage self-feeding, helping little ones get familiar with new sensations while building independence. They’re organic snacks for baby development that transform snack time into a sensory experience.

Explore the range: Organic first snacks for babies 7+ months

10+ months: More to Explore

By around 10 months, babies are often eager for more variety and adventure. The More to Explore range adds exciting new shapes, textures, and flavours to keep curiosity alive. These puffed snacks are perfect for developing confidence, coordination, and mealtime independence, helping your little one learn to feed themselves while discovering what they love to eat.

Discover more: Age-and-stage appropriate snacks for babies 10+months

12+ months: Toddlers in Training

Toddlerhood brings bigger appetites and even bigger personalities. Little Bellies’ Toddlers in Training snacks offer bold new flavours, fun shapes, and slightly more complex textures to match your toddler’s growing skills and adventurous spirit. These playful snacks for toddlers encourage exploration, build feeding confidence, and make snack time fun (for parents too!).

Try the toddler range: Playful snacks for toddlers

Why play matters at every stage

Little Bellies encourages kids to engage with their food because exploring through play helps babies and toddlers:

  • Feel less pressure around trying new foods
  • Discover favourite flavours in their own time
  • Develop confidence through independent self-feeding
  • Enjoy a healthy, happy relationship with food
  • Strengthen fine motor skills and coordination

Through playful eating, your little one learns more than just what tastes good – they also learn about themselves.

Do What’s Natural: A philosophy for growing well

At Little Bellies, the belief is simple: when kids are happy, parents are happy – and that flows through to the whole household. Their “Do What’s Natural!” philosophy shines through in everything they do, by creating simple, wholesome, age-appropriate foods that help you to nurture, support, and raise independent little people who learn and grow, playing through every snack and milestone.

So whether you’re introducing solids, navigating toddler tastes, or just looking for better snack options, Little Bellies is here to help you enjoy each stage – one tasty bite at a time.

Visit Little Bellies New Zealand to explore the full range of wholesome snacking for Kiwi kids.

Written by Kidspot NZ with information provided by Little Bellies.

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What does ‘me time’ look like for dads?

Promotion for Little Bellies

Between work, parenting, and the never-ending to-do list, it’s easy for dads to put their own needs last. But taking a little “me time” isn’t selfish – it’s essential.

Whether it’s Father’s Day or any other day in the family calendar, dads can benefit from “me time” just as much as mums to help balance their mental health needs. A quiet morning coffee before the kids wake up, connecting with teammates on the sports field, or simply listening to some favourite tunes, provide moments that can go a long way in recharging, reconnecting, and grounding those with busy and stressed lives.

Encouraging dads to take time for themselves can help to reassure them that stepping away briefly doesn’t make them less involved – rather, it helps them come back more present and recharged.

Here are five simple “me time” ideas for dads:

1. Gym session

Nothing clears the mind like sweating it out. Whether it’s lifting weights, hitting a boxing bag, or joining a HIIT session, this time can help dads release stress and boost energy.

2. Coffee (or tea) in peace

Get up 15 minutes before the rest of the house (yes, even before the baby if possible!) and enjoy a hot drink and a quiet scroll. No chores – just a warm cup and a few calm breaths.

3. The great outdoors

A walk, hike, bike ride, or even a quick surf – being outside helps reset the brain and body. Solo or with a mate, it’s time to unplug from work and dad duties.

4. Hands-on break

Whether it’s picking up a guitar, tinkering in the garage, or clearing a level in a favourite video game, set aside some time to do something that requires some hands-on interaction. It doesn’t have to be productive, just enjoyable.

5. Guys night

Just as girls’ night is an absolute must for mums, dads can benefit from an evening with their best mates. Keep it low-key and local to foster the opportunity to have some deeper discussions. Share some pizza while watching the footy, organise a poker or darts night, or cast a line out together at the best fishing spot.

Finding moments of connection

“Me time” doesn’t always mean escaping the chaos. Along with opportunities to socialise and relax, dads can also find little moments of connection, purpose, or peace amidst the everyday juggle of parenting. Take time to sing together, do all the voice characters in a favourite book, get down to their level with blocks or peekaboo, pop them in a front pack or stroller and go for a walk, or share a silly snack-time moment.

Just like mums, dads need support too when navigating the feeding journey with babies and toddlers. That’s why Little Bellies is proud to be a dad-founded brand, built on care, connection, and a deep understanding of what families truly need.

A brand born from real parenthood

Little Bellies was founded by two brothers, both fathers to young children. Their journey took a meaningful turn when one of their children was diagnosed with severe food sensitivities. At the time, safe and wholesome snack options were few and far between. This experience sparked a passion – and a mission – to create better food choices for all kids.

Driven by love for their families and a desire to feed their children the very best, these dads focused on creating snacks free from artificial additives, GMOs, unnecessary salt and sugar, and with minimal exposure to herbicides and pesticides. The goal was simple: to support growing bodies during the critical baby and toddler years with real, honest ingredients.

Today, that same commitment flows through every Little Bellies product.

Everyday support for everyday dads

Parenting isn’t always picture-perfect. It’s in the lunchbox packing, the bedtime snacks, the food-throwing phases, and the “just-one-more-bite” standoffs. Through it all, Little Bellies is here to offer support – not just to little ones, but to the people raising them too.

With wholesome, age-and-stage appropriate snacks, dads can feel confident they’re offering nourishing choices that support their child’s development while also making life just a little bit easier. Whether you’re introducing solids, navigating food sensitivities, or simply looking for a snack that won’t get rejected (again!), Little Bellies has your back.

Explore more: wholesome snacking for Kiwi kids

Food play, the natural way

Little Bellies also embraces the power of play as part of the feeding journey. With a variety of shapes, textures, and flavours, their snacks are designed to support fine motor skill development, encourage self-feeding, and make mealtimes more enjoyable for everyone.

Even a simple moment of playing with food can be a shared giggle, a learning opportunity, or a well-earned parenting win. It’s these moments (big and small) that form the heart of family life.

Reclaiming “me time” one snack break at a time

For dads, “me time” might mean feeling reassured that you’ve got a snack on hand that’s safe, nourishing, and actually gets eaten. It could mean sitting down with your little one to enjoy a snack together without pressure or fuss. Or it could be knowing that you’re raising happy, healthy kids with a brand that gets it because it was built by dads just like you.

Little Bellies celebrates all parents and the small victories that make up the big picture. Because when your kids are happy, you’re happy – and that’s what it’s all about.

Check out the full Little Bellies range, proudly supporting Kiwi dads and their little food explorers.

New looks for kids & teens rooms

Decorating with Resene

Got a kids’ room in need of a makeover? Whether you need a beautiful nursery for a new baby, a refresh of your child’s bedroom, or a too-cool-for-school update of a teen’s room, Resene has the inspiration and colour to make it happen.

Be inspired with our pick of six of the best kids’ room themes, with mood boards, colours and room ideas to help you get the right look and mood for your child’s space.

Where the wild things slumber

Where the wild things slumber

Where the wild things slumber

This cheerful yet stylishly coloured bedroom is perfect for a younger tween (think ages seven to eleven), striking just the right balance between growing-up vibes and playful fun. It’s not too ‘little kid’ and not too ‘grown-up’—just the sweet spot! With its nods to animals, nature, camping, and adventure, it’s the kind of space where young explorers will feel totally at home.

Top Resene decorating tip: To further the connection to nature, the timber floor has been finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash. While it has a whitening effect that brightens and uplifts the colour of the floor, its translucency allows the beauty of the wood’s natural grain to show through.

Mood board

Timber background in Resene Colorwood Whitewash with A4 drawdown paint swatches in (from left to right) Resene FrozenResene SchoonerResene Silver ChaliceResene Apache and Resene Silver Sand, mountains in Resene Elephant and arrows in Resene Pirate Gold and Resene Apache.

Styling by Annick Larkin. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2022

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Warrior Matariki nursery

Warrior Matariki nursery

Warrior Matariki nursery

Many iwi share the beautiful story of Matariki as a mother surrounded by her daughters, making it a perfect and meaningful theme for a child’s room or nursery. It’s a lovely way to add a local touch to the classic starry or space-inspired look—while sparking a sense of wonder and a lifelong curiosity about our place in the universe.

Top Resene decorating tip: Kites also have significance to the Matariki story and making kites is a popular activity for kids to make at school or with their whanau in midwinter. Resene has given a nod to this tradition by creating a 3D kite mobile out of a craft hoop painted in Resene Proton, some glittering silver string and thick craft paper painted in Resene Reservoir, Resene Half Jumbo and Resene Black White.

Mood board

Background in Resene Zircon with Resene A4 drawdown paint swatches in (from right to left) Resene WarriorResene ReservoirResene Proton metallic and Resene Jumbo, star ornament in Resene Proton metallic, round vase in Resene Half Jumbo, wall hook and accent beads in Resene Reservoir and jug vase in Resene Hermitage. Crinkle blanket and star cushion from Kmart.

Project by Laura Lynn Johnston. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2022

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Striped delight kids room makeover

Striped delight kids room makeover

Striped delight

Stripes are a playful and energetic way to add personality to your home with paint. Whether you go vertical, horizontal, or on a fun diagonal, the choice is yours. For something truly one-of-a-kind (and sure to wow the kids), why not create your own custom design? Try mixing more than two colours – tone-on-tone looks especially cool – and switch up the stripe widths to make it even more fun and eye-catching!

Top Resene decorating tip: Let the kids show off their artworks, stories, or certificates on their own DIY display board, painted in a diagonal striped design that matches the bedroom’s aesthetic. An art canvas provides the base for this project and can be painted in an eye-catching geometric pattern. Resene testpots are ideal for small projects like this.

Mood board

Background in Resene Truffle with A4 drawdown paint swatches (from left to right) in Resene ApacheResene EbbResene SootheResene MerinoResene Quarter Truffle, Resene Truffle, Resene Triple Truffle and Resene Brown Sugar, rainbow blocks in (from outer to inner) Resene Brown Sugar, Resene Apache, Resene Triple Truffle, Resene Soothe, Resene Quarter Truffle and Resene Merino and vase in Resene Soothe.

Project by Vanessa Nouwens. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2021

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Uniting human beings with music

In harmony kids room makeover

In harmony

Music has a magical way of bringing people together – and it’s an awesome jumping-off point when decorating your tween or teen’s room. If they’ve got a favourite band or artist, why not use a poster or album cover as inspiration for their new ‘grown-up’ chill space? Music becomes a big part of their world as they start discovering their own vibe (and leaving behind those car sing-alongs from a few years ago!). It’s all part of them figuring out who they are – and their room can reflect that journey.

Top Resene decorating tip: Be sure to use high-quality painter’s tape, which is available at your local Resene ColorShop, in order to get the cleanest lines.

Mood board

Background stained in Resene Colorwood Woody Bay with A4 drawdown paint swatches in Resene RakaiaResene Space Cadet and Resene Time Out, water bottle and wooden crate in Resene Spring Fever, plant pot in Resene Space Cadet with splatter effect in Resene Shakespeare and coasters in Resene Spring Fever, Resene Shakespeare and Resene Space Cadet.

Styling by Kate Alexander. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2020

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Upbeat skate room makeover scheme for kids rooms

Upbeat skater room

Upbeat skate

Redecorating your teen’s room together is an awesome way to bond—and letting them choose their favourite Resene paint colours is a fun first step in making the space totally their own.

This room, with its cool aquas, splashy blues, and bold violet, brings major skater energy and a fresh, vibrant feel. It’s proof that even a mostly white room can be totally transformed with a few bursts of colour and personality!

Top Resene decorating tip: Got a trendy teen who wants to “paint it black”? Relent just a little and transform a tall bookshelf by painting the inside with Resene Blackjack to bring some contrast to the space. To tie it into the rest of the room, choose Resene Bismark for the sides and Resene Alabaster for the shelf fronts.

Mood board

Background in Resene Triple Alabaster, floor board in Resene Scandal, A4 sized drawdown painted swatches in (from top to bottom) Resene Eye Candy, Resene Bismark and Resene Freelance, skateboard deck in Resene Eye Candy, Resene Bismark and Resene Alabaster and box and headphones in Resene Eye Candy.   Accessories: Parker Chair in mint green from Cintesi; Skate Mates by Natasha Vermeulen from endemicworld. All other props are stylist’s own.

Styling by Kate Alexander. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2019

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They call it cubby love

They call it cubby love

They call it cubby love

Before becoming a parent, you really cannot comprehend how much stuff school kids come with – backpacks, coats, shoes, sports gear, swim bags, sunhats, drink bottles … the list goes on! And most of it needs to be easy to grab on your way out the door. That’s where this bold, block-striped mudroom with personalised cubbies comes in. It’s a fun, colourful way to bring some order to the usual before-and-after school chaos and avoid the dumping ground effect!

Top Resene decorating tip:The block stripes are painted with Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen, meaning they also work as a wipeable chalkboard. Write names, notes or reminders, or let your kids get creative decorating their space with white or coloured chalks. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen can be tinted to the colour of your choice, however, mid toned and deeper colours work best for chalkboard walls so that it’s easier to see your writing and artwork.

Mood board

Background in Resene Mountain Mist, A4 drawdown paint swatches in Resene Rice CakeResene CelloResene Enigma and Resene Quarter New Demin Blue. Accessories from The Warehouse.

Project by Annick Larkin. Images by Bryce Carleton. 2021

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More kids ideas from Resene

For more kids’ room inspiration and ideas, visit your local Resene ColorShop and view the habitat plus – kids’ spaces book online. 

Got Rice! Snacks | Review

Got Rice! Snacks are new crispy crackers that are big on flavour, affordable, and moreish for the whole family to enjoy. Perfect for snacking at home, on the go, or packed into lunchboxes.

Got Rice! Snacks are crunchy, flavour-packed rice crackers. Inspired by traditional Japanese senbei crackers, they’re made with premium Japonica rice and baked – not fried – for a super light, crispy texture that’s seriously satisfying.

Each individually wrapped twin-pack is convenient, makes portion control easy and keeps your snacks fresher for longer. Perfect for busy days, quick bites, and people on-the-go.

Available in two flavours: Smokey BBQ or Tangy Cheese. Bold, moreish, and ready to eat straight from the pack, or add your favourite toppings for a quick snack or light lunch.

Allergen info: May contain soy, wheat, gluten, eggs, fish, crustacean, and mollusc due to being manufactured in a facility that also processes these ingredients.

Got Rice! Snacks are an affordable rice snack and available now at your local supermarket in packets containing 20 twin-packs.

Reviews of Got Rice! Snacks

We gave 50 families the opportunity to trial and review Got Rice! Snacks. Read their reviews below.

Read reviews from our trialists

(If you have a product to review, please add your review as a comment at the bottom of the page)

Chrislean Got Rice reviewMyself and my teenage son trialed out the product of Got Rice snacks. We both loved both flavours, couldn’t choose a winner. We loved the tanginess off the bbq and thought the cheese was not too cheesy. The texture we loved so crisp and crunchy. The packaging was super easy to open. We both used these snacks in our lunchboxes and in the car on the way to sports. My son ate a packet everyday at school, till they were all gone. I’ll definitely be buying these again, both flavours. Great price, easy to carry around, awesome flavours, the right size. Usually I’d eat crackers, but having these Got Rice snacks in their own packaging makes it’s easier than putting crackers into a pottle. A winning snack for our family.
vicemw Our kids loved these, thank you so much for the opportunity to trial them. They got scoffed by fussy preschoolers. They’ll be making their way into our grocery carts!
Shantahliacat Got Rice reviewAs a busy mum of 3 children – two school age and one preschooler it’s always a bonus finding a snack that all kids like and this is one of those snacks! Miss 7 described the BBQ as her favourite using the words “very delicious” and Miss 5 said she couldn’t choose a favourite. As a parent I like the handy sized snack packs making it super easy to add to kids lunchboxes for hand over after school or to tide the toddler over til dinner is ready. The convenience and the fact that the pack comes with 20 portions makes it an overall winner in our home!
Ebuceci We tried Got Rice! Snacks and they were a hit. Light, crunchy and not too salty, with just enough flavor to keep everyone happy. The packaging was easy to open and great for tossing into lunchboxes or taking on the go. My kids really liked them and kept asking for more. I’d definitely buy them again for the kids and even for myself as a lighter snack option. We usually go for crackers over chips, so these fit right in. I’d recommend them to other parents looking for an easy, kid-friendly snack.
Yabby90 Got Rice reviewAs a busy mum of 4 (ages 1,4, 8 and 9) these were a welcome addition to our lunchbox and snack rotation. 3 out of 4 kids enjoyed them and have asked if we can add them to the grocery list, so that itself is a huge win. I love the fact that they are individually wrapped in packets of two as it makes it a quick and easy snack that you know is not full of nasties to chuck in the bag and give them when we are out and about. Overall, we would recommend.
Hayley Roil Got Rice reviewAs a busy family of mum and dad with the kids aged 8y, 4.5y, 2y these have been a welcome addition to our family. Its like an upgraded version of baby mummum crackers. These have amazing punch of flavour, either cheese or bbq. Each individual packet has 2 crackers, and there’s 20 in a packet which means they last a the whole week (and haven’t run out after 3 days like most snacks). They were used as lunch box snacks and for the smallest ones while we watched Saturday sports. Quick and easy to grab and go and tide kids over til you got home. When the kids first tried them, they instantly came back and asked for another one! So an absolute winner! We would 100% buy these again, and keep it part of our snacks rotation. We enjoy rice crackers but this is a good substitute.
Lauren0212 I and my daughter (age 4.5 years) tried these snacks. My daughter is a big fan of cheese snacks in particular so she was excited to try these. We shared a pack of each flavor as part of an afternoon snack at home. We tried the cheese crackers first. The texture was nice, similar to a rice cake, but the flavor tasted very artificial, which I did not find appealing. My daughter only had a single bite and said she did not like the taste and didn’t want anymore. We then tried the BBQ flavor, which I liked more than the cheese flavor, but it was still not something I would normally sit down to snack on. My daughter tried a small nibble (I think she was hesitant after the first cracker didn’t taste as she expected), and she did not like this one at all. I personally would not purchase this product since neither I nor my daughter could finish a single pack as we just didn’t enjoy the flavors. However, if a different flavor came out, I might consider trying it. I would also not recommend it based on my own taste, but I could see where others might enjoy the snacks. It just wasn’t something my daughter and I would choose over our usual snacks.
Victoria Gardner Got Rice reviewOur whanau were excited to try Got Rice! snacks and really enjoyed them. My 10 year old son preferred the BBQ flavour but liked the “crispy bite” of both flavours and my 7 year old prefers the Cheese flavour but also likes the “smokey taste” of the BBQ crackers. I enjoyed both flavours and I also really liked that a broken packet was just a cracker in 2 pieces instead of a disintegrated snack! I love how many are in one pack but would prefer them to be in a cardboard box or single bag to reduce the amount of rubbish used. I used these in lunchboxes, a pre dinner snack (when the kids can smell dinner cooking but it’s not ready and they are staaaarving) and had them in our cars snack bag and we only have a few left. I’m not sure what the price point is for these as we haven’t done our fortnightly shop yet but if they are reasonably priced I will be purchasing to have on hand as 2 out of my 3 kids like these a lot.
fliss1 Got Rice reviewThanks for the opportunity to test a lovey new product. We have a 6 and 8 year old in our test set. They were intrigued and little miss 6 did struggle a bit the first time she tried to open the packet (so did hubby though!). Other than a bit of a learning curve to get into the packet (especially if you don’t read according to the 8 year old expert!).

Where/When: Once we were inside the serving size was ideal (one pack for kids two for us as road trip food). We found they were great to “throw in the bag and only once got snapped – an important element for a 6 year old is the staying as one piece when they open the pack and take them out – we had tears when they were cracked.

Lunchboxes were an easy win but we actually decided that wasn’t where we would use them as “on the go” is harder for us to find and these rice crackers worked well after gym/swim/shopping/school as they needed nothing else :-). We had them on the way back from events and longer car trips where we got stuck in traffic!

The taste: The cheese were my personal taste, hubby went BBQ. I would mix them up in future and be keen to have a range of flavours if they are this good. We thought the cheese wasn’t too cheesy and didn’t leave to much of a mess. The hotter BBQ was a hesitant try but then a roaring success with everyone. In this house we liked them all and loved that they were strong but not too strong. Definitely didn’t need anything else with them either which was a big win. A great replacement for small chip packets and way less messy.

Verdict: Will buy again but with all the packaging not too often.

BeckyW1982 Got Rice reviewOur family of five (kids aged 7, 9 and 13) all enjoyed both the BBQ & Cheese flavours of these rice snacks – the kids all preferred the BBQ. I loved the thickness of these crackers – being thicker than the average rice cracker they were definitely more satisfying whilst still retaining a good crunch!

They are a great grab and go option for busy families – we spend a lot of time outdoors so appreciate being able to quickly pull together snacks that will stay fresh all day without too much preparation. That being said I would echo other reviewers in saying that I wouldn’t ever buy snacks that have this much packaging due to the environmental impact.

Overall, the crackers themselves were really tasty, but I probably would give this product a miss in future in favour of a more planet-friendly option!

AGAVE12 We received a lovely box to our door which included the tangy bbq and cheese flavours. Our family members trying these included 2 teens and a 11 year old. I love that they come with 2 snacks in each individual wrapping. We enjoyed both flavours, the texture is like a rice cracker but thicker and more tasty. The bbq one tastes similar to rashuns.They have been an easy snack to add to lunch boxes but I think my teens would need 2 x snacks as get quite hungry at school. These are a great size for young children and toddlers. Thanks again for including us in the trial.
kimcb7 Got Rice reviewThank you for the chance to review Got Rice! Snacks. We are a family of three, two adults and our daughter 13 years old.

We all enjoyed the taste and we enjoyed both flavours the Bbq and Cheese snacks. The texture is light and crunchy and the individual packets are convenient. They are great to put in lunchboxes for school and work. A quick and easy snack.

Our daughter loved the snacks, especially the bbq flavour and we would purchase in the future for the family and for the lunchboxes.

We love crackers or chips for snacks and love that these are baked rice snacks and healthier than some alternatives. I would recommend the product.

Roxliley Got Rice reviewThank you for choosing my family. These rice crackers arrived quickly after school, so a perfect time to try them. They are crunchy and tasty. Miss 11 didn’t enjoy them, Master 8 loved the Tangy Cheese and I prefered the Smokey Bbq. Individual packets to easily pop into the lunchboxes or take as a snack. My kids love chips and crackers and these Got Rice snacks will now be a regular in our groceries. Definitely recommend for families to try. One packet isn’t enough.
tarawr158 Got Rice reviewThank you for choosing us to trial Got Rice snacks. Two adults took part in the review as well as two children- 4 and 6. There was a good amount in each pack- although not a fan of individually wrapped packaging as it’s quite a waste. Texture was good. We are used to eating the Chinese version of these- BBQ flavour great, initially uncertain about the cheese one, was strange tasting at first probably due to being used to having the Chinese version, did learn to enjoy this eventually, a nice mild cheese flavour. These were used as an after school snack when the product were initially received. These next day 6 year old had asked for these to be put in his lunchbox! Both kids enjoyed them, they are a good, easy, tasty snack. Yes I would buy this product for both myself and kids. I would purchase this as an additional purchase to other products. Usually snack preference is crackers/biscuits. Yes I would recommend this product, although the downside would be all the packaging.
Mishakids Got Rice reviewMy 4.5-year-old really enjoyed the rice crackers — he described them as “crunchy” and was eager to have them right after coming home from daycare. The individual wrapping of each portion is a big plus for us as a busy family, making them convenient for on-the-go snacking and easy to pack in lunchboxes.

I would consider purchasing these for both of my children (4.5 years and 15 months), especially as a quick and easy snack option. Our usual snack preference is crackers, so this product fits well into what we typically buy. Personally, I enjoyed the subtle cheese flavor the most — it was well-balanced and not overpowering.

The only downside for me was the smell, which may be due to the product being processed in the same facility as seafood. While that aspect didn’t appeal to me, I would still highly recommend this product to anyone who enjoys seafood or bold, unique flavors.

Overall, it’s a tasty and practical snack that we’d be happy to purchase again as either a substitute or an addition to our usual snacks.

kim007 Got Rice reviewThank you for the opportunity to sample both the Smokey BBQ and Tangy Cheese flavoured Got Rice! Snacks. The individual packages make them great for travelling or a quickly lunchbox snack, however I didn’t love the amount of packaging that is in each pack. It’s not the best for the environment but I understand that it keeps them fresh and crispy.
Our kids (aged 9 and 11) enjoyed both flavours of the snacks, and it was awesome that they were Gluten-free. It was great to see that each individual pack was labelled with the allergens (milk).
I’m not sure that we would purchase these in future, probably opting for a larger pack of rice crackers in future.
Michellesmith19 Got Rice reviewFirst of all, how super fast the box of goodies arrived and we were pleasantly surprised at how generously the box was filled to the brim. Everyone in my household loved it, from my 16 month old to their dad. This is certainly going to be a new addition to our household as part of school lunches and afternoon snacks on the go. My kids loved the flavour and texture of the rice crackers and both of them were a hit. Would love to see more flavours on the shelves to add to the rotation. Once again thank you for letting us trial it out.
briii12 Got Rice reviewThank you for giving us these to trial! They are going down a treat in our household. Quite a tasty wee snack and perfect for lunchboxes. We all enjoy both flavours. Great sized packaging; 20x mini packs inside.
I usually keep to NZ made so not sure would buy for the fact they are made in China, but it’s getting harder to find things purely made here these days.
Jacquizzzi Got Rice reviewI was pleasantly surprised that these came with so many wee multipacks. A big problem I often have with rice crackers is keeping them all fresh and crispy- this solves that problem as each pack is super fresh when opened. Also so handy to pop into lunchboxes or even throw into a handbag to have a snack on the go! Flavour was nice and light- not too strong so it made me feel like a slightly healthier option than heavily coated crackers or chips. Our 3 year old loved both flavours (although bbq was his favourite!) and kept asking for “just one more”, both my husband and I have also been snacking on them and enjoyed them. I would purchase these again for their convenience and kid approved taste, I do think they’re more tailored towards children but I definitely think adults would dip into the stash too!
pheeny Got Rice reviewFor starters what generous packs, so many individuals packets! Kids were immediately ripping them open, Miss 9 -“yummy, so crunchy and delicious, little bit Smokey”, she loved the bbq the most.
Master 7 – “I loved them both, so cheesy and lickable”
Miss 7 – bbq – “sweet and yummy”, cheese – “I like them better than the Mexico chip”
I think they were a hot, very convenient for school lunch boxes and after school grab and go for sports. Lots of flavour and the packaging keeps them fresh.
Lacyr Got Rice reviewMy boys loves these (age 3yrs and 5yrs) my mother also loves it too (age 65)
Great snack size, quite a lot of packaging though so bit to great for the environment.
My 5 year old was sneaking these like lollies so they must be good! He loved both flavours the same he said.
Normally they snack on crackers or chips.
Would likely buy again but I don’t love some of the ingredients in these so would buy again for now and then.
I did not try as I don’t eat this sort of thing.
Kids really loved them though, had great crunch and they loved the convenient size of them I think the most. Get a lot in one package!
Fiona252 Got Rice reviewGreat product. Kids loved them, i even enjoyed them. Great lunch box snacks.
My kids went off other brand of rice crackers but they loved these. Will definitely buy in future.
BrogGray Got Rice reviewOur Got Rice! Snacks just arrived and we cracked into them straight away.
We usually have normal rice crackers then package them in ziploc bags or small containers as soon as theyre open or they’ll go stale, and most of the time we don’t take them out an about as it can be a lot of admin to package them for on the go, but the Got Rice! Snacks are perfect! Not only are they crunchy, taste so yummy and dissolve pretty quickly (good for youngins), they also have consistent flavour throughout the cracker.
The individual packs are so super handy to chuck in my purse as emergency snacks for my 2 year old, in his lunch box, swim bag for an after swim snack or even for us busy parents running out the door to work or just feeling a bit peckish.
The toddler taste test went extremely well, he decided to help himself to another pack of bbq and loved having them with cheese in the side.
I would definitely be buying these again! They are super convenient and fit perfectly into our lifestyle.
Sarahmay99 Got Rice reviewMyself and my 5 year old son tried these today. We loved them, he said “these are really yum, I could eat them all day!” We loved both flavours but my son liked the BBQ flavour the most. They were nice and crunchy and a good size for snacking. The packaging is nice and colourful and you get so many in a pack which is great because they will last us a long time. We plan to put them in school lunches and also have them as a snack at home. We plan to buy this again in addition to our normal snack foods e.g. chips, popcorn. Would definitely recommend to others!
Channy89 Kids absolutely loved these! Miss 8 has sensory issues and it’s really hard to get her to try new things. She really loves the texture and the bbq flavour. Miss 14 on the other hand really loves the cheese ones. I would 100 percent buy these not for the kids but also for me to enjoy as well. They were nearly all gone within 10 minutes. Highly recommend, it’s a 10/10 from my family ❤️
Kippa It was nice trying the Got Rice! Snacks. Everyone in the family tried them including the kids 1, 3 and 13.
Hubby and I enjoyed both of the flavours, BBQ was nice on its own and cheese was nice with hummus. They were a little hit and miss with the little ones, miss 3 liked them one day but not the next.
The cheese flavour was a little too artificial but still acceptable.
The little packs are great to throw in the nappy bag or lunch box for snacks on the go. They do break easily so it pays to stash them somewhere they won’t get too banged up.
The twin packs do mean there’s a lot of rubbish so it would be nice to see them in a more environmentally responsible packaging option.
Missyanne8 Got Rice reviewMy 20 month old daughter and I are huge fans of rice crackers! I loved the light and crispy texture of these crackers, the flavours were spot on, my favourite being the bbq flavour. Tasted great and not overly flavoured like most crackers are. Great snacking portion for toddlers as they never want too much of something! As for me, I was grateful it was individually packed as it is hard to stop at 2! Would recommend these for taste and convenience!
daniellacarey Got Rice reviewMy kids – 9, 11 and I (39y old mum) tried these snacks.
Packaging good for snacks sizes to keep crackers crunchy – but does feel like quite a lot of packaging waste.
Taste – kids preferred the cheese flavour – quite sweet and slightl chemical taste.
We ate them for after-school snacks and also for lunchboxes – very good size for lunchboxes.
The kids enjoyed the products. I would consider buying these for my kids as they are something different but my daughter (11) also noticed the artificial taste compared to the normal rice crackers we buy
I would not buy this as a snack for myself- too much packaging and didn’t enjoy the artficial taste. I would probably not purchase this in place of the normal rice crackers we buy
We enjoy both crackers and chips usually.
Would not recommend this product to others due to the taste.
jesswooster Got Rice reviewGot Rice! Snacks Review – Parent & 3-Year-Old Perspective

As a parent always on the lookout for tasty, practical snacks for my little one, we were excited to try Got Rice! snacks — and they didn’t disappoint!

Taste & Texture:
These crackers have a really satisfying crunch that my 3-year-old absolutely loved. The flavour is bold but not overwhelming — a good balance for both kids and adults. I appreciated that they’re baked, not fried, which makes them feel lighter than many other snack options.

The product:
The individually wrapped twin-packs are super handy. Perfect for being tossed in a bag or lunchbox to have on the go. We use these as after kindy and nap snacks and have a stash in the nappy bag and in the car for on the go munchies.

Did the Kids Like the Product?
Yes! My 3-year-old kept asking for “the crunchy crackers,” so they definitely passed the toddler taste test – the “red ones” aka bbq were his favourite!

I would absolutely be buying this product, it’s hard to find a snack that is convenient and healthy-ish and tasty but these fit the bill! I actually enjoyed them just as much as my child did. They’re light, satisfying, and a nice alternative to heavier snacks like chips.

I’d buy these as an additional snack option. We usually go for crackers and fruit-based snacks, so these would slot in nicely without replacing anything we already buy.

Usual Snack Preference:
We lean toward crackers over chips, especially for kids, and Got Rice! snacks are a great upgrade in terms of flavour and texture.

I would definitely reccommend these. Whether you’ve got toddlers, school-aged kids, or just want a convenient snack for yourself, these are a great choice.

Final Verdict:
Tasty, convenient, and toddler-approved — Got Rice! snacks will now be a staple in our snack stash.

maplan Got Rice reviewThe family enjoyed this crackers. It’s like an upgraded version of baby mum mum which my daughter (8) has enjoyed when she was little. Perfect for the lunchbox – packaging kept the cracker crispy. My husband and I also enjoyed this as a bedtime snack. Both flavours are wonderful but we prefer the cheese flavour the most. It has the right balance of sweetness and tangy. Can easily finish 3 packs in one sitting! Yum! It has a good price point too for $3. Will definitely buy this in our next trip to the grocery. Noticed it’s only available at Woolworths though so it would be good if can be bought at Pak n Save too.
Ruby12345 The kids loved these crackers, and so did we! The texture is super moreish and the flavours were good. Cheese was the winner but BBQ was also delish. A perfect lunchbox addition and the master pack size is great. They have lasted us for ages. Will definitely recommend and repurchase. Thank you!
zackandemiliasmummy Got Rice reviewThank you for the chance to review these Rice snacks, they arrived pretty quickly and the kids were straight into them.
Firstly Packaging – Very attractive packaging with serves being individually wrapped.
Taste – both kids enjoyed them – BBQ was the hit as their opinion was the cheese wasn’t cheesy enough. (I tried both myself and tend to have to agree)
Texture wise – great texture, easy to eat and easily disintegrate making it great for even younger kids
Overall we’re enjoyed and like by both an 8yr old and 11 year old and are a healthier option for snacks and lunch boxes.
As a change from our normal pea snaps which are preferred snacks these are a lovely change. We will definetly look to buy more in the future!
melinda1nz We’ve been struggling with half eaten, “I took a bite and didn’t like it” vibes aaaaalll year! It’s frustrating, not to mention spendy! So imagine our delight when our fussy boys demolished these. Every. Single. Time. So very happy that we’ve got something healthy in a snack-size that they absolutely love! I can’t even decide which flavour was best! They will 100% be a weekly must-have in our house and we will be recommending them far and wide!!

We asked our readers to tell us why they would like to trial this product …

Rudey05 I have 5 boys under the age of 8 years old and I just finding it hard to find them all something they like or allow at daycare or school these days
Micht My kids being homeschooled means they are at home alot as well as meeting other families quite regularly…needing to have snacks like these on hand… so would love for my 3 kiddies to give them a go.
a_codyre I would like to try them and share with my children to have other options for their lunch box
Juliana We usually like rice crackers so these will be good to try. Not sure if they will taste the same or not. Also these are snack size packs which will be great for the lunchbox.
Sexcpinkplayboy I would love to try these, they sound amazing and great snack for the kids lunch boxes when they go back to school. Always up for trying new items to add to the list to buy for school lunches
Bubby22 I like to get new products for my kids to try. This one sounds great and is a better alternative to some of the ones on the market
briii12 I’m always on the lookout for quick and easy snacks for the kids , and they love rice crackers so these would be perfect for us to try.
Ania We are such a snack house and always looking for new things to try! My kids are 7 and 10 years old.
Chantal Always on the lookout for different snacks to give my kids variety in their lunchboxes.
melinda1nz We’ve got two very active and growing boys, so we’re always looking for healthy snack foods that will fill them up throughout the day to fuel the huge amount of stuff we get up to as a family, climbing mountains, skateboarding and trampolining!
IWaghorne Yes please my family is always keen to try new snacks and especially crackers
likichee Our family grew up eating Japanese senbei crackers and haven’t tried this product before. Would love to try and see how it compares.
Megglesmagee I’m always on the lookout for tasty snack and lunchbox alternative. I have two sons aged 5 and 2 who have lunchboxes packed daily. My partner works shifts so would love to have single wrapped snacks that can be kept in his locker to eat as needed.
Yabby90 Having 4 children (9.8.4,1) we are always looking for quick and easy snack and lunchbox items. My kids all love rice crackers so we would love to give something like this a try and see if it could become a regular in our house.
BluffBokkie1978 My family would love to try these as our family loves to snack on these sorts of tasty treats!
ZoeA We are always searching for the healthiest form of yummy snacks, for school and school activities. My kids love variety and these look like their kind of thing.
Kamox Great mess free option for snacks in the car
Mermaid32 Also looking for new ideas for both school and work lunchboxes
KristyW These rice snacks sound good for the whole family. My little ones would love them as well as my older daughter and us parents. Good for the lunch boxes or a snack anytime
Micaella.turner I’ve never seen anything like these, my 3 kids love crunchy things so it’d be great if they’d eat something made with rice rather than potato chips.
Chapman.k1 We have three young children 8,6,3 and they love trying new things and eating !! My oldest Thomas loves baking and so he Loves trying different tastes – we would really enjoy doing this. Thanks heaps for the opportunity
Jenz1210 Always looking for healthy snacks for my girls. They love there food and it becomes challenging to find enough variety for their lunchboxes. Be really good to try something different and possibly more filling.
heatherch33 We are looking for a healthy snack for the whole family to replace those that are laden with sugars & these sound like something that can replace these
Tcmmum As a family of 5 with 3 children we are constantly making lunches and snacks, these would be a great option to try!
Terry100 My 4 year old grandson has just returned from Australia with his mum, and I am sure would love to try these!!
Roxyhoney103 I have 3 kids who absolutely love rice crackers, i know they would be super keen to try these ones! Thank you!
Debrajane77 With Miss 8 being a very fussy child, I am always looking for healthy options for her lunchbox and after school snacks. She loves rice so hoping these would go down a treat!
Andyandbek I have two hungry boys- 9 and 12 (and 4 yr old girl). I am always keen to try new snacks and find something to diversify their lunchbox. Crackers are a favourite in our house.
cashaw87 I am always looking for new and tasty things to put in my daughters lunch box!
maplan For a busy household like ours, would like to try yummy snacks that we could take on the go. Thanks
Pihaweswim We are a busy home school family who have sports almost every single day on top of our homeschool activities so eat a lot of meals and snacks on the go and I am always looking for decent snacks to include in our regular rotation.
These got rice snacks would perfect to add to lunchboxes and keep in our ‘snack bag’ which lives in the car for an extra boost on the days we need it!
amandacam 3 boys, 7, 6 & 3 who are constant smackers and need some cool new lunch box foods.
laoshizhu I think this is a much more healthy substitute for chips!
Laurensmith Our 3 year old is a huge cracker lover – we would love to find new options that he will enjoy (and us too!)
Bevik1971 I’m forever having issues getting decent snack food for my daughter’s lunchbox.  She’s gluten free so makes it difficult and she already has fruit.  Something natural and tasty would be awesome!
Chrislean My family would love this trial, eating the Got Rice! Snacks. We are an active family with sports after school, busy weekends having picnics at the beach or out on walking tracks. The Got Rice! Snacks would be ideal to snack on, the product looks easy to pack, nutritious and the flavours both sound delicious.
Amba 2 little boys that love to snack and anything that make my life easier im in for who doesn’t like bbq flavour
Ruby12345 Daily lunchboxes are always a struggle in our house. Never enough time and always things coming home uneaten. Would love to try a new convenient snack which isn’t full of sugar.
Trinity2013 We love trying new things and describing what we taste and rating the food in our household.
natnat_y3k Have had a similar type of snack to this but it is in the original flavour so keen to try it in different flavours. Great lunchbox essential and a grab and go snack!
Zackandemiliasmummy We are always looking for new and healthier food options for the families and these sound perfect
Michelle Garrett Always looking for snack ideas for my two boys they sound like a good healthy option.
Melandtrinity With 3 growing kids, it’s hard to find snacks they actually like and of course ones the parents like as well.  So really I would just like to try these and see if they will become a regular on our shopping list.
bainbridge.rosemary All 3 of my kids love rice crackers, I am always buying for school snacks and weekend snacks. They love trying all the different types that come out. My boy LOVES BBQ flavor.
T-A Kids struggle to pack their lunches. A convenient snack on the go would be awesome.
Gonzze We would like to try this product  because it would be great for the lunch boxes  and I like that they are individually wrapped and we like rice crackers
HayleyW Always on the lookout for healthy and conformity snacks for my three little girls! A bonus if they can be included in the kindy/school lunchbox as well! We would love to try these as we’ve never had them before!
kelbean25 I need some interesting new snack ideas for when the kids start back at school. Last term was so difficult and most of the time school lunches got brought home as the kids were so bored of their usual snacks.
Mackenzie2025 I think my 3 year old daughter will enjoy these rice crackers and it will give her another option for her lunch box
beckyvaega We LOVE rice crackers and are always wanting to try different ones! Especially if they can easily fit into our school lunch boxes and/or snacks for our movie night, after school munch or long travels in the car!
ridling2 We’re always looking for snack alterntaives in our household – mainly non-potato ones, so this would be perfect to try. Our son also has allergies so sometimes is difficult to find some snacks that he’s allowed and these look perfect!
fliss1 We love rice snacks, have tried quite a few and have not seen these ones before
kimcb7 We would love to try because we are always looking for healthier tasty snacks and I think my daughter would love them to take to school
Pheeny Have three under 10 and they get so bored with their lunchboxes this would make me the cool mum with the best snacks, anything to fill their hungry bellies!!
AmberLouise76 I have two boys (6 and 3) and we have been trying to find new healthy snacks for their lunchbox! We would love to try these out
Shazza00 With 2 growing girls who need a nutritious and varied lunchbox each day at school – we always love a new product!
daniellacarey My kids are celiac abd some rice snacks would be great for them!
Madi I prefer to give my kids healtheir treat and snacks options which has good ingredients and preferably baked and not fried so that their craving is fulfilled without consuming anything unhealthy.
LB80 I have 2 young kids who love trying new products and these look perfect for the lunch boxes or a quick snack on the go.
My son is also gluten free, so these would be perfect for him too.
leannabelle Our boy (and whole family really!) is obsessed with rice snacks so this would be amazing to try and would be perfect for daycare lunches
Sinnermum Love savoury snacks as my kids like chips and I’d like something just a bit healthier and these look and sound great
emmap We like trying new flavors and snacks with our grandson. He has some sensory issues and it can be had finding a snack he really likes.
Fleurwhale They love savoury snacks to take on outings, that are easy and quick to grab in a hurry
Millzy86 Looking for healthier alternatives foe lunchbox and snack options that are full of flavour
Sophie My children are dairy free so I’m always looking for new snack ideas for lunchboxes
melchang this willl be very handy to take out for road trip or picnic or inside kids lunch box for a quick snack
Leabalascopo I always loved eating rice crackers ever since I was in the Philippines. It’s still one of my favourite snacks here in New Zealand. My kids also love it. I like buying the different brands of rice crackers.
Mallie We are a cracker-loving family, especially my son, and these look delicious!
Hipogriff We would like to try something that I on the healthier side bit is also tasty full of flavour
nashabenson Rice crackers are a fav in our house and we are always looking for new snacks for the kids  as they eat so much
Lili I’ve been in a look out for healthier snacks and rice crackers in one of them. We have tried rice crackers from Japanmart and its a pass.  We would like to trial this product and hopefully, it will be a lunchbox or on the go snack.
sinhooilee My family love rice crackers and I thought it’s better for digestion too.
Kana We love rice crackers, we eat different brands of rice cracker ms regularly
maryke.schneider Hi, we are a family of 4, Mom, Dad and 2 very hungry boys. We are always on the lookout for lunchbox ideas and would love this give this product a go. Please consider us for a sample.
Katie Cross Mr girls love rice crackers so much so this would be a very useful and delicious item to have at our home. They would be extra excited to be given a chance to get these
Kclark Our family love snacking on potato chips. These would be a great healthy alternative to try.
Abbey We struggle to find healthy snacks so we don’t have to have the same ones all the time as we have to limit maltodextrin and these have a lower level. Would be great to try them out
Roxliley These snacks look delicious and would be easy for lunch boxes and after school while driving to activities. I’m always looking out for new snacks to try.
miu1111miu Being Japanese, we love rice crackers!
jrjinga I’m on the look out for a healthier alternative to regular potato chips
nikki With 4 kids ranging from 5years to 16 years it is sometimes hard to find snacks everyone likes and I don’t want to buy individual snacks for each person so would love to see if these are a snack everyone can enjoy.
kme We’re always on the look out for affordable snacks for Miss 8’s school lunchbox and these sound yummy so would love to give them a try
vannrose My kids love rice crackers and they love to snack. This will be a good product for them to try, something new but something they would love.
Malonina My daughter loves all the different rice crackers but we have not seen this one before so would love to try it!
Pieterz2015 My children love rice crackers and enjoy having a yummy snack in their lunchboxes or in the afternoons on the go! It would be great if we could be considered for this trail. We would love to try these!
? My kids love snacks like this but apart from rice crackers or normal crackers I struggle find find good options. These sound great.
scanning88 We would love to try this product as they would be super handy for the kids to munch on for the car ride home from kindy and school.
Kerijuice My kids take snacks to kindy and school everyday and they are big fans of anything crunchy, they have tried a couple of rice cracker snacks and some they’ve liked and some they haven’t due to different quality of the taste or maybe the flavours / ingredients used so think they would be great critiques to give back some feedback
Sylvia My family would love to try this product please as we are a happy, busy family, always looking for new snacks on the go. We love crispy snacks and I like the fact that these are baked, not fried.
stepankas My kids love snacking more than they love eating proper meals :). I’m always on a lookout for something healthy for them, and nutritious. This would be perfect for lunch boxes, or just to take with us when out and about.
Son19 We’re a half-Japanese family that LOVES rice & eats it daily.  We’ve been looking for nice rice crackers we can all snack on.
kattdawg I have a 7 year old boy who is quite fussy and I’d love to try out new foods with him.
Lexxx13nz Lunchbox options are getting a little boring nowadays and I’m always keen to try something new with Mr7!
Ckogle The kids love their rice snacks. It’s nice to find more options for them.
hollyw6 I have 3 children (8,7,2) and this sounds like the perfect snack for both home and on the go so would love to try this please!
Jodie.innes My Family can easily demolish a bag of chips so any option that is even a little bit healthier I am all for trying out. Maybe these will get the tick of approval from the household and be a regular in our pantry.
Michellesmith19 I would love to try something new for my 3 kids. It looks like it would be something than can be a game changer in lunchboxes and on the go.
Rachael3 My son love rice snacks, they would be a great addition to his school lunch box
islawatson Isla has just turned 2 and we are trying out new foods to place in her day care lunch box so we aren’t breaching any food policies
my daughter loves rice crackers
palindrome Very keen to have the chance to trial these rice crackers! I’m always looking for healthy snacks that can go into lunchboxes and actually get eaten. If these go down well they would be a very good alternative to bags of chippies. Also, I think they would be a good snack to keep in the car for adults.:)
Lauren0212 My family is vegetarian and love finding new vegetarian-friendly snacks like these! My daughter is a fussy eater, as well, and trying new snacks before buying helps us to be cost-effective.
Nikayla My baby would absolutely love to try these and also think they would be grate for my older children as a snack
Mrsdenacollins My children would love to try these, is struggle to get fruit and vegetables into my 2 fussy eaters, im sure these would be a hit.
raz_1984 As a busy family, we love convenience and these would be great to try!! Rice crackers are always a winner, but hate them going soft or hard because air gets to them before we finish the pack.
Jacquzzzi Love the idea of rice instead of potato! Would love to see what Mr 3 thinks and if we can make it a new staple over regular crisps
Numba5 My fussy girl loves crackers so would be interested in her trying these please
Kwallis16 My boy is a very big foodie and loves exploring new foods!
uptran It seems like a delicious and healthy snack that everyone in our family would love to try
kaaro2243 My boys love snacks and trying new flavors. They will be the best for testing these
Emmathemum My youngest son is autistic. Im always looking for new foods like these to try with him as they look similar to other brands on the market. So this would be an amazing help expanding my sons safe foods list
Debbie2927 My daughter Chloe would love to try these snacks we love rice snacks
Katherine14xx I have a fussy two year old who is picky with her snacks! We’re always looking for new ones that she’ll like
Arlydias We have two boys who take lunches to school and centre. We always buy bags of snack packets – chips, crackers or mini cookies. We always are on the hunt for something that is less on sugar and feel may be rice crackers are a better version. We have tried rice crackers from the Asian shops and would love to try these
Mama-sparkles Would love to sample this product as it’s so difficult finding products that he likes with him having autism and as a single parent thanks
Zeep92 Great snack to have in my son’s lunchbox or in the nappy bag on the go!
Newkiwi Daughter loves the plain rice crackers we buy but the cheese ones would be more up her alley. I hope we get picked and looking forward to more options for her
tarawr158 These products seem like a really good savoury snack for young ones as well as being healthy. Always looking for more lunchbox snacks.
JJensen We would love to try this product because it looks delicious and flavourful. Quick and easy snacks that will fit in lunch box or bag.
Kayladavis11 My partner is gluten free and it’s hard to put snacks into his lunch for him to enjoy, would be a great wee treat!
Kim007 This sounds like a tasty snack for the kids – we are always on the lookout for new snacks to keep things interesting for my kids. They have busy lives with after-school activities so grab-and-go snacks are important.
aw We would love to try this as a new addition to my kids’ lunchboxes
Shantahliacat As a busy family with 3 kiddos – two of which at school we are always looking for easy yummy snack options!
Angelina My kids love tasting new items,  so they can get a better range of items in their lunch boxs
roselley im trying to get the kiddos to snack on healtheier options and they live rice crackers. its a good light snack that they can take ti school or after school care. i want a new alternative
CharlotteHarding93 I’ve got a few fussy children, would like to see if it can be a lunch box addition
Jinxbobbie My son loves rice crackers, we currently get the plain flavour from the supermarket but he would love to try some new flavours
Blairbeaumont Our family has only healthy snacks for school lunches and these look good to try
Cazrock My kids love crackers ! But the box gets left open and they go stale . I think individual packets are a great idea
SherrieM My kids love rice crackers of all sorts for their lunchbox So they would be very keen to try new flavours.
Izzoar We are always looking for alternatives to bags of chips for the kids lunches
Angel_Crystal98 My kid loves trying new products so would be great to see if he enjoys these so we can start buying them .
Rebelsmum Really want my children to get into eating healthy food . It’s important to me but hard work lol . If it’s tasty they will happily eat healthy
GeeOrrJaah We have 1 very fussy neurodivergent child who loves anything crunchy and salty. We are always looking for snack options he will actually eat. The other child is dairy free so snacks containing no dairy are a must in the house.
Shar222 Would like to try something similar but different for the boys and well myself too
Mxtherofchvnce I have a busy family and we are always looking for new treats and snacks to have on the go. I would love to try these and share them with friends and family.
Joedejoe1 I love getting my adhd daughter to try new things. She’s very limited on what she eats.
Katie.e.reed We are always on the lookout for new lunchbox and afternoon teas and these flavors look right up my kids’ alley!
KylaH We are always looking for different snacks for the 3 boys and these look like a great choice!
Monstar05 We love to try something baked not fried, healthier options for snacks are great.
Kelly-jackways My son loves crackers and these would be the perfect snack for on the go
Kaylaaliyah These are all time fav for my daughter! She loves any type of rice cracker snack, she would love to test these flavours which she’s not had yet!
Stace@123 My kids love to try new snacks, would be a good lunchbox filler
AlannaM11 Try them for lunchbox options for both school and work.
Bridget2901 We love rice crackers in this house and also a good on the go snack. I have seen these in supermarket but haven’t taken the plunge yet
Lauren They look like a product that would be handy for snacking on the go, we’ve got a similar product in different flavour in our pantry it would be great to try these ones.
Sarahgardyne My son gets a bit sick of the range old snacks so always looking for new healthy options. These look especially good to take with is to Gymnastics as he goes straight from school so need to have plenty of food to give him energy for his lesson
Amygibbs24 We love healthy and easy lunch options and these look great to try
Laquishab My toddler is always changing what she does or doesn’t like so it’s expensive having to trial so many different snacks to figure out what she likes. And as a mum I’m always needing snacks on the go with 2 little ones
TylerArdern My son is quite fussy, so always open to trying out new snacks that may be a bit!
Vickybijal Wow my kids wid love to try this crackers and give honest feedback. Thy crackers lovers something new to try for them would be interesting..
Libbywa Always looking for new lunchbox snacks for both kids
Zoeflynn Love crackers, chips and all things savoury. Often stick to what we know so great to branch out and try something new!
Campbellfour Would be so great for my daughter!! Being hard with costs atm this would help for snacks
EricaBjerre Something new to add as a lunch box staple
Riverwood Two hungry caterpillars with a taste for good food!  Always keen on new lunchbox snacks that are nutritious yet delicious
Mumma.trex I struggle to find healthy snacks for my 4 kids lunches and id love to give these a go with them
Laceisaako It’s my first time seeing this product and they look like snacks that my kids enjoy eating.
AmandaO They sound delicious and I am always on the look out for new things to put in my kids lunchboxes
Hays123 My oldest child loves  rice cakes! Would love to try these out and see if they’re a fan fav!
Tash03 Trying to look for different and healthy things for my kids to eat.
Newuser94 This is a perfect snack we would love to try, the benefits of being individually packed means this is perfect quick on the go pick up snack.
TiffanyM26 As a busy household of 7 kids (a few with severe aversions to foods) we are always on the look out for new snack options that are a hit with our family, for a snack on those busy afternoons or to fill in lunch boxes.
jzmumzy My kids are big fans of another brand who makes similar product, and would love to try this!
Omgnickel Since we love mum mums and pams rice crackers.. im sure we will love this!
Taimania91 We have a nearly 2 year old lil girl and as of lately it has. Been so hard to find kai she actually will eat its like going backwards to bottles so she atleast gets the nutrients she needs and our 3 year old nearly 4 has superpowers gifted from autism and we’ll he is also fussy it has to be crunchy and salty not to plain textured so trying to find new things that we can add in to his diet
Channy89 My kids absolutely adore rice snacks. I especially love them as they are safe for my 2 year old who is now exploring different foods.
Sorayae20 We are looking for healthier alternatives and these look like a great lunch box snack. We have tried similar but the taste is not their. Eager to see if these are different.
May1993 My boys love the bbq flavour you have now they have them every day!!
Lorenpook My kids love crackers but are getting a tad bored of the ones I buy! They love trying new things
shawneelee My kids love trying new crackers and snacks, will broaden ideas for lunchboxes
SusanMoka06 Would love my kids to try these before I buy them so I know if they like them as they are truly fussy
Hannahraine26 I have 2 boys who are 3 and 6 who love snacks and would be so keen to try these
Ivyjoshuamum My kids used to take certain snacks to school and now doesnt take any as they want something new. I think this would be a good chance for them to try something new.
Kelsey2022 We are trying to find better snacks for our little girl. These look like something she would love and something different to broaden her pallet
Tashplus4 The kids love crackers and fhis could be a great lunchbox treat if they like them!
Missyanne8 My daughter loves her crackers and I would like for her to explore a variety of different flavours. These would also be convenient for snacks on the go and is a good portion size to stop them asking for too many!
Justlivinglifewith5 I believe we would be a good fit, I’ve got a range or ages and children (an extra 5th who is 4 and didn’t fit when I registered). We’re always looking for new snacks to try in their lunchboxes to keep them interesting
Chemarkem We have tried a different brand of similar crackers but the kids weren’t overly interested in the flavour range. It would be nice to find something that they enjoy over summer when we pack lunches for day trips
Missgoldie Our Family loves Japanese Snacks and especially love rice crackers. These would be definitely up my kids alley. We are always on the hunt for tasty easy snacks to give to the kids after school on our way to various after school activities.
Jodijullie Always on the hunt for delicious healthy snacks for my children for lunchboxes or in-between sports and trainings.
Noor22 Me n my daughter both loves snack time and the cheese is our most favourite.
MuddledUpMolly My girls are 6 and 8 and love a good snack and even better to try something new! I know they’ll love them 😍
Flizzle My kids love anything Japanese so I’ll know they’ll eat these if I mention Japan
Brookefairweather I’m about to have a newborn so having a new snack on hand for the almost 3 year old would be super helpful!
Rissa34. We have a child with very disordered eating from a condition called arfid. I’d love to try him on some more snacks without spending money we’re already tightly on a budget with if he’s not going to enjoy
NickyV With a busy household we are always looking for new convenient snacks for when we are out and about with the kids
BrogGray We are always out and on the go with a very energetic 2 year old, i like to be able to reach into the cupboard and grab a snack for him as we run out the door, unfortunately most snacks and chippies are high sodium and not suitable for kids his age. These rice snacks sound perfect coming in small individual packs that will be easy make life a bit easier
Mamouri We’d love to try these crackers because we’re always on the hunt for tasty, healthier snack options the whole family can enjoy. If they’re crunchy, flavorful, and easy to pack in lunches or grab on the go – count us in.
vicemw We would love to try this product because I’m always looking for new things to add to my 3 kids lunches!
Jsoon We buy rice snacks for the kids so would like sample them  to see if the kids like them.
kayjay My toddler loves a food snack so I’m always on the hunt to try new things
Lacyr My boys love rice products so would love to try these! Have not tried yet. They would give their honest review
CourtneyJ We love finding new snacks to try, something nice and easy to pop in a lunchbox or a quick snack between meals. The flavours sound delicious!
Andersonfiona9 Looks delicious, looking for healthy alternates for kids lunch boxes
KimmyK I’m looking for something extra to add to our lunch boxes. These look like they could be a great addition
Nikki900 Would like to try something new for my fuss kids that all have adha and very picky eaters
Kama420 My son loves little snack items that he can hold himself.
BeckyW1982 We are a busy, outdoorsy family and so always looking for new healthy, grab and go snack options!
Lesielib My kids love peckish rice crackers. These could be a good alternative for lunchboxes.
Kaylao81 We all love rice crackers so these would definitely be a hit in our household
MrsRoj My little girl loves rice crackers. That is her usual schook snack
Sarah8491 My children love the ones from a different brand but the bbq can get quite intense for my youngest , oldest loves them. Their only other flavor is original which is quite bland. Would be fantastic to see what these are like and great that there is a cheese option
WAIKATOAAB We love Peckish rice crackers. Thinking we will love these as well.
ashandc We’re currently on the hunt for a new rice cracker that my ASD son will enjoy, as they changed the recipe of his old fave and now they’re a no go in his lunchbox. As these are individually wrapped also, makes things even easier for this busy mum packing wise or even having a few stashed in the car as emergency snacks for the drive home.
Amypapalii We are always look for tasty healthy lunchbox snacks and snacks for all the sports games we are involved in especially for my toddler who requires a snack bag to be the best sideline supporter.
ABoyd My Son loves to snack I’m always on the look out for new tasty things for him to try.
Kaybugmum With 5 Kids in the house we are always looking for new healthy snack ideas. The flavours sound nice and hopefully the kids would enjoy them.
Cj12321 To offer my fussy eater child different options
Caneo I would like to try this because I think it would be a good and nice an easy product for my young daughter to eat
Nikkiburnell Finding new snacks for 2 fussy children would be a bonus. We wiuld love the chance to try these.
reremoanavickyx My little girl is always keen on trying new things. Her favourite thing to do is to get into the snack draw and explore new foods.
Polly Because it’s expensive to buy new items and having a trial run you then know whether to buy on a regular basis or not
Gingerj They sound like a good tasty addition to my daughters lunchbox.
jesswooster My 2.5 year old loves little snacks on the go and always keen to try new things with a crunch.
RebekahP We are out and about on adventures most days and are always on the lookout for snacks that are convenient and tasty to take with us!
ninks.76 Kids think the product would be a good alternative for their school lunches.
Cherij Im always on the run and looking for easy to grab snacks take both my kids like.
sarahmay99 We are always looking for new snacks to try and include in school lunches, I think my son will love these
Lorig I often buy rice crackers for my son who is on a calorie restricted diet
Moosh25 My kids love rice snacks and I’m always trying to find products that my fussy 2 year old will eat
Libbeex28 My son is a big snack eater and loves anything crunchy especially crackers and chips. We have tried something similar before and he has loved them. I love giving him new foods to try too.
AprilObrien1983 Because we love new products and possibly adding them to our groceries.
TeAraMercep The kids absolutely love rice crackers!
These would be an awesome addition to try out for the lunchboxes!
Pahinahera We are all about trying new things new flavors as my kids are always nervous about trying new things. Is it going to be an explosion of flavor?
stacey.sheryn Our kids love rice crackers. Like to try this new flavour and convenience of the small pack.
RobinF03 These look so good!! My kids love rice crackers and I haven’t seen these in the shops – would love to have the chance to try! Thank you
PRAWall I like to have variety in the kids snacks/lunches and whilst they like rice crackers these would be a great alternative and an easy to grab snack for sports too.
louiseweber82 It’s always great to have more options & variety for lunchboxes. The kids are also enjoying rice crackers/cakes at the moment.
Sarahnz123 My kids love rice cracker snacks, we are always on a lookout for a good one especially as the kids are picky with flavours!
Chrisy27 We love looking for new options for school lunches
ShaniaT We are on the hunt for new snacks for our toddler who’s fussy. We are a one income family after healthy and enjoyable our son will love! Once we find something we sit with it long term.
Ruby111 My 3 daughters would love to try these rice crackers, the pams one just arnt cutting it.
Sweetnsassy1 Always on the hunt for delicious snacks, the bbq ones sound Devine!
Mamak We love variety and trying new products that we can include in our regular rotation of snacks.
salmonj My kids love trying new snacks that they could possibly use in the lunch boxes 😌
Portiarose1 4 children who are big snackers with big appetites! I love the idea of small individual packs to discourage my older kids wanting to eat a whole packet at once!
Worrie999 I have 3 boys who love trying new snacks and go through alot of snack and they would give a honest review
mshivani It’s new, and I like getting my kids to experiment new products.
ash21lee Would lovd to try these for the kids school lunches as they take chips and this would be a healthier alternative for them to try
Woutersm We love snack foods. My child is a grazer so would be perfect to add to her daily snacks. We would love to be considered to try and review the product
Msdunnet Love they are affordable and my kids love other rice crackers these look delicious
Marike7209 These would be great healthier snack for my school aged kids’ lunchboxes
Taechan I absolutely love this product and so do both my kids!!
Clonky94 We love trying new things for our adhd autistic child and seeing if we can get him eating new things
Philippawhite Would love to try these flavours they look very interesting and great for school lunches
jecams My kids love trying new snacks. They also love Japanese products.
Celine My family would love this as they are always trying new snacks and are very honest on there opinion.
Bindy Looking for tasty affordable lunch snacks for the children
amyhoneybun My son loves taking crackers to school for his lunch
Kita_29 Something interesting to trail threw calving time
Robmel These look like a great product to have on hand for snacking options. I’d pop a few in the glovebox and kids sports bags.
We would love to give these a try as rice crackers are a firm favourite in our household!
Letitia17 I buy ricenibbles the bbq and salt and vinegar flavour which is a different brand for my kids lunchboxes and i would love for them to try these two flavours from a different brand as an addition to their lunchboxes.
juliereidnz We are always looking for new grab and go snacks for the kids.  Tangy BBQ would be a flavour I am sure our family would love!

Please note

  • You must be a Kidspot member to take part in the trial. Not a member? Then sign up now.
  • If you are chosen as a reviewer, you will receive an email from Kidspot and the product will be sent to the postal address on your registration.
  • Each selected reviewer will receive: 1 x bag of each Got Rice! Snacks flavour (Smokey BBQ and Tangy Cheese). Each bag contains 20 twin packs.
  • Terms and conditions apply, including:
    • Open to Kidspot members 18+ only. Only available for NZ residents.
    • If you are selected, you will be required to use the product as soon as possible and supply a review, as set out in our review instructions.
    • Your name, address, and contact phone number will be given to the supplier for the purpose of delivery.
    • Please note that comments, images, or videos provided by reviewers may be used by Got Rice Snacks on their website and social media channels to promote the product.
    • Click here for full terms and conditions.

GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks | Review

Looking for a satisfying and tasty on-the-go snack that ticks all the boxes? GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks are a fruity treat that will become a family favourite.

Made with 70% fruit and juice (hello, pear juice!), these delicious bites are vegan and allergen-free – so no dairy, nuts, soy, sesame, gluten, or crustaceans.

With 100% natural colours and flavours, GoodnessMe Fruit Sticks and Nuggets are a good value lunchbox essential, after-school pick-me-up, or gym bag grab-and-go. Each box contains eight individually wrapped snacks in eco-conscious pouches made from 65% kraft paper, helping to reduce plastic without compromising freshness. And this favourite snack is now also available in a fun NEW Ropes shape!

Whether you’re fuelling an active day or just need a feel-good fruity pick-me-up, GoodnessMe brings taste, convenience, and peace of mind to snack time.

Reviews of GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks

We gave 50 families the opportunity to trial and review GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks. Read their reviews below.

Read reviews from our trialists

(If you have a product to review, please add your review as a comment at the bottom of the page)

Ceri GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewThese have been amazing. With a gluten free child snacks can be boring so he loves these in his lunch box and even as half time soccer snacks. Currently with a cold he says these are so yummy as he can still taste them. We have trialled the grape sticks and the raspberry and blueberry nuggets which were equally as yum. Haven’t seen the grape flavour at our local but will definitely be looking out for it.
Blairbeaumont These arrived today, my partner and I had to try them first and wow very good! Our 3 kids aged 5,8,9 loved them. Easy to open packagin.
NikkiL GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe received the the fruity ropes strawberry and blueberry and the fruity nuggets raspberry and blueberry.
All three of my kids tried these 12,9 and 14 years and all three loved them, they have a nice soft texture and sweet fruity taste without any nasties! We had these as an after school treat and will add a pack to their lunchboxes as the packs are super convenient size and I libe that they are in paper based bags aswell! These are the best we have tried others are loaded with sugar and are more like lollies. I will definitely be adding these to my shopping list and I would recommend for even the fussy eaters these are yum! Thanks for letting us try them.
Kimmyk GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewI recently tried the GoodnessMe Really Fruity range, and I have to say—these are an absolute hit for both kids and adults looking for a healthier snack alternative. My kids aged 5 and 6 have requested I keep getting them for their lunchboxes!

🟡 Pineapple & Passionfruit Sticks
These were delightfully tropical, with the tangy passionfruit balancing out the sweetness of pineapple. The texture was chewy but not sticky, making them easy to eat without leaving a mess. They’re made from 70% fruit and juice, which gives them a natural flavour without the artificial aftertaste you often find in similar snacks.

🟣 Mix Pack (Strawberry, Blueberry & Nuggets)
This was a fun variety! The strawberry nuggets had a satisfying bite and a concentrated fruity flavour. The Strawberry & Blueberry stick was juicy and bright, perfect for lunchboxes or mid-afternoon cravings.

✨ What I Loved:
• 100% natural colors and flavors
• No artificial junk
• Convenient paper-based packaging
• Portable and portion-controlled (which made it great for a little treat after dinner)

Verdict:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
A refreshing, fruity snack that feels both indulgent and health-conscious. Highly recommended for anyone looking to swap out candy for something more wholesome, especially for kids. We will absolutely get this again.

Jaimeeguptill GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewBoth of my kids (ages 7 and 11) tried this product and really enjoyed the flavour across the range. Mr 11 especially loved both the taste and the texture, while Mr 7 enjoyed the flavour but wasn’t as keen on the texture.

We found the product very convenient — they were easy to pop into lunchboxes and also worked well as a quick, no-fuss snack after dinner. The portion size was just right for kids, and they stayed fresh until lunchtime.

Compared to similar snack products we’ve used in the past, this one definitely stands out for its flavour and ease of use. While the texture might not suit every child’s preference, the overall appeal is strong.

We’re likely to continue using this product, especially for Mr 11 who’s a big fan. I would recommend it to other families looking for a tasty and convenient snack option for kids.

LB80 We were very lucky to be chosen for this trial and we received strawberry/blueberry and pineapple/passionfruit sticks.
My kids love the taste, and I have found this super handy to pop in their lunchboxes or for a after school snack. As a Mum I really like that they are natural with no added sugar, the sweetness comes from the fruit. Its great that they are also packed in paper. We are a also a gluten free family and finding a health convenient packaged snack is amazing for my son, it makes him feel like he is the same as other children who have a packaged treat in their lunchboxes.
I will definitely buy these in the future.
Lollie31 GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewMy daughter 8 and my son 13 tried these products and absolutely loved them. We received the raspberry and blueberry really fruity sticks and also the really fruity nuggets strawberry. The favorite was the really fruity sticks. I pop them in my kids lunchboxes and they also enjoy them as an after school treat. My son is not a big fan of other brands of “gummies” but loved these as it has more of a fruity taste. Would definitely continue buying this and would also 100% recommend to other families.
GONZZE GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe received the strawberry and blueberry and the raspberry and blueberry Mr 11 and Miss 14 and Miss 16 liked both flavors .They didn’t think one was better than the other. I liked how they are made of 100% natural colors in flavors .It’s great how they are individually wrapped So are great for a quick snack or the lunch box I definitely recommend them . I think we’ll buy them again for the kids lunch box
Sexcpinkplayboy GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe received the grape sticks and blueberry/strawberry ropes both my kids age 8 & 5 love them both . They are nice and soft not too chewy and taste great they even let me have a taste very delicious. They have been a great after school snack and will pop them in their lunch boxes as they are a great size and easy for the kids to open. Will definately buy again they have been a great hit. Thank you
pheeny GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe got the passion fruit and pineapple and the grape sticks to try.
Kids (7,7,9 years) loved the individual packets, they were unanimous in choosing grape over passion fruit, they thought it tastes like pineapple and no psssionfruit but still loved it. They want me to buy both flavours again so obviously a hit. They loved the double layer and able to pull the pieces apart (yes playing with their food!) but kept them busy.I liked the paper wrapping rather than plastic, also the wrapping stops it making a messing the lunch box and easy to chuck in the bag as after school snack. I liked the grape the most, but very sweet (definitely made for kids taste obviously and too sticky for my teeth). Very generous amounts, double layer and love the 100% natural colour, you can see the fruit pieces which is fabulous. I would buy it again purely for the conscience and amount of fruit, a lot better than the cake based muesli bars we would usually have as snacks.
Would totally recommend to other mums for lunch boxes and straight after school sports.
Madi GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewThank you for choosing us to trial these yummy snacks. We received Strawberry and Blueberry Straws and Sticks. My boys, 13 and 9 years old, both loved it so much and they want it daily in their lunch boxes now. I liked the way it had clear vegan label and it made so easy for me to know that I dont have to worry about looking at the ingredients that I usually do with other snack packaging as we prefer vegan snacks for the kids for the healtheir option over others. Kids loved the taste and serving quantity is just right for the single time consumption. Yes, we are going to buy this again and try other flavors.
Abbey GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe have been lucky enough to try these GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks, we got the Pineapple and Passionfruit sticks and the Raspberry and Blueberry fruit sticks. They are yum. This comes from a 12yr old girl and her Mum, yes I tried them too. They are very sweet and that led me to take another look at the ingredients, i had mainly looked pretrial at allergens, and I noticed there’s added sugar, which might explain the stickiness. Not that miss 12 complained, and the paper-based wrapper with its’ nonstick inside made for pleasant handling. Really love the reduced plastic packaging.
Being in the cold south we noted they got chewy like toffees when cold but not too much to enjoy and Miss 12 says it gives you more flavour as you can bite a bit off and suck on it as well. They have a slight natural grittiness to them that is “a nice ok”. Their unique flavour combos was a refreshing change.We used these as a lunchbox treat. Their size was convenient as it didn’t take up too much space in the lunchbox. These are better than some of the snack isle comparison products, yet still more of a kids treat than the pure fruit versions that “get old” to kids in their lunchbox. Miss 12 likes them better than the more candy versions and appreciated not having her eczema triggered.We would definitely recommend this to others. Miss 12 loves that it’s NZ owned and operated but not that it’s made in China. So we would buy these but only if the price is low enough to offset that it’s not supporting local like the box infers.
Robmel GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe were lucky enough to try out the GoodnessMe Grape Sticks as well as the GoodnessMe Strawberry & Blueberry Ropes. The kids were excited to try them both out as our local doesn’t stock these two varieties.
For our son that is both gluten & dairy free; he unfortunately has quite “boring” snacks and treats as there is not a lot available on the market.
They proved to be an easy grab and go option!
The boys popped a packet each into the glovebox in the morning and enjoyed them after school whilst feeding their calves on the farm. Being winter there was no issue of being soft or melted, although not sure if they could withstand a day in the car during summer.These are definitely two flavours that I’ll be asking our local to stock.
Finally; I have to mention the price point being affordable.
Inge Waghorne Arrived a couple days ago and what a yummy product. My daughter 7 years of ages absolutely loves these in her lunchbox, perfect for those small snack breaks they get at school. Not overloaded with sugar or artificial products. Hard to find properly healthy snacks these days but this is definitely recommended.
Sarahgardyne We had the strawberry and blueberry sticks and the strawberry and blueberry ropes. My 8 year old son was the only one who got to try them as he loved both so much that he wouldn’t share. He couldn’t pick a favorite as they were the same flavor. He said he loved the taste and the texture. He said the sticks were good as they stuck to his lunchbox better. He had them in his lunchbox but also as a snack after school when he didn’t tell his dad he’d had one already. He also said that they didn’t stick to his teeth which means I’m not as worried about tooth health.

I like that they are something he likes so much but that they also have some nutrients In them. Even though the sticks are a bit stickier I preferred them as felt the sugar coating on the ropes made them more lolly like. We will buy them again probably for snacks at after-school activities and for traveling more than lunchboxes as the packaging makes them easy to have on hand. I also prefer to other fruit snacks as they seem more natural..

Bevik91 GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewThanks for the trial of these yummy treats ☺️. They were tried by our 12 year old daughter and Mum & Dad also got to eat some! We had the Really Fruity Sticks Grape and the Really Fruity Ropes Strawberry & Blueberry. Love the new environmentally friendlier packaging, easier to get into than the old ones. The grape sticks were a bit sticky and could be a bit messy but we all liked the taste of them, thought they were flavoursome and a good snack size, so a yes from all us on those.

The ropes were great! Love the size of them and that they are a bit easier to handle as they had some sugary coating. These were big hit with all of us as they tasted great and were very moreish 😋.

I would definitely purchase both of these items again as they are perfect lunchbox treats without being too unnatural and delicious!

spap006 GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewMixed response from my testers. Strawberry nuggets and grape sticks.

The primary school age found the nuggets “so-so” , but the grape was an instant no with only one bite taken.

The adult found the packaging a bit fiddly to deal with and the sticks had a very sticky surface. The grap flavor took a while to come through (possibly why the primary school kid rejected it).

The teenager tried both and also thoroughly read the box. She found them to have a nice flavor although she preferred the grape to the strawberry. She also noted the sticky surface of the grape and found it got stuck in her teeth.

However, she liked the fact that they were vegan because she could then share them with her vegan friends. She is also very into the environment, so was a fan of the new packaging and she was very positive about the idea of you donating to Kidscan. She did say she would prefer if the product was actually made in NZ.

Victoria Gardner GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewOur whanau received a box of Pineapple and Passionfruit really fruity sticks as well as a box of Raspberry and Blueberry really fruity Nuggets and they are both a huge success in our whare!
Me and my kiddos aged 10, 7 and 5 all liked the Pineapple and Passionfruit sticks and were pleasantly surprised at the thickness of them. These were my 10year old’s favourite snack. It was a great snack for the car ride between dance class and football training, a sweet treat to tide us over until dinner time. I would definitely buy a box of this as it was a crowd pleaser.
The Raspberry and blueberry nuggets were also a fave for the kiddos. We added them to the lunchboxes for a day of scootering and playing at the local BMX track and my 10 year old said he thinks they would be perfect in a homemade scroggin mix so they are on the shopping list.
Thank you for the chance to add 2 new items to our snack rotations! We are looking forward to trying out the other yummy looking flavours in the range.
BeckyW1982 GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe regularly purchase GoodnessMe fruit products so were all excited to try the Strawberry and Blueberry Ropes & Pineapple and Passionfruit Sticks, neither of which we’ve seen in our local supermarket.

Both products were, in general, a great hit with the kids (aged 7, 9 and 13) – the Ropes are a fun novelty and all of the kids agreed that whilst very similar in flavour to the Nuggets that they’ve tried before, they preferred it in this shape – a much more fun choice and I noticed that it disappeared much more quickly!

My 7year old decided that she wasn’t too keen on the aftertaste of the Pineapple and Passionfruit sticks, but both of my older boys enjoyed the new flavour – and loved the chewiness of the bar, which gives it a real ‘lollies’ vibe.

Overall – I’m a big fan of these products, they are a great treat for older kids’ lunchboxes and it’s so great that they’re in paper packaging which feels much more planet-friendly than other similar products on the market! We spend our weekends exploring nature as a family so these are a great sugar hit during a long walk or active outdoor play: a perfect, tasty little energy boost!

DawnThomas GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe received the Grape and Raspberry/Blueberry Goodness Me fruit snacks, and my two kids aged 10 and 8 absolutely loved them. The taste was a big hit – fruity and not overly sweet – and the texture was soft and chewy, much nicer than some of the tougher fruit snacks we’ve tried before. They’re super convenient for on-the-go – we’ve used them in lunchboxes and as a quick energy boost after sports. Compared to similar products, these feel more natural and better quality. I’ll definitely keep buying them, and I’ve already recommended them to a few other parents. A new favourite in our house!
juliereidnz GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe received the pineapple and passionfruit sticks and the mixed nuggets and sticks packs to try.
From the moment the box arrived there was high excitement to try them. Both kids (ages 13 and 11) begged to have them in their lunches. I also used them for a post sporting treat which was a nice alternative to offering lollies.
The pineapple and passionfruit sticks were the clear favourite, both kids loved the flavour and the texture. The mixed berry flavour was also enjoyed but if we were to continue to buy them I know they would ask for the pineapple and passionfruit every time.
I probably wouldn’t use them as an everyday item in their lunch, but will definitely continue to use them after their sports, or as a half time energy hit. The serving size is just right for this purpose.
Thank you for the opportunity to review, this product is now a firm favourite. 5 stars!

GoodnessMe fruit snacks review

Melse GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewMy family (2 adults and 2 kids aged 6 and 9) were lucky enough to try the Pineapple & Passionfruit Sticks plus the Grape Sticks. The 2 adults and 9 year ofd preferred the Pineapple & Passionfruit flavour as it wasn’t quite as sweet, the 6 year old preferred the Grape flavour – but she tried the Pineapple/Passionfruit one first and declared it 11 out of 10 so obviously still very highly rated!
Everyone loved the texture of the sticks, chewy but not overly stick-to-your-teeth chewy. I didn’t realise it was 2 sticks until I read one of the reviews above! I had to open another packet to see if mine were too. They were but were very hard to separate so I’ll just stick to eating it as 1 big stick.
Taste-wise the 2 adults found them too sweet. 9 year old found Grape too sweet and couldn’t finish it but really enjoyed the Pineapple/Passionfruit. Our sweet-toothed 6 year old loved the Grape taste. “It’s just like Hubba Bubba!”.
We used these as an on-the-go snack while out for a walk. Really ideal for something to quickly put in the backpack for a hike or as something to have as a pre/post sport energy boost. They really are a treat and I wouldn’t use them in a lunchbox or afternoon tea snack due to the sugar content.
I would compare these with the Annie’s fruit bars which we haven’t bought for a long time because of the high price but they don’t have added sugar so much prefer them for that reason (they are still considered a treat in our house as have 6g sugar/serve as opposed to the Goodness Me Sticks with 9g/serve).
I will probably purchase these if we are planning a day out as they are conveniently packaged and everyone enjoys them as a treat.
I would recommend these as a very tasty treat!
rubyblue GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe received Grape sticks + Raspberry & Blueberry Sticks
14yo son tried both, and his preference was the Grape … in fact he ate 3 in a row!
At that pace they’re an expensive treat, but I’m also happy that he liked them. I have boxes of opened snacks, where he’s eaten 1 and left the rest because he wasn’t a fan. So these are a definite winner, and I’ll be buying them again.
I’m not worried about the sugar content, he’s active in sports and super skinny, and the sugar will be a good energy hit. I will use these as a pre or after sport snack…. if there’s any left in the box!
Sin Hooi Lee GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewI have received the Raspberry & Blueberry Fruity Sticks and Nuggets. My 14 year old was very excited to open up the boxes and immediately realised that the packaging is very environment friendly. The next day she has taken to school in her lunchbox and she loves it, finding it not too sweet and not too sour, especially the coating on the nuggets. While my 19 year old finds it a bit sweet, but she likes it as this fruity sticks/nuggets can last her much longer to consume comparing to other snacks when she has it in between her university lectures. Apart from that, both my husband and I have also tried it when we went on a hiking trip. They are a bit sweet for us too but it’s a super quick and good source of energy booster! I like the packaging which can easily open and pop into your mouth without touching the sticks or nuggets.
I will plan to continue getting some of these fruity sticks/ nuggets as its natural ingredients, however, with its high sugar content, I would say it can only be a treat though.
Would recommend it to others to try, but will also let them know of my findings.
kim007 GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe received the Strawberry and Blueberry Rope along with the Pineapple and Passionfruit Sticks. Our kids (11 and 9) loved them! They are a nice sweet treat with the goodness of real fruit. We particularly loves the packaging (no plastic) and the fact that they are Gluten and Dairy free (which is a must in an allergy-friendly house like ours). We will definitely be purchasing these in the future as a better alternative to some of the other brands of frui bars around.
jakesmum6 GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe received strawberry and blueberry sticks plus nugget pack.
They were sampled by my 8 year old boy, my 21 year old Daughter ( who is a teacher) and myself.
I found the stick a bit hard, and stuck to my teeth, the nuggets are coated in fine sugar to obviously stop them sticking together but I didn’t really like the obvious sugar.
The taste of both was really nice and fruity and was enjoyed by all.
We sampled them at home and also my 8 year old took them to school in his lunch box (apparently they are a great bartering item amongst friends but being allergy free I have no concerns about this)
I really liked the sustainable paper packaging that can be recycled reducing the need for plastic wraps etc that end up blowing around the school play areas.
I like that these snacks have all natural colours and flavours, however, at 9.4 grams of sugar per serve, I feel like the sugar content is just too high, and we would only buy these products as a special treat VERY occasionally
However we enjoyed the chance to try them out for ourselves, as my child has seen them on the shelves at the supermarket and I’ve always said no. So thank you for the chance to trial these.
Would I recommend these to others?… Probably not. I think the sugar content outweighs the fruit benefits and their are other healthier lunch box options out there.
Bindy We as a family were very excited to be given the chance to try there snacks and as a wee added bonus my son 12 who can’t have gluten can also have there we received mixed pack of sticks and nuggets and also the pineapple & passion fruit sticks.
Very easy to open, soft and sweet hard to believe there is no added sugar. Master 12 loves the taste and now they will be added to the shopping list miss 16 has said it’s really good and she also cat believe they are all natural.
VionaG GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewI’m so excited to receive GoodnessMe Really fruity. We got strawberry & blueberry ropes and Pineapple & Passionfruit sticks. All my kids age 13,12 and 10 years loved them, including myself 🙂 I love it’s individually packed with paper-based packaging. It’s perfect for lunch box and snacks on the go. Also it’s best option for sweet treat rather than candy. It has nice texture and not too sweet.
I’m definitely will buy this on my next grocery time.
MeganPorter GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewMy son’s 9&5 were very excited to try this product, especially for the strawberry and blueberry ropes! They were the favorite for both kids, but they also loved the sticks. As a mum I tried the sticks to give them a go and they are quite nice! The texture isn’t too sticky compared to similar products we have used. They also aren’t too sweet and super easy for them to open themselves out of their lunchboxes.
They both had them at school in their lunchbox which makes it easy in the morning to just pop them in, they also had them after sports practice and one for my youngest while waiting for sports practice to finish!
Both my boys are dairy free, my youngest has lots of allergies and this product is free from many allergies which is awesome for peace of mind, and something that he can be included in eating as it tastes great (this can be hard to find with lots of allergies sometimes!). We will buy again, try some other flavors, and definitely recommend to others, especially in the allergy community! Thanks for letting us try them out.
ari314sa GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewWe received the Grape Sticks and Strawberry Nuggets. The nuggets were a huge hit for everyone in the family (adults included, kids are 2 and 5). I was expecting it to taste quite light but each nugget had so much flavour, it was very enjoyable and it’s like candy for the kids. My 5 year old also loved the grape sticks but she isn’t a fan of getting her hands sticky so she ate it with a fork. The grape sticks personally I found too thick for my liking.

I would definitely buy the nuggets for the kids. Very convenient for their lunch boxes and as an afternoon snack. We sometimes buy the fruit gummies they sell in the supermarkets but I would recommend these instead, it’s hard not to eat ourselves!

Sharon Goldsbro GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewReceived in quick time yesterday after school the Fruity Sticks in Raspberry & Blueberry and Strawberry & Blueberry too.

Both girls immediately had one of each – and proclaimed the Raspberry to be their favourites – altho little difference in preference as they liked both. Today each of their lunch boxes also had a couple each as they wanted to share with a friend at school. Sticks are a good size and easy to open.
Will be buying!

maplan GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewMy daughter (8) tried the Really Fruity Nuggets – Strawberry and Really Fruity Sticks – Grape. She enjoyed both flavours but loved the sticks the most. She said it was sweet, grape-y and so yummy! It was definitely one of the best gummy she has tried. Strawberry nuggets were fruity and yummy too but a bit tricky to eat – the size of the nuggets were too small and some fell.

Definitely something we’d consider for her again as a special treat.

Jodijullie GoodnessMe fruit snacks reviewThis is already a brand and product we purchase often however these were new flavours we hadnt yet tried. We tried the Grape Sticks and they were delicious, we also tried the Strawberry & Blueberry Rope – we have had the nuggests before that are similar but this was in a long string – I thought this was awesome so did the kids.
They taste amazing, so delicious and even better they are a healthy snack on the go.
Quick to pop in the sports bag for a snack in between sports, super easy packaging to open – These will definitely be added to lunchboxes! Tried by myself 31 and 4 children (12,9,7,5) 100% recommend.Definitely something we’d consider for her again as a special treat.
Ruby12345 The kiddos thought these were the best treats in their lunchbox. The pineapple bars were super sweet and the berry strings were the favourite. The adults have definitely snuck a couple for a late night snack! Would buy again sporadically and as a treat. Not an everyday lunchbox food for us. What an epic sampling opportunity thank you!
mermaid32 All of my kids (11-17) loved these!
Something different for lunchboxes, and also a great snack when rushing between school and sporting activities and, for my oldest , the gym.
They like all the flavours. The packs were easy to open, and they weren’t messy to eat.
I would limit these due to concerns about dental health, but great as an addition to other healthy lunchbox foods.
Saltycaramel We had seen but never tried these. We got some nuggets and sticks. The kids didn’t like the nuggets so we actually used them in fruit muffins and they raved about them for weeks with tinned peaches and also in some cookies rather than chocolate chips they were so much healthier.

The sticks they loved we have had to put every flavor they love them so much I think they love they can play and eat them but I tried both and I like the the most too.

Definitely be buying again the long ones but maybe leave the nuggets but I’d even eat them as a healthy fruit snack I thought they tasted like lollies too.

We asked our readers to tell us why they would like to trial this product …

Rudey05 My boys have always wanted to try these but they don’t fit into my shopping budget.
Micht We have tried goodness me products before and have enjoyed them…would love to give these a go and give honest feedback.
Aaroxy2004 I am always in search of healthier snack options with minimal ingredients for my children.
Jamielucina Im forever trying to find lunch snacks that my kids enjoy and what to eat
a_codyre Trying to find healthy alternatives for school and day care lunches.
Juliana Im always looking for different lunchbox treats, if I was a kid I wouldn’t want to eat the same thing every single day. I like that they have used sustainable packaging too.
Em.hendo We are always looking for fun, healthy and delicious snacks for on the go, during soccer and after school
Bubby22 I like trying new snacks for the kids. This one sounds like it would be something they would like.
Ania We love these snacks and would love to try the new varieties on offer!
likichee We are always keen to try healthy and yummy snacks for the kids.
Samdavies As a nut allergy family, we are always on the hunt for new nut-free snacks! We love GoodnessMe products!!
Aaditi.behal I wanna try so I can get an additional snack idea for lunchbox or trips.
melinda1nz We have two growing lads, aged 8 and 9, who are very active, getting up to all sorts of things as a whānau, from trampolining to climbing mountains and skateboarding. So we’re always looking for healthy snacks to keep on hand throughout the day to fuel all this activity! These look like they fit the bill while also being delicious at the same time!
Megglesmagee Packing lunchboxes with food that will be eaten is becoming a chore. I’ve seen these at the supermarket and would love to give them a go to see how they would go down. Love that they are 70% fruit, so a much healthier alternative to a lot of the lunchbox products on the market.
EL My 9 year old recently came home from school asking me to buy one of those “fruit snacks” that his friend has. Being health conscious and budget conscious, im not too sure about buying these type of snacks for my kids due to their sugar content and health benefits. Being able to try it out before buying it would be helpful, especially if it is advertised as being a relatively “healthy” brand.
Sexcpinkplayboy I would love to try these for my 5 & 8 year old they will be great for their lunch boxes when back to school after the holidays and look like great tasting. Always looking for new things to purchase frequently for them
Serena My children love lollies. This is a healthier option for them
Kamox Looks delicious – options for lunch boxes or to tie them over to dinner
BexE Finding affordable and healthy food for lunchboxes is getting harder. We grow a lot of our own fruit, but I always like to put in a little treat. These sound perfect!
BluffBokkie1978 My family would love to try these tasty treats as we are always looking for easy snacks to take with us when we leave home.
Yabby90 We love fruit snacks in our house and these look like they might be a more nutritious and healthier option to what we currently having. We are always on the lookout for quick and easy snacks as being a large family we are constantly on the go.
Melse They sound like the perfect nutritional snack for lunchboxes or an afternoon tea sweet treat without having anything artificial. We are always on the look out for natural snacks and ways to get extra fruit & veges into the kids
Micaella.turner My children can be fussy and lunchbox snacks that have real fruit and are enjoyed by my kids are hard to come by. I’d love to find new snacks they enjoy without buying products to see if they like them and wasting money when we are a single income family.
ZoeA My kids have tried similar products before and they love them. They are a handy size for lunch boxes and any form of fruit I can get into them is a win! They are so busy with sports it’s great to have a go to selection of snacks.
Mermaid32 These look like great little lunchbox treats, and also good for quick boosts at the kids martial arts trainings and rugby and football games
Nic239 Looking for more healthy options lunchbox treats for the little one
Jax We love quick on the go snacks for school lunches, sports or just needed a quick boost and I feel these are perfect item for the kids!
Kristy The kids feel like they’re having a real treat but we know they’re just real fruit. They would all love them to add to their lunch box or at home
Jenz1210 Always looking for something healthy for lunchboxes and to add some variety of my girls. They live their food and have big appetites.
Joannatiare I love to try new snacks with my children, and they are always excited to discover new lunch box ideas. Thanks
Chapman.k1 They love yummy bars and we haven’t tried those flavours and we need new things for lunches !! This would be wonderful thanks heaps for the opportunity
Nekes Have never tried these and I think they will be great as a snack and perfect for lunch boxes.
Tcmmum As a family of 5 with 3 children we are constantly making lunches and snacks, these would be a great option to try!
Terry100 I would love for my 4 year old grandson to try these. They would be a great treat!!
Debrajane77 Miss 8 is very fussy with her lunchbox foods for school. I am always on the lookout for healthy alternatives and these sounds like something she might actually like
maplan I’d love my daughter to try this as she got multiple allergies and limited option for snacks. Thanks!
Ceri My son loves any quick snack at half time in soccer games so a tasty fruit juice snack he would love
AubzLyss I have two very active kids who play a lot of sports and love good snacks to satisfy their cravings and help them stay energetic and we are already a fan of Goodness Me products. The Strawberry nuggets are a lunchbox staple of ours so we’d absolutely love the opportunity to try Grape sticks and Strawberry and Blueberry ropes. They’re the perfect sized snack for on the go, we keep a few in the car for treats on spontaneous trips.
Pihaweswim We are a busy homeschool family and have sport almost every day and I’m always looking for decent snacks to give my kiddos they to the next activity or while watching a sibling at their activity.
I like the sound of these being allergy friendly as we have friends with allergies and I am conscious of what goes in the lunchboxes on the days we see them.
I love that there are 8 packs because then I can put the extras in our ‘snack bag’ which we keep under the passengers seat in the car for those times when trainings go on a bit longer or someone rates everything from their lunchbox (that was supposed to last the whole day!) by noon
Roxyhoney103 They love fruity things so this would be a super yes to try in my household, thank you!
Latesha I’m always looking for new tasty snacks to keep the kids interested.
cashaw87 This looks like a Delicious lunchbox option for my daughter! We would like to try before we buy.
anandacam Our boys love “fruit straps” & this would be a great new product to try – & it looks like they’re cheaper than the normal ones that we buy them so this could be a win-win all round!
I Waghorne My daughter loves trying new products especially those lunch box fillers
laurensmith We always love finding new lunchbox snacks that our 3 year old will love and are full of good stuff
Bevik1971 I’m always on the lookout for healthy snacks for the lunchbox, my daughter is also gluten and dairy free so makes it even more difficult!!
laoshizhu Fruits in supermarkets are getting expensive now and this should be a good substitute for fresh fruits.  And they are easy to be prepared and packed for lunchboxes!
spap006 My younger child is very into these types of fruit snacks. She is a very active dancer and has dance straight after school a couple of times a week, so having quick and healthy snacks to help carry her through are important. Also, her school is an enviro-school and her older sister is into environmental activities, so having wrappers that has an eco-conscious perspective is also a plus for our household.
Trinity2013 We love trying g new foods and describing the flavours and rating in our household 😁
Hania83 My boys love to snack, and I always try to fid something healthy for them.
Ruby12345 Daily lunchboxes are always a struggle in our house. Never enough time and always things coming home uneaten. Would love to try a new convenient snack.
Amba Anything quick and easy to make my life better we are a big traveling family so snacks are always the best option i also as an adult love the ropes for that sweat treat
natnat_y3k Great lunch box addition that is packed with all natural goodness and vitamins in a convenient and sustainable pack.
courtneyjaderalph Love to try new things for school lunches. Both my kids are fussy in different ways so I would be interested to see if they like these.
Lauren.m.fick My daughter is neurodiverse and often picky with foods , your brand is one that she will always eat and always loves, be it lunch box or just snacking
Chrislean Each family member would love to try these GoodnessMe nuggets and sticks for different reason.
I’m looking for a healthy mid afternoon snack at work. Instead of a sugary biscuit, I feel these fruit snacks would be more ideal.
My boys want to have them in their lunchboxes or to grab a packet on their way in the car to sports practice. A quick and easy snack. My husband travels in the car a lot for work so he’s looking for a fruit snack that gives him energy and is easy to open and eat.
AngelaSW Our whānau really enjoy the GoodnessMe nuggets in strawberry, and raspberry & blueberry, so would love the opportunity to try some of the range that we haven’t tried before.
Raj I’d love to find a healthy snack for my boys to eat
Melandtrinity Finding healthy options for lunch boxes that actually get eaten and asked for again seems to be my mission in life lol.  But that’s why I want to trial these on my family to see if they like it and will eat them.
Kclark My children always beg me to have sweet treats in their school lunch box. These seem like a good alternative that I would be happy to buy as a treat.
T-A I would like something easy to snack on that provides nutrition
lauren.eve My 3 kids like to make their own lunch boxes for school so to provide something new and a healthier alternative would be great!
Dra9onWarrior81 Hello,
These look like a great treat to try and of course my kids love treats, being that they are special needs they like to try different products that could expand their diet. Thank you for considering us 🙂
Julie.hsien my 4 year old boy really likes fruit leather, so I’m keen to let him try these
Terrinnz Would love something new and exciting for my son’s lunch box
Yes please 🙏
Ebuceci Always looking for new snacks for kindy lunchbox and for on the go
Hayley W Our three girls LOVE dried fruit so I’m always on the lookout for healthy and convenient options for them. We would be super excited to try these (in any flavour!).
Gonzze I’m always looking for something different for my son’s lunch box and I like the sound of these healthy snacks  It’s great how they are  made of natural flavors and colors and  are individually wrapped so that’d be good for his lunch box
ridling2 We have trouble sometimes finding healthier sweet snacks for on the go use! Our drive home from daycare is 45min each way so I have a snack stock in the car, this loks perfect to try out for my little one and for dad as well who loves a sweet treat.
None of his allergies are in here either which is awesome!
fliss1 We are the grandies for a couple of very active girls (gymnastics 6 hours a week) so these would be interesting to see if they supplement instead of treats when they are with us.
Mischella We have tried a similar product which was a big hit with my son and I have been wondering about these for a bit of a change! We love products that taste like treat but incorporate healthy ingredients. These would be great for his lunchbox or a car snack.
Pheeny We are fruit-a-holics and would love the opportunity to try so delicious new snacks to fill bellies, they need easy to grab snacks for post dance,rugby,tennis, school.
kimcb7 We are always looking to try new great tasting, healthier snacks as a family and they would would be great for school too.
AmberLouise76 A healthy alternative to treat food!
Shazza00 Love new products and always on the hunt for goodies to keep the lunchboxes more exciting!
sheelaz We would like to try this product because it is allergen free which is perfect for the kids
Mackenzie2025 My daughter would love to try these fruit snacks. She has a sweet tooth and these snacks are a healthier alternative for her. I like that the fruit snacks are vegan and gluten free as well.
shellv Yes please Kidspot, my family would love to trial some GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks. It’s always a challenge finding healthy lunchbox snacks that aren’t loaded up with ingredients they don’t need. I usually steer away from individually prepackaged snacks because of the plastic waste, so it’s great these come in eco conscious packaging. The fruit combo flavors also sound delicious too!
ShonaRussell Would be a great gluten free snack for the kids lunch boxes
Billyquad My kids would love to try these in their lunchboxes
daniellacarey My kids are celiac so any new gluten free snacks are great!
Mummyof3 My kids love fruit snacks of every kind. I’m always looking for healthier versions and ones with less plastic packaging. We’ve tried the strawberry nuggets and kids loved them! The grape flavour sticks I know will be a hit. The ropes also sound fun and a bit different to thongs we usually have.
Madi I prefer to give my kids healtheir treat and snacks options which has natural ingredients rather than artificial so that their sweet craving is fulfilled without consuming anything unhealthy.
LB80 As a single Mum it can be hard to afford or find natural healthy snacks for the kids.
My son is also gluten free, and these look like they tick all boxes.
We would love to trial these – thanks
aditi im always looking at sometime new to give my children, i like the idea of natural sweetners/no added sugar and if they like the taste it would be my go to for their lunchboxes
Sinnermum Always on the look out to sneak in fruit as my kids love lollies like gummy bears and rollups right now, this looks like such a good replacement
emmap Both our grandchildren who like with us had allergies to some foods and stomach issues so finding an allergen-free snack would be really great
Fleurwhale To see if it’s worth trying them in lunches for school, to ensure the kids like them.
Natalie With both being autistic They need more fruit it’s so hard to find things they like
Millzy86 My kids eat roll ups and fruit strings would love to try a healthier alternative that is still full of flavour for the lunchboxes
Sophie My children are dairy free so I’m always on the hunt for different snacks for them to try
rubyblue I’m forever looking for healthy snacks that he will actually LIKE!  Usually I’m giving them to him for pre-basketball game eating
Leabalascopo All of us in the house like eating this. It’s also healthy for the kids.
Mallie I love that these have natural flavours and colours. These would be great to have in the bag for an on the go snack
Hipogriff I want to try get my children to eat more healthier snack foods and these are made of 70% fruit juice which would be good for them
nashabenson We buy these when they are on special for the kids lunchboxes so would love to try different flavours
Jakesmum6 We are often looking for new lunchbox/ snack ideas, but with so many on the market it’s hard to choose what is right for you family.
sinhooilee This will be an excellent fruit product to add into lunchbox especially during winter time, with additional Vitamin C.
maryke.schneider We are running out of healthy snack ideas. The boys are always snacking and this could be a healthy choice for us. We would love to taste these. Please consider us.
Katie Cross We love snacks on the go but healthier options are always a must with my girls busy schedules. Always looking for new options that might give them a difference option
Roxliley My kids absolutely love this products and have them most days in their lunchboxes. They enjoy all the flavours and would love to try the ropes, as they sound like fun to eat.
miu111miu My daughter loves anything fruity and would love to see if this will be a good snack for school
Abbey Love the idea of fruit treats. My daughter loved a similar when she was really little and ate herself out of that love… I would love if she found it again and she is willing to try these out on here so please help me add a little extra joy in her lunches. She is allergic to so many snacks, it can be hard to win the lunchbox challenge lol
Emma My kids love trying different and new things for their lunches. They have tried the sticks before but nuggets and ropes arent something we have seen when doing our grocery shopping so would love for them to get to have then
jrjinga I always appreciate trying new fruit based snacks to encourage my daughter to try new foods and expand food range
kme We are always on the lookout for cheeky ways to get fruit into our Miss 8 and these sound perfect way to disguise as a snack
vannrose It would be nice to introduce new snacks to the kids. My kids love to snack so they would love to participate in reviewing this product.
Zackandemiliasmummy We are after some healthy fruit filled snacks for the kids lunches and snack times. These seem perfect
Malonina We really need a new lunchbox hit so would love to try these out!
Alisha Halverson I’m always looking for snacks to add to the lunchbox or car for easy on the go snacks and these would be a big winner with my kids. Also love that they are allergen free and safe for  school
Lucasde It would be a special treat, to try something new together, talk over what we love and discover new products. We also love fruit , interesting to see if we would get products everyday after the initial trial
Pieterz2015 We would love to be considered. My kids love these! Always want to buy them when we go to the shops. We haven’t seen the grape flavour or the ropes before so they would love to try them!
gcnz02 My older child often wants fruit snacks like this but it’s not something we usually buy because a piece of fruit is probably a better option. Our 3 year old is allergic to some nuts, he’d love these an an option.
scanning88 My family would love to try this product as it would be such a great addition to my kids lunchboxes! Super handy during the after school and kindy pickup as well when the kids are a bit hungry on the drive home. We would love to give them try.
albabe GoodnessMe fruit snacks are a tasty, healthy and satisfying fruit snack for all the family.
Kerijuice We have been wanting to try a few more healthier fruit and vegetables alternatives for our family but my daughter has had a lot of texture aversions to different fruits and vegetables even though she does like certain fruits and vegetables she has a hard time eating some of them if they are dried or some fresh so I’d love to see if these fruit bars or these type of way these are prepared would work for her type of texture sensitivity and my son loves all sorts of food so he will just be a great critic in general
MavisT We like to find nutritious and tasty snacks for school etc, and these flavours sound great.
SarahNz I’d like to offer a healthier sweet snack option to my toddler
stepankas My boy (8 years old) is very fussy when it comes to fruit. I’m trying to introduce him to all sorts of “forms” of fruit so he can realise how yummy fruit is.
My girl loves these already.
Perfect for on the go snacks
Son19 My daughter loves fruit, and novelty snacks like this.  She’d enjoy trialling these.
mamabear0408 I am a single mother , I am on loose ends and am needing school lunches for the kids . All my kids will be trying these as they love them and I cannot afford to buy them every week .
kattdawg I have a 7 year old boy who is quite fussy and I’d love to try out new foods with him.
Lexxx13nz My son currently has Long Covid and has become very fussy with his eating. He is still requesting fruit leather though, but we have not tried these ones yet. Excited at the possibility of adding something new to his shrinking ‘likes’ list of foods!
Ckogle We already love these products but haven’t tried the ones selected. We would love to be selected to try these.
Jodie.innes I need to find the perfect after daycare snack to help my children from hitting that afternoon witching hour before dinner. Please let these be it.
Torie01 We have tried the other flavors and would love to see what these are like !
steff I think this would be a great pick me up snack whilst studying.
MDCrump Better for them than lollies! Haha
Michellesmith19 I would love to trial this product and see if it would be something that I could add to their lunchboxes. It’s difficult finding healthier options that the kids would enjoy. We are a busy family on the go and I am always looking for better snacks to take along.
Rachael3 my son is hard to feed when it comes to school lunchs, this would be the perfect snack for him, these are his favourite fruity flavours
islawatson i am trying to give treats to my daughter but nothing lolly like

i would love my daughter to try these products as theyre contained of lots of fruit etc

palindrome Always trying to get the kiddos to eat more fruit, so this product looks like a good one for our family to consider! I like the option to try both the sticks and the nuggets, and am curious which one will be more of a fan fav in our home.

Also cool that this is a dairy and nut free healthy snack 🙂

Lauren0212 My family is vegetarian and love finding new vegetarian-friendly snacks like these! My daughter is a fussy eater, as well, and trying new snacks before buying helps us to be cost-effective.
rebeccam Master 12 and Miss 15 are very fussy and only take snacks to school for lunch, so always on the lookout for different things to try. Thanks Kidspot and Goodness Me for considering our family to try these products.
Nikayla Kids have always wanted to give these a try
Cheyanne My son would love to try these as a treat
raz_1984 We already love other brands and would love to try these ones! 2 very active girls, it’s great finding new products they can grab and run. 1 more particular on food than the other so finding them something they both love is a winner. Would love to see if they both would eat these.
Jacquzzzi Looking for new lunchbox staples and different snack/treat options! Would love to see what Mr 3 thinks
Michellelove I’ve seen it in store but haven’t bought it incase my child doesn’t like it. I would love to try to see if it is something she likes and we will buy.
Kwallis My boy is a big foodie and loves exploring new food
uptran2000 It seems like a delicious snack that everyone in our family would enjoy
Emmathemum With a big family i am always looking for good snacks to try. Having the chance to trial first is such an amazing opportunity
kaaro2243 My boys love these and would love to try the new flavors
Katherine14xx I’m always looking for snacks that my daughter will like. Some nights she refuses to eat meals so snacks are all we can get in her
NikkiL I’m really trying to bring more healthy options into our home and make better food choices for the family but this can also be costly so would love to see if we enjoy them and can add them into our snacks 🥰
Erientjes We lobe trying new things! And both my boys are total berry monsters
Arlydias Always on the look out for snacks for school lunches for my boy
Don’t feel comfortable buying bags of food products we have not tried as they may not eat it or May be too sweet or salty. Would love a sample of these to try so we could trial and make a choice for our pantry
Mama-sparkles Would love to sample this product as it’s so difficult finding products that he likes with him having autism and as a single parent thanks
Zeep92 We try to avoid overly processed foods and minimal refined sugar.
My son looooves fruit and this would be a great treat for him!
Melclare We would love to try the flavours we haven’t had before. Will be good to test out for a new snack.
tarawr158 Sounds like a fantastic way to get more fruit into kids, a way that is easy and tasty for them. Always looking for more lunchbox snack ideas.
Kelbean25 We love dried fruit snacks in lunches but haven’t tried your brand yet
Kayladavis11 Try for my partner and I, nice wee treat to take to work!
Lili I’m after healthier sweets for my family because we all have a sweet tooth.
Kim007 We would love to trial the GoodnessMe Sticks and Ropes as with a busy household of active kids I’m always on the lookout for snacks that are healthier and a bit more nutritious than roll ups for example. I love the sound of the sustainable packaging too. One of my children is on a GF and DF diet too so being able to find appropriate snacks for her is important for our family.
aw We would love to try this as a new addition to the kids’ lunchboxes
Shantahliacat As a busy mum of 3 we are always looking for delicious on the go snacks, especially before dance class!
Liz181 These would be treats we love trying new products & bonus if they are healthy treats!
Cat My child is fussy and I’d love to try different options for snacks for her.
Angelina I love my children  to try a new range of food , they all seem to like different  things
Megzyp This is the way we can get our autistic son to eat fruit
CharlotteHarding93 Fussy few, seeing if it can be a lunch box addition
Blairbeaumont Our family has only healthy snacks for school lunches and these look good to try
Cazrock We make our own fruit roll ups at home and I would love to find a product the kids love so I don’t need to make them !
Romc Trying to find new healthy things to add to her lunch box
SherrieM To have more variety in their lunch box. Easy grab and go fruit snack alternative.
Izzoar Our family is always looking for ways to get our kids to eat healthier and this seems like a great and healthy option for them
Rebelsmum Always interested in healthly snacks for my babies
Naomi Looking for a healthy little treat for the kids lunch boxes.
GeeOrrJaah Fruit & vege is so hard to get into our neurodiverse 7yr old, anything with added goodness is awesome, while avoiding additives that we believe affect behaviour.
Miss 4.5 loves anything like this but so many of the similar options contain unnecessary ingredients and become more of a lolly.
Mxtherofchvnce We are a family always on the hunt for new snacks and treats for on the go or lunchbox fillers,we would love to try these and share with friends
MISSY2024 My four year old has started kindy now so would love to try some of these as a snack in her lunchbox, she loves fruit so would love to try different things like this
Joedejoe1 My daughter has adhd and I struggle to get fruit into her. These would be perfect she’d think she is having treats
Lramsay Always looking for new snack ideas especially for lunchbox at school. A very fussy 5 year old
Katie.e.reed We love this brand already but are super keen to try out the new flavours for lunchbox snacks!
Tylermaree000 We’ve had the sticks we would love to try the others!
Shauntelle.lee My kids love the nuggets! And also a great lunch box filler for school
Wmary We try to limit added sugars and this looks like a great healthy but delicious special treat/snack.
KylaH The kids would love to try these!!! They have been asking when we see them at the supermarket the pass few weeks they look delish
VionaG We have lots of sports activity after school and the kids always looking for snacks on the go. I like to have healthy snacks for them and also for lunch box
Monstar05 We love healthy, well designed snacks that don’t make us feel guilty for snacking
kelseeymaee Always see these at the supermarket but go for cheaper alternatives! Would love to try these ones in the lunchbox!
Kaylaaaliyah My toddler and two extra kids who I take care of sometimes absolutely love having these included in the daily lunchboxes! Nice quick snack for when we’re out walking also!!
Taylorcleall My toddler would absolutely love this as he like to try new things and even better wen they taste like fruit
VictoriaWalshe Want to try a new healthy snack that would be good to add to lunch boxes or grab for a snack on the go.
Stace@123 We would love to try these because they sound really yummy, love the flavour choices. My kids enjoy trying new snacks and would be an awesome lunchbox filler.
Bridget2901 We love reviewing things great way to introduce new things and I’m a big beliver in word of mouth so I’ll tell everyone bout them and then rebuy
We also love getting mail!
Brittm We are a growing family with newborn twins on the way so an easy but healthier snack would be ideal to try!
Lauren We have tried some of the range and have been really impressed we would love to try some flavours we haven’t had before
Hailsnz It is a healthier snack alternative to most of what my kids snack on. Its an easy on the go option on the long drive home from school or sideline snack while watching sibling football games.
Sarahgardyne My son isn’t a fan of fresh fruit but will eat dried fruit this looks like a way to get fruit in to him that he will love.
Carla11 I’ve been looking for a good healthy snack for my boys lunches, love to have a couple options as I have a very fussy boy too! This would be great to try for my fussy boy. Thanks
Amygibbs24 My kids love these in their school lunches and would like to try the 2 flavours they have not tried before
Nikayla33 We have tried the strawberry nuggets a few years ago and the kids enjoyed them. Would love to give the new flavours and other options a try and see if they are just as good
mcasa357 My children love fruit but don’t like regular bars. I think these would be a big hit and a great option for lunchboxes.
GINAS We would love to try this as my boy loves blueberries and i’m always looking for new snacks to keep him full
TylerArdern My son is severe ADHD so I am slowly adjusting our diet to more natural school snacks to help his overall health and wellbeing
Jaime We would love to have a try these as they sound delish. They would also be perfect for my oldest lunch box and to have on the go!
Lara They like these types of fruit roll ups, but I’m looking for an alternative
Emilyroberts59 Looking for healthy lunchbox options for our growing girl that have a variety of flavours and options
Smile4me With lots of kids in the family we spen a lot of time out and about or travelling and are always on the lookout for tasty and healthy snacks to try, especially things that are not messy in the car!
skyla11 My daughter has seen these in the supermarket and would love to try them. I think they would be a great healthy lunchbox alternative to some of the other products on the market
Vickybijal My girls love the fruits sticks and ropes. Would love to try the new flavor and try different brand. Would give honest feedback for sure. Please pick us.
Angelgirl081 Our family would love to try these GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks as we are always keen to try new foods for the lunchboxes. There are other fruit snacks brands that my kids always want in their lunch, but those brands are high in sugar so I don’t like to buy them. I would love to be able to give them this healthier option to see how it compares and I love that there are a range of different flavours available.
Libbywa We are always after easy snacks for the kids in the go
Zoeflynn Looking for more variation of things that I could buy and put in lunch boxes or have in a bag on the go.
rwoo090 My daughter is well and truly in her snacking era so I’m keen to try some more natural options for on the go ease !
Campbellfour This would be a great snack for my daughter for on the go, she loves to snack and am wanting some fun and healthy options
Louise2022 My kids love other products of this style and would be great for them to try a healthier alternative.
Celinec My son loves anything sweet and chewy! He is getting tired of muesli bars and I think these would be perfect! I also think they would be a great addition to the lunch box
Mumma.trex I am always trying to find healthy products my kids will eat that I can put in their lunchboxes
Laceisaako They’ve tried the other flavours and love them. But we’ve not seen the other flavours we selected in our local stores yet.
AmandaO My 3 year old refuses to eat fresh fruit, so it would be great to try these to see if this is a way we can get some fruit into her. They would also be good for my 6 year olds lunch box.
Hays123 My son is a huge fruit fan of some types of fruit, hoping to try him with something different for the fruits he’s not keen on or hasn’t tried yet!
Tash03 Looking for something different and healthy for my kids to try
Loumik My children love the goodness me brand and would love to try new flavours
TiffanyM26 As a busy household of 7 (and a few with severe food aversions) we are always on the lookout for new snacks that are a hit with our kids , for those busy afternoons or to fill in lunch boxes!
jzmumzy My kids and I are huge snackers, we also love to try new snacks for school.
Caitlin15 Both my children love your products. They would eat the whole box as soon as we get home from the supermarket if I would let them. They are the number one snack in our household and would like to try different flavours.
Taimania91 We have a nearly 2 year old lil girl and as of lately it has. Been so hard to find kai she actually will eat its like going backwards to bottles so she atleast gets the nutrients she needs and our 3 year old nearly 4 has superpowers gifted from autism and we’ll he is also fussy it has to be crunchy and salty not to plain textured unless he kicks it and the taste sells him then it is very hard so trying to find new things that we can add in to his diet
Gemmil16 We love this range! Me included. They make great little snacks for the kids and it’s great as a mum knowing they are fruit juice
kateMS My children have been trying to convince me to buy these. They saw a friend with them at school, and we are always looking for easy lunchbox fillers.
Sorayae20 Looking for less preservatives in food but don’t want to affect flavour. I usually make at home but I would like to get something to pick up if need be.
Channy89 Great alternative to lollies without all the nasty stuff. My daughter who is 8 is on the spectrum and it’s hard trying to find healthy alternatives to her “safe” foods. Would love to trial these.
May1993 My boys love these products already! They are great for bribery
anzac_waltz my child loves fruit snacks, prefer natural like ingridients compared to other artificial brands
Lorenpook It’s hard finding snacks that are not artificial and full of yucky ingredients nowadays, fruit can be expensive to buy too
shawneelee My kids love other lolly type snacks but never tried these ones, they would love to give them a go
Ivyjoshuamum I would like my kids to try and show them the taste of the product. Let the to Taste of goodness.
Hannahraine26 My 2 boys love snacks, and we’re always looking for new things to add to lunchboxes
Samskelly Trying to find more snacks my 20 month old will eat
Kelsey2022 We are always looking for more healthier snacks for our daughter, all kids love to have snacks/treats but we want better options and these looks perfect
Mel89 My daughter is very fussy when it comes to foods for her lunch box would love to introduce new healthy options
Becslea Awesome idea for school lunches and day trips
Tora22 My daughters are so fussy be nice to see if they will eat them
Emmzip My children love the goodness me range and would love to try these new exciting products
Missyanne8 Currently on the look out for a variety of healthy snack options for my toddler as we have only given her 1 snack option (crackers). Would love for her to explore more foods also
Stelley22 I’m always trying to find healthy snack options for my girls. I know the like the fruit nuggets, I’m sure they’d love to try the grape bar and the rope. I love that these are made from real fruit
Cecilena101 We are trying to find healthier snacks for the kids for their snacks
Wai My kids love these snacks and I also find them quite affordable. We don’t have many flavors available in our rural community.
Justlivinglifewith5 We love being able to try new snacks to keep lunchboxes exciting and tasty. I have a good range of ages and different tastes that will give a good review 🙂
Chemarkem We occasionally like to buy extra school snacks that aren’t muesli bars, for them to have once a week.
sana2001 We have tried some of the other flavours of the nuggets and would be interested in trying the sticks.
Missgoldie Always looking for healthy snacks to give the kids on our way to after school activities or on the farm.
Kirsty.jeremy I have a teenager who only likes to take snacks to school and a 7 year old that loves his bento box and these would be great to trial in there.
I also run a home based daycare and these would be a yummy snack for my little ones to try
Samcargill24 We love natural products, have tried one flavour and my son raves about them 🙂
AleshiaW I have a very fussy 3 year old and always looking for new lunchbox/snack ideas
Jodijullie Always looking for healthy interesting snacks for lunchboxes and in between sports training and games to keep the kids going.
Noor22 My kiddo never eats in kindy but whenever i give her these sticks she love them but they are too expensive for me to buy every week.
Karendryden8 Always looking for good snacks that are a bit healthier but still feel like a treat
Kayla8 We’re after something different and a little healthier for the lumchboxes.
MuddledUpMolly My girls love to try new things and especially yummy lunchbox treats like this!
Miss_Kissi My 2 year old has several food allergies  so finding snacks that cater to needs can be tough. These look great!
Flizzle The convenience and my kids told me they’re like lollies so it’ll be nice to have a healthier replacement.
Apaigey These are a staple in our household and would love to try the new flavs as they are not available at our local store
Rissa34. My son has arfid so his eating is very disordered, your nuggets have been one thing he’s been willing to try for us lately, so we’d love to try more flavours.
NickyV We are always looking for healthy convenient snacks for when we are out and about with the kids, would love to try these
Brookefairweather I’m about to have a newborn so having a new snack on hand for the almost 3 year old would be super helpful!
BrogGray My son is obsessed with Raisins so I know he will love these! And would love to give him a variety of different treats to try
Mamouri our kids are always excited to try new snacks—especially ones that are fruity and fun to eat. If they’re tasty and a healthier option, that’s a big win.
vicemw We would love to try these as we’re looking for snacks the kids would actually eat!
DLHOUGHTON My daughter absolutely loves these,have brought 5 packs of them this week,she’s obsessed and I love the fruit nuggets
astipasty I am looking for more lunchbox ideas that are easy but a better nutritional choice.
Lacyr We love these sorts of products but have not tried this brand before so my boys would love to try and give their review.
CourtneyJ We’ve tried versions of these but it’s been a mixed reaction from my son so I’d love to give this brand a try and see how it compares!
NatashaHamilton My kids are obsessed with fruit and we love trying new fruit snacks
mcgoverntribe4 We have just discovered these healthier option snacks and would like to try more!
Andersonfiona9 Natural and looks flavourisium
katiea We would like to try GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks because they’re a healthier alternative to typical kids’ snacks made with real fruit, no added sugar, and no nasty additives. They’re convenient for busy days, lunchboxes, or after-school hunger, and they offer peace of mind knowing your kids are enjoying something tasty and nourishing
sng064 Natural products with no added sweetener
KimmyK I’m looking for something extra to add to our lunch boxes. These look like they could be a great addition
Nikki900 Would like to try something new for my fuss kids that all have adha and very picky eaters
Viarnmirko We would love to try these products out as both my girls go to kindy and we’re packing a lunch box 5 days a week(sometimes extra for weekend picnics)  and always trying to find things to fill the lunchboxes and our pukus and always keen to give a healthier alternative a go!
Kama420 I have a son that is very picky,he does enjoy things in little packets he can hold
BeckyW1982 We are a busy, outdoorsy family and so need nutritious grab-and-go snacks to fuel our adventures!
Xkatiepiex My daughter is already a huge fan of the Goodness Me sticks – she would love to try out some of the new flavors and types, especially the pineapple passionfruit!
Trinity93 We would love to try as my autistic son seems to enjoy them and we would love to try other flavors not at our local supermarket
Lesielib I’m trying to find a healthier alternative to roll ups
Abbefinne We love the strawberry and blueberry sticks so would love to try a different flavour
Kaylao81 We would love to try your products as my son’s both love roll ups and I think these would be so much healthier
MrsRoj I wanted for my little Hailey to try healthier snacks as she now starting to like  sweets.
Nickyleigh12 Would love to try these for my fussy eaters to be able to give them more options.
Lollie31 My kids loves little snacks for their lunch boxes for school and thos would be a great addition.
Aimee369 Im always trying to find a new healthy snack for my children to try. And new lunchbox ideas
Sarah8491 Always on the hunt for real fruit snacks, I usually get my youngest son iddi biddis but they becoming hard to find and aslo not ideal for my oldest as the wrapper is suited for a younger crowd. The goodness me products look great for all ages, will be fantastic to find them both something to pop in with their everyday school lunch.
ashandc Now we’re coming up to school term 3 and as a busy solo parent, I’m always on the look out for convenience meets health, when it comes to snacks for my son.
Amypapalii We are always look for tasty healthy lunchbox snacks and snacks for all the sports games we are involved in especially for my toddler who requires a snack bag to be the best sideline supporter.
ABoyd These seem like a healthy and yummy snack I think my Son would enjoy, he can be picky with things like this.
Kaybugmum I am interested in trying snacks for the kids lunchboxes, we have difficulty finding healthy snacks that all the kids enjoy.
Adelle My kids love the goodness me sticks so would be good to try ropes and other flavours
Cj12312 My son does not like fruit so I hope he will like this…

Would love to be part of this

Aimee.mcwilliam The kids are always asking to buy goodness me snacks but now we can try them out to see if they enjoy them which I’m sure they will
Nikkiburnell Getting healthy snacks to try wiuld be amazing so i can see if the children will eat them. Then i can purchase if they enjoy them
Gingerj They sound like a delicious healthy addition to her lunch box.
Polly Child really loves fruit sticks and doesn’t know it’s good for them so win win
RebekahP We’re always looking for fun snacks for on the go. We’re go on a lot of outdoor adventures and need easy treats to keep the energy up!
Kotahi.Aroha With 7 children in total and trying to eat my natural foods, this would be great to try and hopefully add to our lunches and “healthy” snacks and treats.
MichealeV95 We love finding easy lunch box additions to make the daily routine easier and healthier
Leelee We’re always trying to.find new healthy products that we can pop in the lunchbox for when we head into town to do jobs or go for a drive.
Faithcarag Our kids loves fruit snacks, gummy look like. They enjoy sweet with health benefits snacks. This is suitable for afternoon tea, picnic time, lunchbox. 🙂
Urabus We’ve never really had these in their lunch boxes but would love to have the kids try them as we will repeat buy if they do
Sarahmay99 This is my son’s favourite fruit snack. He has it at school and at home. He would be so excited to try some new flavours.
Whitewolf.nz89 My family love to try healthier treats and my son love fruit sticks so he would love to trial these for school lunches please.
Kellie1986 Always looking for healthy and tasty snacks for my kids at home and school
Lorig It’s difficult to find good lunchbox options. These would be good to try!
Storm98 We would love to give these to our babies to try We are always on the look out for delicious and healthy snacks.
Samtron We’re always looking out for new convenient lunch box snacks
Jody.jones My two would love to try some different flavours. We sometimes buy these in our weekly groceries for lunchboxes or weekend snacks.
Moosh25 My kids love anything with fruit in it, fruit roll ups. I am looking for healthier snacks to give my children and would love the chance to trial this snack.
Ma2003 My children love their goodness me treats but we haven’t tried the flavors I have ticked because they never in stock
Libbeex28 We haven’t tried these two particular flavours before so we would love to give them ago. They make great lunchbox fillers and I don’t feel guilty as I know they are a lot healthier treat then others products similar ie fruit strings, gummies etc.
Amyt My children love gummies etc in their lunchboxes we have loved previous flavours of goodness me sticks and nuggets so I know my kids would love to try all and any new flavours
Mummaxox My family would like to try this product as it is so hard to find lunch box items they will actually eat, even better they are healthy.
AprilObrien1983 Because my kids are fussy so be good to give them something new to try.
TeAraMercep They look like a great snack, would make an awesome addition to the lunch boxes!
Pahinahera My family would like to try these products as we are always trying new things to have in their lunchbox. Not only are we looking at taste but the overall product… is it easy to open, is it easy to chew?
Jacinta22 My two kids are autistic and would love to try them on these before I go out purchase some as funds are tight so I truely don’t have money to waste if they didn’t like them however if they do it’ll be amazing
stacey.sheryn Always looking for healthy, lunch box snacks to fuel our busy kids.
RobinF03 We never buy packaged snacks as we bake a lot but my kids always beg to have ‘packaged’ stuff like their friends at school!! These look so good and not just a crappy sugary packaged snack – actually has decent ingredients in them! I think my kids would absolutely love these. Thank you
PRAWall With three sets of taste buds it’s hard to find snacks that they all will eat, especially ones that are healthier but they think are treats!
louiseweber82 It’s always great to try new products & have more lunchbox box options. One of our children are coeliac so it’s especially great to have gluten free options & variety for him
Sarahnz123 My kids always need a snack wherever we go. It would be great to have one that is healthy, tasty and convenient to carry with me.
Angel2711 My kids are a fan of fruits and this product I know will be a hit in my household when my kids try this
avalonyy7 because by kids tend to enjoy different things so I’m always trying to get them to try and taste new things
DawnThomas As a gluten free household we love the current selection of products. Would like to try more.
123 My daughter doesn’t eat fruit – she might eat them this way fingers crossed
Savagemama Healthy alternative snack my fussy boys may like. Good option for snacking or school lunches.
HLRobo We’re always looking for lunchbox snack options, especially with two children about to start school. It would be great to find a nutritious snack that the kids enjoy that feels like a treat.
Linkin_141 Id like to try it to see if my kids would enjoy thins in thier lunchbox for school.
ShaniaT We struggle with finding snacks for our toddler that is nutritious but also he will be happy to eat! And with everything costing too much lately it’s hard to explore the ranges.
Ruby111 I have 3 very active girls that love fruit, these would be ideal to pop in there lunch box or even on the way to and from sports
CHEYLATAHI Would love to try natural fruit flavourd snacks that are good for my child
Natashaandtribe As having different age groups they can be fussy so would be great to get something they all love
Sweetnsassy1 We are always after healthier snacks for the lunchbox, these look delicious!
Bromitted65 My son absolutely loves your products, we go through atkeast 1 box per week !
Jaimeeguptill Mr 7 is super fussy and doesn’t eat many fruit/veg this would be a great way to try get extra nutrients into him
Mamak I love incorporating new items into the kids lunch box so they dont get bored and have variety! All three of my children are big eaters so would jump at a chance to try these snacks!
salmonj Because my kids are very big snackers and love trying new things 🙂
T Our babies love lollies.. as all kids do. These look like a very good alternative especially for kindy lunches. We have tried the strawberry nuggets before and the kids love them. I wait for them to go on sale at pak n save, I have never seen these flavours near me. I think I would sneak a try too!
Clairereice My daughter has a sweet tooth and I need to find a healthy alternative to full sugar lollies
briii12 Always looking for a handy healthier snack in our household. This would be perfect to try.
Portiarose1 All of our kids are huge snackers, with big appetites! I’m always looking for new snack options to offer them, especially sweet but balanced options.
Ztuapola22 Kids would love to try them as they like to try different flavours and possibilities of getting them in their lunch boxes
Worrie999 I have 3 busy boys who love trying new snacks and with 3 boys we go through lots of snacks so trying these would be amazing for them to review
RachelCurley I love buying products that are good for my kids and foods that both kids will enjoy
Rallzee Both of my children have a sweet tooth. So I would like to try a healthier option or even one that my kids will eat. My 5 year old has autism and is very fussy so hopefully he would like these nuggets as an option in his lunchbox
Natashaw Trying to find other healthy snack options to increase the variety of lunchbox options.
MeganPorter My kids would love to try this product, my 5 year old has numerous allergies so this product being dairy and nut free is awesome so he can feel included in a food choice! My oldest is also dairy free due to a chronic skin condition so this would be something they can both enjoy!
Bbwj I have recently began making lunchboxes and love to learn about new healthy and tasty snacks for the kids to enjoy at lunch. My children love to try new foods!!
mshihani My kids love taking these same of a different brand as snacks to school, but I noticed that these come in strawberry and blueberry and I’m sure my kids will love them.
ash21lee We are always trying to find a healthier alternative to school lunches and would love to try these for their lunches ive tried the roll ups themselves and my kids complain that their teeth are sticky afterwards so this would be so much better, thank you
Tatayana My kids love these, they haven’t tried grape or pineapple and passion fruit ones since they sell out all the time at our local supermarket
Woutersm We love on the go snacks. We would all try this and happily review the product
We like the idea of a fruity snack, as my toddler is a fussy eater so would be great to try out and give honest feedback.
Msdunnet If I can find healthy snacks for the kids that have fruit in them I’ll try it
Bberry Healthy on the go snack. Several flavours to satisfy different childs tastes.
Kirsten671 Have heard about the product by a few people but have never tried them for ourselves
Marike7209 These would be great to try in lunchboxes or quick after school snack.
Monkeykeeper Miss 8 is my most fussy child and last week the doctor said that her blood test for celiac disease came back positive.  I need to find yummy gluten free snacks so that she doesn’t feel left out when her siblings have nice things.
Taechan I think this would be the perfect healthy snack for my two kids. My son is 4 and my daughter is 1
Lids My kids really need to eat more fruit as there fussy, this would definitely make them 🥰
Falz1990 Would like to see if this is something we can buy going forward
Clonky94 We struggle to find things for our 7year old banana anaphlaxis child and our  5 year old adhd autistic child and would love to try these out
hayleytrushell My children are always keen to try something new in their lunchboxes and discuss anything new with their friends
Philippawhite My girls love trying new products and these look simple to try for lunches.
Caitlin.mckewen My kids love a healthy fruit treat, they have been asking about these for a while so would love to try before I buy
Would be a great addition for their school lunches
Twinmummy04 My childrenove anything sweet n fruity more natural the better for my piece and mind we would love to try these
Celine My kids have tried certain flavours of this product and have loved them.
Bindy My youngest is gluten free so trying to find tasty treats that he can eat
Kita_29 A little treat for the kids in their lunch box for school
Robmel We would love to be considered to give the GoodnessMe fruit snacks a go!
With 3 boys and our middle being gluten and dairy free it is hard to find on the go treats that they can all enjoy. (Usually Mr 8 has to have something not as exciting) these are the types of treats we would pack for afternoon tea on the way to swimming lessons or whilst at early morning hockey games.
I haven’t yet come across the grape flavour in our local store or the rope variety so would be interested in trying those two flavours out.
Letitia17 I buy alot of these fruitsnack products for my kids school lunches and they love them and i would love to try some new flavours with them.
Cefrost My son is an active boy who is very adventurous when it comes to food and snacks. We are always looking for new options – he is also at an age where he can give feedback
Cushlamartz My son loves these, hardly eats but always eats these
Kaydel My kids haven’t tried these flavours, would be an awesome opportunity for them to try these. They love the nuggets and the pineapple sticks. They aren’t fussy and would appreciate any flavour use have to offer. They would also likely share with there friends.
CourtzM17 We are always looking for new snacks that my 3 year old would enjoy to keep him intrigued and excited
Knast263 We struggle to get kids to eat fruit so would like to see if they would like these
Sherri my family love fruit and we think that they will make a great addition for their lunches
juliereidnz The kids are super active with multiple sports and love fruit!  This would be a good bribe for them to complete that run they don’t want to do or to get an energy boost after a hard game of rugby or football.
Aruna He is a foodie baby and he loves sweet treats. I would like to offer new things that’s healthy and flavourful.
Tania To see what the new flavours are like, I haven’t been buying these for ages, so will be interesting to see if she like them. This we tried the nuggets a little while ago and they were good. Hopefully she will like them. Also interested in ingredients.

* Please note

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  • Each selected reviewer will receive: 2 x boxes of GoodnessMe Fruit Snacks. Each box contains 8 individually wrapped snacks. Please indicate your two flavour choices in the form below (subject to availability, depending on whether you live in the North or South Island).
  • Terms and conditions apply, including:
    • Open to Kidspot members 18+ only. Only available for NZ residents.
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Matariki – The Māori New Year

Around the end of May or early June in New Zealand, the Pleiades cluster of stars can be seen low on the north-eastern horizon just before dawn. This cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters and Pleiades, carries the Māori name, Matariki. The rise of Matariki and the sighting of the next new moon during June/July mark the Māori New Year.

Matariki means the ‘eyes of god’ (mata ariki) or ‘little eyes’ (mata riki). Legend tells the story of the sky father (Ranginui) and the earth mother (Papatūānuku), who were separated by their children. Tāwhirimātea, the god of the winds, became so enraged by this that he tore out his eyes and threw them into the heavens.

When is Matariki?

2022 marked the first time Matariki was marked by an official public holiday. The date for all future Matariki celebrations has been agreed to be the Friday closest to the four days of the nights of Tangaroa in the lunar month Piripi. In 2025, the official holiday takes place on 20 June 2025.

How is Matariki celebrated?

Traditionally, Matariki was a time to celebrate new life and remember those who had passed. But there were also celebrations of singing, dancing and feasting thanks to full food storehouses following crop harvesting and the gathering of seafood.

Modern Māori New Year celebrations were revived in the year 2000 and the popularity of events has grown ever since. Now events to welcome the New Year occur throughout New Zealand, celebrating our unique place in the world, showing respect for the beautiful land on which we live and celebrating the diversity of life. It’s a celebration of culture, language, spirit and people.

Matariki information and activities

Matariki in the night sky

Find Matariki in the night sky.

Find out more

Matariki activity book Matariki pukapuka mahi

Free Matariki pukapuka mahi (activity book) from Te Papa Tongarewa.

Get your printable activity book

Matariki - colouring page

Learn and colour the Matariki stars.

Click here to download

Make an 8 point star

Learn to weave an 8 point star.

Find out how

The legend of Matariki and the six sisters

One legend is that the star Matariki is the whaea surrounded by her six daughters.

Learn the legend

Make a woven star for Matariki.

Learn how to make a woven star with Maatakiwi.

Click here to watch

Kai (food) for celebrating Matariki

You may not have the resources for a traditional hangi at home but you can still enjoy some traditional foods like seafood, fish and kumara.

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Matariki events across the motu

Tāmaki Makaurau

Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland

Find out more

Matariki

Te – Whanganui-a-tara – Wellington

Find out more

Christchurch Matariki

Ōtautahi – Christchurch

Find out more

Matariki in Kirikiriroa Hamilton

Kirikiriroa – Hamilton

Find out more

Puaka Matariki Festival

Ōtepoti – Dunedin

Find out more

Matariki Te Tauranga o ngā Waka

Tauranga Moana and the Western Bay of Plenty

Find out more

Matariki books for kids

Nanny Rina’s Amazing Nets by Qiane Matata-Sipu | Book Review

Nanny Rina’s Amazing Nets is a heartwarming story about aroha, whānau, passing down traditional knowledge and welcoming in the new year.

Read more

The Astromancer – The Rising of Matariki | Book Review

New Zealand writer, Witi Ihimaera brings us The Astromancer – The Rising of Matariki – a lively story revealing the tradition of Matariki.

Read more

Matariki by Gavin Bishop

Matariki is an essential, visually stunning bilingual board book explaining the meaning of each Matariki star by talented, award-winning author Gavin Bishop.

Read more

Written by Kidspot NZ

Do you have any family traditions for celebrating Matariki?

Indoors and out! DIY toys & games

Decorating with Resene

Creating your own toys and games is a great way to spend quality time with the kids. Not only can you get stuck into a project or two but the end result means you’ll have a new fun activity. Check out these Resene DIY projects for fun inside or out.

DIY hopscotch

DIY hopscotch

Make your own colourful hopscotch and keep the kids happily hopping! Choose bright and cheerful paint colours from the whole colour wheel for a playful look.

Top Resene decorating tip: Use leftover Resene paints or buy your children’s favourite Resene testpot colours.

Find out more

Cornhole

Cornhole game

Cornhole is a great game for family gatherings as all ages can take part. Make your own with the suggested design or get creative with colour and design – your favourite sports team’s colours add a personal touch!

Top Resene decorating tip: A glossy finish, such as Resene Aquaclear will make the surface slippery. A lower sheen finish will reduce the amount of sliding.

Find out more

DIY bike signs

Road signs

Set up some signs on flat grass or a paved area then break out the bikes, scooters and skateboards for wheelie-good fun!

Top Resene decorating tip: Get the kids involved with the painting using colours like Resene Wet N Wild and Resene Flash Point for a fun weekend project. 

Find out more

Solitaire

Solitaire

Create a colourful version of this classic game. This makes a great “coffee table” game for whenever the mood takes you or to play with visitors.

Top Resene decorating tip: For a true designer look, choose a sophisticated paint colour from Resene. We’re adoring The Ritz in the Metallic range to put some sparkle into your game.

Find out more

Dolls house

Dolls house upcycle

Transform an old wooden bookcase into a fun doll house with a little bit of help from this Resene guide.

Top Resene decorating tip: Use a selection of Resene testpot colours and old wallpaper samples to decorate the interior of the doll house.

Find out more

Rock Dominoes

Rock dominoes

Create a classic game of number matching with a twist! Use Resene testpots to paint your own dominoes. Use any contrasting colour combination that you like.

Top Resene decorating tip: A fine round brush makes it easier to apply the detail. Resene testposts make it simple when you’re tackling small paint projects.

Find out more

Main image: Colourful garden pots by Resene.

More ideas from Resene for creative kids

For more kids’ room inspiration and ideas, visit your local Resene ColorShop and view the habitat plus – kids’ spaces book online. 

Why it’s important to read aloud to your kids – even after they can read themselves

Robyn Cox, University of Tasmania

Is reading to your kids a bedtime ritual in your home? For many of us, it will be a visceral memory of our own childhoods. Or of the time raising now grown-up children.

Perhaps it involves a nightly progression through the Percy Jackson series or the next Captain Underpants book. Or maybe there’s a request to have Room on the Broom again (and again).

But for some households, reading aloud is not a regular activity. A recent UK report by publisher Harper Collins found many parents are not reading to their kids. Fewer than half (41%) of 0–4-year-olds are read to frequently. More than 20% of parents surveyed agreed reading is “more a subject to learn than a fun thing to do”.

The report also found some parents stop reading to their children once they can read by themselves. As the Guardian reported, some parents assume “it will make [their child] lazy and less likely to read independently”.

Here’s why it’s important to read to your children – even after they have learned to read.

What’s involved in reading skills?

Research on reading skills suggests there are two main types of skills involved in learning to read.

  1. Constrained skills are skills that once we learn, we keep. For example, once we learn the alphabet we don’t have to keep learning it. It’s like riding a bike.
  2. Unconstrained skills are skills we continue to learn throughout life. For example, vocabulary, reading fluency (how quickly and smoothly you read) and reading comprehension. Even as adults we continue to learn new word and language forms.

We know reading to infants and younger children can build early language skills, such as the sounds of words and the alphabet. Reading to older children is a simple way to build unconstrained skills.

How reading aloud helps

The books we read aloud at bedtime to young readers tend to be those they can’t read themselves.

So it introduces more complex ideas, words and sentence patterns. This is why reading aloud to your children is a parental superpower – you can continue to build where the school learning stops.

Reading together can also encourage closeness between children and parents, as well as shared knowledge and laughs.

When you are reading to your child, they have your full attention, which also makes the time special.

What should you be reading?

Reading aloud doesn’t necessarily have to involve multiple chapters of a book. Research suggests what matters is that it’s something you are both interested in and enjoying.

You could read to your child on a device, or you could even tell a traditional tale without a book.

You could read poetry, news articles or magazine articles about a favourite football team or player – these can all build unconstrained literacy skills.

Even re-reading a beloved picture book from younger years can build fluency and focus on direct speech in text (especially when the reader does “funny” voices).

How often should you read to your child?

Family life is busy and parents often have many commitments. So there are no rules, other than to make it fun. Don’t be put off by “how much you have to do” – a few minutes of engaged reading time together is better than none at all.

You could read to your child when you yourself are reading something and want to share it. If it’s too hard to read to your child every night, do it every weekend night or make another time during the week. Or ask a grandparent or older sibling to help.

And there is no set age to stop – if you like, keep reading to your kids until they leave home!

Robyn Cox, Professor of Literacy Education, University of Tasmania

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

8 creative ways to declutter your home with the kids

Guest post

When you have children, clutter can often seem to accumulate overnight. One moment you’ve got beautiful, clean and tidy spaces, and the next you are navigating piles of drawings, shoes, toys, and half-finished craft projects. If this sounds familiar, it’s probably time to take action.

Although keeping your home tidy with young ones around can feel like an ongoing challenge, the good news is that the act of decluttering can become an enjoyable family activity – but only if you sell it to your children right!

Having a clear out and tidy up is an excellent opportunity to teach children about organisation, responsibility, and even generosity. And, of course, it is always extremely rewarding to see your home looking a little more orderly (even if it is only temporarily!).

If you are ready to get started on purging the mess in your home, here are eight creative ways you can get your children to help you do so in a way they will think is fun and engaging.

Need assistance?

If you’ve got little ones who you can’t leave alone while you tidy or you find yourself facing a Herculean task, enlisting the help of professionals may be worthwhile.

Companies like 1300 Rubbish and other house clearance and rubbish removal businesses can help make the task significantly more manageable.

Creative ways to declutter with kids

If your home is in need of a declutter, here are some ways you can incentivise your children to help you.

1. Turn decluttering into a treasure hunt

Children love games, so why not transform tidying into an exciting adventure? You can create a “treasure hunt” where they need to find specific items, for example, all the red toys, outgrown books, or clothing that no longer fits.

Giving them small rewards for completing a task can provide them with additional motivation.

2. Introduce a “maybe” box

It can be difficult for children (and adults) to part with belongings, because, well, “just in case.” For this reason, introducing a “maybe” box can provide a workable solution to helping keep your home in a tidy state. The great thing about this box is that it can temporarily store items out of sight. Moreover, if they are not missed after a few months, it will become easier to donate or discard them.

3. Set a timer

If the process of decluttering goes on too long, kids can get easily bored. Therefore, it is a good idea to set a timer for between 10 and 30 minutes, depending on the ages of your children, to prevent their minds from wandering off-task. Short, timed sessions will go a long way towards maintaining their focus and enthusiasm, which may result in the decluttering process being completed more quickly.

4. Label storage solutions together

It is always a good idea to label baskets, boxes, and shelves because this not only helps to keep clutter under control, but it can also encourage children to return items to their correct place.

Most children also love art activities, so if you get them to create or decorate the labels, they may well feel more invested in maintaining their ultimate purpose.

5. Donate to a cause they care about

If your child is hesitant to part with their belongings, they may be open to donating them to a charitable cause they care about. Explaining that their old toys, books, and clothes can bring happiness to others may strike a chord with them. So, let them choose a charity, hospital, or shelter to support, which could be anything from terminally sick children in hospitals, those in families or those in foreign countries that are not as fortunate as they are.

You can find a list of charities to donate to here.

6. Implement the “0ne in, one out” rule

Once you have completed a major declutter, it is in your interests to keep your spaces as clear and tidy as possible. One way to do that is to create a toddler’s toy box. But another is to invoke the “One In, One Out” rule. Essentially, this means that every time a new item comes into the home, an old one must be donated or discarded. This teaches children about balance and prevents clutter from building up quickly again.

7. Establish a “clutter-free” zone

If you find that multiple rooms in your home are in a constant state of clutter, then it is worth designating one area of your home as a “clutter-free zone”. Whether that is the lounge room, kitchen, or movie room is entirely up to you. However, everyone in the family should be made responsible for keeping this area tidy, and if it is not, then don’t be afraid to issue some consequences. Sometimes, you need to take a tough stance, and if doing so results in a room being kept tidy, there is a good chance that it might spread to others.

8. Create a memory box

Children, like adults, are often sentimental, which is why they can sometimes find it hard to let go of things. However, instead of keeping every drawing or school project they have ever completed, try to encourage them to select the most special items to store in a “memory box”. Doing this allows them to preserve their most cherished memories without taking up too much in the way of open space within a room. Again, asking them to decorate the box can make them a lot more invested in its purpose.

This article was written by Lucy Mitchell, Content Manager for Current.com.au | The Home of Australian Product Reviews, with editing by Kidspot NZ.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by Kidspot NZ of the website, information, products or services contained therein. All views are those of the author.

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What parents need to know about measles outbreaks

Originally published: 19th May 2025

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that poses serious health risks, particularly to children and unvaccinated individuals. With recent global outbreaks, it’s crucial for parents to understand the disease, its symptoms, and the importance of vaccination.

Measles is caused by a virus that lives in the mouth and nose of those who are infected. When an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even just talks or breathes, the virus can enter the air. People can contract measles just from being in the same room as an infected person, by entering an area that an infected person has recently left (up to two hours later), or by touching surfaces that are contaminated by snot or saliva.

Recent global outbreaks

Measles cases are rising globally, with significant outbreaks reported in various regions:

  • United States: Over 1,000 cases reported in 2025, marking a significant increase compared to previous years
  • Australia: Experiencing a resurgence, with cases surpassing those reported in 2023 and 2024
  • Global: In 2023, an estimated 10.3 million people were infected with measles worldwide

Symptoms and complications

If you contract measles, you will likely feel very unwell, and it can take a couple of weeks to recover. Your immune system may also be weakened and you may find that you are more susceptible to infectious illnesses for months or even a few years afterwards.

First indications of the measles virus can include a cough, runny nose, watery eyes (conjunctivitis), tiny white spots inside the mouth, headache, and a fever. Around four to five days after contracting the illness, a blotchy red rash tends to appear on the face, chest and arms. The patient will be infectious from around five days before and until five days after the rash appears.

Complications from measles are common and, in some cases, can be serious. One in three people will often require hospital care. Complications can include:

  • ear infections
  • diarrhoea
  • pneumonia
  • encephalitis (categorised by swelling of the brain, this is rare but can cause permanent brain damage or death)

Immunisation in New Zealand

Immunisation with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your family. Usually, the first dose of the MMR vaccine is given at 12 months of age, followed by a second dose at 15 months old. The MMR vaccine is free for everyone under 18, regardless of immigration status, and for adults eligible for funded healthcare.

If you are unsure of your vaccination status, or that of your child, your GP clinic should be able to check their records. Adults need to be up to date with MMR vaccinations to protect themselves and their community. If you missed out on your childhood vaccination, two doses are recommended, a minimum of four weeks apart.

Stopping the spread

If you contract measles, the Ministry of Health advice is to isolate yourself to protect vulnerable people, like babies, pregnant women, and those with compromised immunity or those who cannot be immunised. You should remain isolated until five days after the rash appears.

If you suspect you have measles, you should call your doctor and inform them of the potential for measles before visiting the clinic. Alternatively, call Healthline on 0800 611 116, for advice.

Can you get measles more than once?

No. Once you’ve had measles, your body develops immunity. Similarly, receiving two doses of the measles vaccine provides long-term protection.

For more information on measles, visit our family health section.

Did you get measles when you were a child?

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her world julieWritten by Julie Lankow

Julie is Editor for Kidspot NZ and our MVP. Her hobbies include laughing uncontrollably at her own jokes, annoying her family by asking questions about movie plots, and never taking anything too seriously.

Favourite motto to live by: “It ain’t nothing but a thing”

10 reasons why banning social media for New Zealanders under 16 is a bad idea – and will affect adults too

Alex Beattie, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

Government coalition partners National and Act are at odds over proposed restrictions on social media use by New Zealanders aged 16 and under.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently announced a National Party private member’s bill that would require social media companies to verify someone is aged 16 or older. Luxon said social media was not “always a safe place for young people”.

But ACT Party leader David Seymour has dismissed National’s proposal, saying it was “simple, neat and wrong”.

Even if the member’s bill is not chosen out of the parliament biscuit tin, global interest in getting young people off social media is increasing.

In late 2024, Australia passed a law banning children aged under 16 from social media platforms. Advocates, police and politicians in the United Kingdom, United States and elsewhere have all proposed similar laws.

While there is merit in young people spending more time offline, and there are real concerns about the impact of social media on wider society, it’s not clear that outright prohibition will achieve what is hoped for. Here are ten reasons a blanket ban is not the answer.

1. The addiction fallacy

Lobby group Before 16 has compared social media to tobacco, saying the platforms should be treated as a public health harm. The implication is that young people could get addicted to social media.

But the standard for diagnosing addiction is high. Most young people are not addicted to social media; they have a habitual relationship with it that is hard to change.

Likewise, comparing digital experiences to food may not capture the full range of interactions and impacts. This often implies value judgements, suggesting online experiences are all about “dopamine hits” (similar to sweet treats) and inherently less valuable or “unhealthy” compared to offline experiences.

2. People are not ‘exposed to’ social media

The language of the ban seems to suggest the relationship between social media and users goes in one direction – that people are simply exposed to the good and bad of platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and X. But using social media is not like going outside and getting burnt by the sun.

While social media affects people, it’s also a tool we use to actively shape and create meaning for ourselves. It provides social scaffolding for day-to-day lives, identity formation, communication with family overseas, community support, and even a place to complain about parents.

3. Murky science

One of most influential books behind the ban is Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation. Haidt claims a causal link between social media use and increased anxiety and depression in Gen Z (those born between 1995 and 2012).

But this claim is highly contentious and has been criticised for failing to consider other causes for the rise in anxiety in young people.

At best, there may be a correlation between social media and poor mental health – they are happening at the same time. Young people are also grappling with the climate crisis, increasing inequality and global instability. These variables are difficult to isolate in a study, meaning social media becomes an easy target.

4. A range of experiences

Critics of social media also assume everyone has a negative experience online. And yes, if you tend to compare yourself to others on social media then you might end up feeling bad about your life.

But not everyone thinks this way or uses social media to compare what they have (and don’t have) with others.

5. The moral panic factor

Moral panics can occur when emerging technologies challenge established social norms.

Phenomena such as “phubbing” (using a phone to snub someone) challenge what is considered “socially acceptable” behaviour, triggering a deluge of think pieces about how they hurt society.

While some skills may decline (such as reading and writing) with new technology, others like visual or oral storytelling practiced on social media are on the rise.

Banning social media could mean young people miss out on valuable digital skills.

6. Marginalised groups lose out

Getting young people off social media might not be a big deal for kids who fit within their community. But if you are young, gay and live in a small town, for example, social media may provide the only space where you can feel safe or celebrated for who you are.

Social media is also a key means for immigrants to stay in touch with their families and culture.

7. Enforcement challenges

There are also problems with how the ban is supposed to work – something Australia is still grappling with despite already passing a ban into law (which comes into effect at the end of this year).

Policymakers have yet to explain how age verification technologies would work without giving away more personal data to media platforms. And everyone would have to verify their age, regardless of whether they are under 16 years old or not.

8. Losing innovation

Young people are savvier with technology than older generations. They lead with innovations such as FINSTA (fake Instagram) accounts – fake profiles that allow people to post more privately on Instagram without the pressure of conforming to expectations or the judgement of people who know them.

Blanket bans could hurt this technological adeptness and creativity and stop young people from teaching us how to navigate our online and offline lives.

9. Learning how to disconnect

Media literacy is also a crucial skill in today’s media saturated age. The skill of unplugging could become part of that curriculum.

Temporarily going offline is an excellent way to make students aware of their relationship with social media. Schools could have media-free classes or courses to build awareness, encourage new habits and support students to develop new routines.

10. Better options than a ban

No one is arguing that social media hasn’t had a negative effect on individuals and society as a whole. But instead of a ban, why not work to improve the platforms?

We could focus regulatory efforts on creating safer spaces, like we do with physical buildings.

Overseas advocacy work on children’s digital rights shows how we can protect children from algorithms, gamification and other predatory tactics used by social media platforms, rather than introducing an outright ban.The Conversation

Alex Beattie, Lecturer, Media and Communication, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Discover Skill Samurai for a brighter future

Promotion for Skill Samurai

Discover a world where learning and fun intersect! Skill Samurai offers a unique blend of educational experiences designed to empower and inspire kids aged 6-16. Kidspot reviewer Kyle (aged 10) and his mum Jacque, went along to check it out!

Skill Samurai programs are crafted to ignite young minds and equip them with the skills they need for a bright future.

School Holiday Programs & Camps: Keep the learning alive even during the holidays with fun-filled programs and camps that make every school break an adventure in education.

After School Coding Classes: Unleash your child’s potential with coding and STEM classes, tailored for curious minds eager to lead the next generation. Learn future ready skills, prepare for future careers and build problem-solving skills!

MathCode™ – Maths Tuition Supercharged: Experience the MathCode™ program, where mathematics meets coding, offering a revolutionary approach to maths tuition that’s both engaging and effective. Experience Singapore Maths, the world’s Number 1 maths tuition system.

School Incursions: Bring the excitement of Skill Samurai right to your school with educational incursions that transform the classroom into a dynamic learning environment.

Birthday Parties: Celebrate your child’s special day with a difference – a Skill Samurai party that’s as entertaining as it is educational, guaranteed to be a hit!

Join Skill Samurai and be part of a community that’s setting the foundation for the next generation of thinkers, creators, and innovators.

Skill Samurai review from Kyle and Jacque

Skill Samurai

I was lucky to go try out the maths and coding class at Skill Samurai in Botany.

Skill Samurai offer after-school Singapore maths, coding, 3D printing, app development classes for kids, plus school holiday programs.

My mum took me for the assessment the Friday before we started the classes. This was just so they could see what level I am on in maths so my lessons would be helpful for me.

I got to choose a seat and had a laptop that I could work on. They gave me paper and a pen in case I needed to work out any of the problems. There were maths questions that popped up and I would have to work them out. Some were word problems, others were just basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It would let you know if you got it wrong or right. Some of the questions were very easy and simple – a few were quite challenging.

Assessment

While Kyle was doing the assessment, it was only him so we were allowed to sit upstairs and everything was explained to us step by step on what to expect, what they do and why. I loved how they went into detail and explained everything. Also, they gave us a booklet explaining all the information with a nice detailed page of references that we can look into more at home.

Before the assessment we got information to sign up to their platform for the booking of classes. I loved this, as it sends out a reminder email as well, and it is so well put together that you can choose, cancel, or add any classes you need.

Thinking outside the box

The maths classes work on a gradually increasing difficulty, allowing kids to grow in confidence and ability at their own pace. They get them to think outside the box and build the foundation of maths so no matter what they come across, they will be able to work it out with no problems. They concentrate on strengthening the areas they need help in most so they can understand the area before moving on.

Learn to code

The coding classes focus on problem-solving and computational thinking. This helps with maths skills and makes maths more fun.

Once kids have reached the level they need to be at in their grade, then they start them up on the next year’s level so that they’re ahead of their peer group. They do assessments regularly so that they remain on track for success.

Test results

After Kyle finished the test I was shown his results and then they gave me the form with his results. They said based on this they can see where his strength is and where he needs work. In school he is a level or two ahead of his grade but as I was told at the assessment, school maths is behind compared to what they offer, so he would be on normal level actually for a year 5. I was told that they would start him on lessons for what he is lower graded for, then focus on his strength so he can be an all-rounder.

Skill Samurai

Maths class

After I finished the test I was allowed to look around and my younger brother and I were rewarded with a sticker and a lolly. (It was nice that Mum was asked if we were allowed before we got offered lollies).

My first class was maths class. Mum signed me in (parents needed to sign in with a time and parent signature at the entrance) and then I went upstairs to class. Before class, if you are early enough, you get to play a bit of Pass the Dragon (a 3D-printed dragon they made) with the coach. Then we did the class. The maths class was easier than the assessment – obviously it is on my level now. It was really cool!! The questions are asked in a game-like format, so you have to answer questions before balloons fall. You get three chances if you get the answer wrong. After class you do some games.

You get your own folder where you write what you liked the most that day, what you didn’t like, and what you learnt. I liked that part. It was explained to Mum that they have these folders for us kids to give feedback and help shape the format and classes.

After class we got a sticker and lolly … these were awesome!

Coding class

Coding class day we got instructions on how to work the program and then you make a character move. It was very much like Scratch pad but in a different program. You had to use the buttons and enter code in to make the character move in the direction you needed it to. I found this to be awesome!!! It gave me a chance to practice some logical thinking and problem-solving. (It is similar to the robotic coding they had at MOTAT).

After the coding class, we did a Kahoot about planets and space! I came first with only 10 points more than the seconnd person! That was awesome! I like things like that.

Kyle’s feedback

I told my parents I really want to go back. I like the maths and coding and so want to do them both. I would also like to try the 3D-printing – that looks like a lot of fun as well.

Final words from Jacque

I honestly feel the price is worth it for what they are offering the kids – they are currently offer a free trial class. Kyle has really expressed his interest in classes for the future.

Honestly, I would recommend them, they are really friendly and helpful and really make you feel like you belong there. The program they offer really does look incredible and fun for the kids. I’m sure that even after a few lessons, that kids’ levels of maths, problem-solving, logic and coding skills will put them ahead of their peer group and almost certainly guarantee them a brighter future.

Learn more about Skill Samurai

Skill Samurai

Skill Samurai

Skill Samurai

Kyle and Jacque were provided with an assessment and two free lessons for the purpose of the review. Views are those of the reviewers.

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Easter gift ideas without the chocolate

Easter doesn’t have to be all about chocolate. Some kids just aren’t that keen on chocolate, some have intolerances, and some have an amazing ability to get melted chocolate fingerprints on EVERYTHING! Whether you want to cut down on the sugar rush (or the cleaning bill!), or you’re just looking for something different for Easter this year, we’ve gathered together a few of our favourite chocolate-free gift ideas.

Please refer to retailers’ information for recommended ages.

Tonies

Tonie Audio Character

The perfect Easter gift providing hours of listening fun on Easter morning and beyond! Simply pop an audio character on the Toniebox for the adventures to begin. Choose from Peter Rabbit, a beloved Disney character, Peppa Pig, and many more.

Tonies from $32.99 (Toniebox and Tonies sold separately)

Buy now

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Peekaboo Easter

The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Peekaboo Easter

Celebrate Easter with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this interactive basket-shaped board book! Filled with delicious Easter treats, friendly springtime animals and a search-and-find on every page, this board book is perfect for little hands!

On sale from $10.00

Buy now

Bonds Wondersuit

Bonds Easter Bunny Zippy Wondersuit
Blue or Pink

Wondersuit with a two-way zip and protective cover, plus fold-over cuffs for added cosiness and safety. Ideal for easy changes and soft comfort during naps.

RRP $29.99

Buy now

Reading Cushion Bunny

Living & Co Kids Reading Cushion Bunny

This reading cushion in the shape of a bunny is a delightful and functional addition to any child’s reading nook. Its soft, plush design provides comfort for little ones as they settle in with their favourite books.

RRP $45.00

Buy now

Squishmallows Sega Easter Plush Toy

Squishmallows Easter Clip-On Plush Toys

Hop into the spirit of Easter with the adorable Squishmallows Easter Assortment, featuring Sonic, Amy and Knuckles from Sega! Each 20cm plush is made with super-soft, high-quality materials for maximum cuddle factor.

RRP $9.00 each

Buy now

Lily & George - Beatrix Knitted Bunny Soft Toy

Lily & George – Beatrix Knitted Bunny Soft Toy

Knitted in beautifully soft cotton with decorative French-inspired floral print ears and feet. A gorgeous new friend for imaginative adventures.

RRP $34.99

Buy now

Viga: Wooden Calendar Season Weather Time Board

Viga: Wooden Calendar Season Weather Time Board

This activity board has easily moving parts that let your child learn at their own pace. The board features time, dates, seasons, and days of the week.

RRP $34.95

Buy now

Bluey: Easter Bumper Activity Book

Bluey: Easter Fun!
A Craft Book

Hooray, it’s Easter! Join in the fun with Bluey and Bingo in this egg-cellent bumper book full of Easter activities. Colour in, play games, make cool Easter crafts and more.

From $11.99

Buy now

KUWI'S Kitchen - Kiwi Kids Cookbook

KUWI’S Kitchen – Kiwi Kids Cookbook

Kuwi the Kiwi™ has her very own cookbook! The lovable kiwi from the popular books is helping to get kids into the kitchen with easy-to-make, fun, and well recipes for lunches and meals.

From $29.99

Buy now

Egg & Spoon Race Set 4pk

Happy Easter Egg & Spoon Race 4 Pack

Perfect for an Easter celebration. Pack includes four plastic eggs and four plastic spoons, in different colours.

RRP $6.95

Buy now

Beatrix Potter: Flopsy Rabbit Baby Comforter

Beatrix Potter: Flopsy Rabbit Baby Comforter

This beautiful Flopsy Rabbit comforter is made from premium soft plush so is lovely and soft against baby’s skin. Inspired by the original illustrations from the Beatrix Potter books.

RRP $29.99

Buy now

Cute Bunny 3 in 1 LEGO Creator

LEGO® Creator 3-in-1 Cute Bunny

Bring the joy of the Easter bunny to life with this LEGO® Cute Bunny playset. Suitable for ages 8+, the bunny comes with two snacks and endless play possibilities with three different animal builds with the same bricks!

RRP $34.99

Buy now

How to prepare for your eye test

Guest post

If you want to maintain good vision and eye health overall, the best way to do so is to get your eyes tested regularly.

Ideally, you should be getting your eyes tested at least once every two years (unless you are experiencing more serious ocular issues). However, not everyone sticks to this timeframe. Indeed, some research has suggested that 25% of Australians wait longer than two years between appointments, while 13% have never had a test at all.

Well, we are not here to judge your lifestyle choices. But we do want to help – which is why we’ve put together this post on how to prepare for an eye test. The next time you visit an optician; let it guide you on how to make the most out of your appointment.

Why are regular eye tests important?

The main reason why experts recommend having a regular check-up is because it can help to detect issues before they become serious problems. Many eye conditions, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, develop gradually without any real noticeable symptoms. Therefore, by the time vision loss is noticeable, it may be too late to reverse the damage.

It may also surprise you to discover that a routine eye test can identify underlying health concerns like diabetes or high blood pressure. Additionally, for children, eye tests can help to identify learning and development issues that might be caused by their vision.

For instance, if your child struggles with reading, gets frequent headaches, or has difficulty concentrating at school, an eye test might provide the first clues towards finding a solution.

What to expect during your eye test

If you need to book an eye test, clinics like 1001 Optometry offer comprehensive eye exams for all ages. When making an appointment, it would be helpful to choose a time when you or your child will be alert and not rushed.

Typically, a standard eye examination lasts between 30 and 45 minutes and during this time the optometrist will carry out a series of tests to assess different aspects of your vision and eye health.

These may include:

  • Visual Acuity Test – To measure how clearly you can see letters or symbols from a distance.
  • Refraction Test – To determine the correct prescription, should you need glasses or contact lenses.
  • Eye Pressure Test – A painless test that helps detect glaucoma by measuring the pressure inside your eyes.
  • Retinal Examination – Using special equipment, the optometrist will examine the back of your eye for any signs of disease.
  • Colour Vision Test – If you’ve ever had trouble distinguishing between colours, this test will help determine if you have colour blindness.

How to prepare for your eye test

Before your next eye test, there are a few things you can do to ensure you get the best results from it. They include:

1. Write down any vision changes

Before your appointment, take note of any changes in your vision. For example, document whether you have been experiencing headaches or find it difficult to see in low light. Also, be honest enough to recognise if you feel eye strain after spending long hours on a computer. The more you can keep track of these symptoms, the more it will help your optometrist to identify any potential issues with your vision.

2. Bring your glasses or contact lenses

Should you currently be wearing prescription glasses or contact lenses, it is a good idea to bring them with you to enable the optometrist to establish a baseline and assess whether your current prescription is still suitable.

3. Know your medical history

Some eye conditions can be linked to overall health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of eye disease. Therefore, if you have any existing medical conditions, be sure to inform your optometrist.

4. Reduce screentime before your appointment

If you spend a lot of time on screens, try to give your eyes a break before your appointment. Using digital devices too much can cause temporary eye strain, which might affect your test results. If possible, spend some time outdoors before your appointment or make a conscious effort not to look at your phone or laptop.

5. Be ready for pupil dilation (if required)

In some cases, the optometrist may use drops to dilate your pupils, as this makes it easier to examine the retina. These drops can temporarily cause blurred vision and increase your sensitivity to light, so you might want to bring sunglasses and arrange for transportation home if needed.

After the eye test

Once the examination has been completed, the optometrist will discuss the results with you. For instance, if you need a new prescription, they will provide recommendations for glasses or contact lenses. At the same time, if any eye conditions are detected, they will explain your treatment options or refer you to a specialist if necessary.

Should you have been experiencing eye strain, dry eyes, or discomfort, your optometrist may also suggest lifestyle changes, such as taking more screen breaks or using lubricating eye drops.

Eye tests for children

If you’re taking your child for an eye test, it’s a good idea to prepare them in advance, too. They may well be experiencing anxiety at the thought of having their eyes tested, so make sure you explain to them that the test is painless and let them know what to expect. Encourage them to answer any questions honestly so the optometrist can get the most accurate results. You should try to book their appointment at a time when they are well-rested and not hungry, as this will help them stay engaged during the test.

This article was written by Lucy Mitchell, Content Manager for Current.com.au | The Home of Australian Product Reviews, with editing by Kidspot NZ.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by Kidspot NZ of the website, information, products or services contained therein. All views are those of the author.

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The next generation of crafting with Cricut Maker™ 4

Cricut® unveils the next generation of smart cutting machines: Cricut Maker™ 4 and Cricut Explore™ 4. From unboxing to creation, check out our review for the Cricut Maker™ 4.

The Cricut Maker™ 4 and Cricut Explore™ 4 are the latest additions to Cricut’s lineup of cutting machines, offering a host of exciting new features designed to elevate your crafting experience. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just getting started, the Cricut Maker™ 4 promises precision, speed, and versatility, making it an enticing option for a wide range of DIY projects. In this review, we look at the key features and user experience, especially for those that are new to the Cricut family.

Next generation crafting

The new Cricut Maker™ 4 and Cricut Explore™ 4 machines offer an elevated out-of-box experience with more materials and tools included, speeds up to two times faster than the previous generation, and an improved user experience in Design Space™.

To help new users jump into their first projects faster and easier, both machines come with a starter pack in the box, including Smart Vinyl™, Cardstock, Smart Iron-on™, Transfer Tape, and essential tools like the Mini Weeder and Light Grip Machine Mat. These added materials empower users to kickstart their creativity with everything they need to complete their first 10 projects.

When cutting materials like cardstock and vinyl on a machine mat, Cricut Maker™ 4 and Cricut Explore™ 4 offer cutting speeds up to twice as fast as previous models.

There are many new features recently added to the Cricut Design Space™ app that make it more intuitive and easier to use. Create popular projects like custom cards, T-shirts, and full-colour stickers and more. Save time with easy-to-use Smart Materials™, which load directly into the machine to create long, continuous cuts up to 3.6 m. Making bold signs and detailed wall decals has never been faster. Enjoy endless inspiration, precise cut settings, and a simplified making experience with Cricut Design Space™.

The review: Getting started

I’ve always had a desire to pursue more creative hobbies. There was just one thing stopping me … my complete lack of artistic talent! I know what I want something to look like but these hands are trained to type, not to design, draw or construct.

And then the Cricut Maker™ 4 comes along.

I’ve heard of Cricut (pronounced like “cricket”) machines but I was never really sure what they did. However, after a couple of hours of creating, I am absolutely hooked! The Cricut machines are basically a cutting machine but the Cricut Maker™ 4 does so much more than just cutting. It embosses, it scores, it draws, it colours. And it does all of it effortlessly.

Out of the box, the Cricut Maker™ 4 is a sleek machine that takes up little space on a desk or counter. The set-up was super easy. Just plug it in, download the Cricut app to your phone, create an account, connect, and you’re done.

Cricut Maker 4

Getting creative

For absolute beginners like myself, the Cricut Design Space™ app made it easy to get started with my first creation. Step-by-step instructions including helpful video guides show you how to create a sticker using the included Smart Vinyl™. The Smart Materials™ can be put straight into the machine. Other materials use the Machine Mats to keep the materials in place.

I used the app to customise the sticker design with my name. This was a simple process, like a graphic design app, enabling me to choose fonts and resize. Then, the adhesive vinyl goes into the machine. Press go and it pulls it in, measures it, and then in a matter of moments, the Cricut begins cutting the vinyl. When it’s done (and it wasn’t long at all!), it spits it out. This project was a cut-out design so all I needed to do was peel the sticker away from the backing material. There was a little piece of vinyl remaining inside the “e” that needed some attention but the included “weeding” tool made short work of that. Then the sticker was ready to be applied to my drink bottle.

Other ways to create designs require use of transfer tape which makes it easier to apply intricate designs and keep them aligned. I reused the “cut out” letters from my drink bottle sticker on my phone case which could have been done with the transfer tape.

Cricut Maker 4 projects

Exploring different materials

Next up I wanted to try out the Light Grip Machine Mat so I chose a design for a butterfly to use the Cardstock that was included in the box. I peeled back the protective cover from the mat and aligned the Cardstock in the top corner, as instructed. Into the machine it went and soon I had an intricate and delicate butterfly that would have been impossible for me to cut out manually. I plan to purchase additional Cardstock in other colours and create a flurry of butterflies in different sizes (super simple with the app) to be applied to a canvas. Then I can say, “Yes, I made that!” (with a little help from Cricut!).

I had a good look around the Design Space™ app to see what other projects I could make and was amazed at the range of ideas including cards, bookmarks, 3D sculptures, custom apparel with iron-on transfers, labels, signs, ornaments and more. Each of the projects guides you to confirm the materials needed or available to be used.

I wanted to try out the fine-point pen that was included so I chose a Christmas-themed gift tag. The design includes an option to have the recipients name included in the design for an all-round aesthetic. There are lots of colours available in the Cricut pens which enable you to include beautiful writing in intricate fonts or colourful drawings. The Cricut drew the delightful snowflakes and then effortlessly cut out the tag.

Cricut Maker 4 projects

Going freestyle with design

Exploring the Cricut Design Space™ I uploaded a logo of the local sports club and found that I could easily adapt it into a design that could be used for a range of ideas. There is so much to discover in the app that it can be a tad overwhelming but there is an amazing array of helpful how-to videos for Cricut users both in the app and on YouTube. The Cricut community is amazingly talented but you don’t have to be an artistic superstar to create some wonderful projects.

Conclusion

The Cricut Maker™ 4 is a stunningly creative machine with amazing adaptability through the purchase of additional materials and tools. It’s so much fun to use that I may need to set myself a creativity budget or I’ll be buying ALL of the supplies! My son has already lodged his request for a iron-on transfer for his cricket uniform … or should that be Cricut uniform?!

Where to get yours

Cricut Explore™ 4 is available in Seashell colourway with a RRP of $599. Cricut Maker™ 4 comes in a subtle Sage colour and is $799. Both machines are available now at Harvey Norman and Spotlight NZ.

This article includes information provided by Cricut.

Julie was provided with a Cricut Maker™ 4 for the purpose of the review. Views are those of the reviewer. 

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her world julieWritten by Julie Lankow

Julie is Editor for Kidspot NZ and our MVP. Her hobbies include laughing uncontrollably at her own jokes, annoying her family by asking questions about movie plots, and never taking anything too seriously. 

Favourite motto to live by: “It ain’t nothing but a thing”

Become a Kumon franchisee for your community

Promotion for Kumon

Want to be your own boss while growing a business within a proven franchise model? Kumon is looking for new franchisees to own and operate centres across New Zealand!

Operating for more than 30 years in New Zealand, Kumon’s long-standing presence has allowed it to build a strong community of students, parents, and instructors dedicated to supporting the academic development of children through individualised Maths and English programmes.

Becoming a Kumon franchisee is a great opportunity for you to make a difference in the lives of children in your local community. From providing extra support to struggling learners to challenging high-achieving students, Kumon offers an adaptable learning programme that meets the needs of a wide range of students.

Whether it’s reinforcing classroom learning or enhancing a student’s ability to study independently, Kumon has become a valuable tool in New Zealand’s educational system. The programme not only contributes to academic achievements but also plays a role in fostering important life skills such as discipline, responsibility, and time management.

In addition to traditional pencil-and-paper Kumon programmes, new franchisees can choose to offer KUMON CONNECT, which allows the world-class mathematics and English worksheets to be studied on a tablet.

Interested in becoming a Kumon franchisee? Register for a Franchisee Information Meeting on the link below.

Register your interest in becoming a Kumon franchisee

Garden DIY Projects for Kids

Decorating with Resene

Brighten up your garden with a burst of colour! These DIY projects from Resene are perfect for getting the kids involved in creating fun and practical ideas for the garden.

Kids' planter box

Kids’ planter box

From an old wooden drawer, it’s easy to create your very own colourful planter box for the kids to enjoy. Let the kids choose what they want to grow – from colourful blooms or spiky succulents to their favourite vegetables.

Top Resene decorating tip: Decorate the planter box with some hand-painted garden critters or bright flowers using Resene testpots.

Find out more

Seed markers

Seed markers

Use these fun pebble markers as a reminder of the seeds you’ve planted and where you’ve planted them. Flat pebbles are best for painting on. These can often be found by rivers or get a bag from your local garden/DIY centre.

Top Resene decorating tip: Paint the pebbles with Resene FX Blackboard Paint and you can write the names on in chalk.

Find out more

Dinosaur garden

Dinosaur garden

Create your very own mini Jurassic Park with this easy-to-make potted dinosaur garden. Succulents work really well in this scene, where adding coloured dinosaur toys creates a cool, mini world.

Top Resene decorating tip: Use Resene Sandtex textured effect to paint your colour on the pot.  The sandy texture will make your Jurassic Park look even better.

Find out more

Bug hotel

Bug hotel

The kids can encourage friendly bugs to check into your garden with these five-star digs. Insects are fascinating and so important in the garden. Creating a habitat for them can open up a world of curiosity for kids.

Top Resene decorating tip: If you’d like your bug hotels to be camouflaged, finish them with Resene wood stains instead of paint.

Find out more

Toadstool table

Toadstool table

It’s a lot of fun (and easy) to turn a terracotta plant pot and saucer into your very own toadstool table. Why not make a few toadstool tables as cute and memorable birthday garden party decorations.

Top Resene decorating tip: For extra protection apply Resene Clearcoat UVS on top of your colours so they stay brighter for even longer.

Find out more

Worm tower

Worm tower

Here’s a worm farm that is placed in the ground. These towers are fantastic for improving the health of your soil, powered by worm poo! Worm towers are a great way to teach kids about composting as the worms require regular feeding of food scraps.

Top Resene decorating tip: Make sure you finish your pots inside and out with Resene Aquapel & Terracotta Sealer first before you paint them.

Find out more

Main image: Colourful garden pots by Resene.

More ideas from Resene for creative kids

For more kids’ room inspiration and ideas, visit your local Resene ColorShop and view the habitat plus – kids’ spaces book online. 

How to stop 5 school bugs in their tracks

Sponsored content

You’ve kept the troops happy and occupied all school holidays. Then along with their return to school, comes the return of common school bugs that can send your kids back to the couch, only this time with a sniffle instead of a game console. Here’s how you can help keep your kids healthy by beating the five most common school bugs.

Head lice

Head lice are tiny parasites that live on the scalp. They lay their eggs (nits) near the base of the hair shaft. Head lice spread quickly in school and child care environments because kids often work and play closely and share personal items. Head lice don’t fly or jump, they can only crawl from head to head.

How your kids can avoid getting head lice

No child is immune to head lice – and it is a lucky mum indeed who escapes the chore of having to deal with lice at some stage in their child’s life. But there are ways you can reduce the likelihood of your child catching lice. They include:

  • Not sharing hairbrushes, hair ties, hats or any other hair accessories
  • Keeping long hair tied up – plaits are the best way to keep hair under control at school
  • Checking your child’s head regularly along the hairline for evidence of nits or lice

If lice is already in the family

To prevent cross-contamination of head lice in the family, take the following steps immediately:

  • Treat the sufferer with a lice treatment and follow through on the treatment cycle because treating once will not be enough
  • Consider using one of the preventative treatments on other family members – these are not 100% successful but some families do have a lot of success with them
  • Prevent the sharing of hair brushes and other hair accessories, as well as towels and pillows

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Discover a better way to tackle head lice with ISpyNit’s innovative Glo-Powder and odourless lotion. Spot lice eggs under UV light for precise removal, and enjoy a sensory-friendly, stress-free experience perfect for kids. Educational, engaging, and effective – turn treatment time into science time!

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Impetigo

Impetigo, also known as School sores, is a staphylococcal or streptococcus bacterial infection that lives on the skin. More common during the warmer months, Impetigo gets in to the deeper layers of the skin through cuts and sores on the skin and causes blistering that crust over. These blisters are filled with bacteria which can weep – which makes it a highly contagious infection.

Impetigo is generally not dangerous and will clear on its own but taking antibiotics and using antibiotic creams will speed up recovery – and considering your child will need to be quarantined at home until the healing process is well under way, most parents opt to use antibiotics quickly.

How your kids can avoid impetigo

The key to avoiding impetigo is by practicing good hygiene. Ensure your child:

  • Washes his hands regularly – and well – with soap
  • Keeps broken skin covered – this includes cuts and scrapes as well as eczema and rashes
  • Doesn’t pick at scabs

If impetigo is already in the family

You can prevent cross-contamination amongst family members by ensuring:

  • Everyone uses antibacterial soup when they wash
  • Everyone uses their own towels when bathing
  • Impetigo sores are covered with gauze
  • The fingernails of the entire family are kept short
  • Wash the bedding, towels and clothing of the impetigo sufferer separately and in hot water

Worms

While there are five different types of parasitic intestinal worms that can be caught in Australasia, by far the most common worm school children pick up is the threadworm, also known as the pinworm. Threadworm infestations are rarely serious – unless the infestation is ignored for a long period of time – but they are uncomfortable and can be embarrassing for the sufferer because of the itching around the anus that they cause.

Easily treated with over-the-counter medication, health professionals always recommend that the whole family (adults included) get wormed at the same time to prevent a pattern of reinfestation.

How your kids can avoid getting worms

Because worms are spread through poor hygiene, the best way to keep your kids from getting worms is by ensuring:

  • They wash their hands using soap regularly – and well
  • They don’t eat food that has fallen on the ground
  • They keep their nails short and clean

If worms are already in the family

After worming the entire family as a precautionary measure, you can reduce the chances of other family members getting worms significantly by:

  • Stopping the worm sufferer from scratching their bottom
  • Discouraging thumb-sucking and nail-biting
  • Vacuuming often to remove dropped eggs
  • Washing the sufferer’s bedding and clothing separately and in hot water

NOTE!

Dogs and cats cannot pass threadworms onto humans – so it’s not necessary to worm the family when you worm your pets. And vice versa.

Hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection, mostly commonly caused by the coxsackie virus. It is most commonly seen in kids under 10 years old and is easy to identify by the rash on the hands and feet as well as the sores in the mouth.

The Hand, foot and mouth disease that humans can contract is in no way connected to the very serious illness that can kill animals – despite being given the same name, they are very different illnesses.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is generally not a serious illness but it is highly contagious so quarantining children at home until the blisters have dried is recommended to prevent the spread of the illness.

How your kids can avoid getting Hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease is spread through contact with infected saliva, nose and throat secretions through coughing or sneezing, as well as from the fluid from blisters themselves. The best way you can prevent your child from contracting the illness is by:

  • Teaching your child to wash his hands well using soap
  • Wiping down contaminated surfaces with disinfectant
  • Avoiding exposure to children with the illness

If Hand, foot and mouth disease is already in the family

If a family member has contracted the disease, the best ways to protect the rest of the family include:

  • Remind everyone to wash their hands with soap regularly
  • Teach your kids to cough and sneeze into a tissue to prevent the spread of secretions
  • Prevent your sick child from thumb-sucking and nail-biting
  • Restrict your sick child’s movements around the house to prevent contamination of other areas
  • Treat symptoms with over-the-counter medications such as coughing and sneezing to prevent the spread of secretions

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is an infection that can be caused by a virus or bacteria, or an eye irritation such as an allergy. Also called pink-eye, the condition causes the inflammation of the conjunctiva, the clear membrane covering the white part of the eye and part of the inner eyelid. Conjunctivitis is very common, especially in young children.

How your kids can avoid getting conjunctivitis

Because bacterial and viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious, the best way you can protect your kids against catching it is by teaching them to wash their hands well using soap.

If conjunctivitis is already in the family

  • If a family member already has conjunctivitis, you can protect the rest of the family by:
  • Encouraging extra hand-washing by all family members
  • Preventing your sick child from rubbing his eyes
  • Keeping the infected eyes clean by using clean cotton wool balls soaked in warm water – a new ball should be used with each wipe and disposed of into the bin immediately

This article was written by Ella Walsh for Kidspot.

Do you find that the kids get sick more often in those first few weeks back at school?

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Fun Ways To Spend New Year’s Eve With kids

Remember New Year’s Eve celebrations when you were young and free of parental responsibilities? Fast forward to now … even if you have the stamina and energy to party on into the new year, the chances of finding a babysitter for New Year’s Eve are slim to none.

Just because your responsibilities take priority, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still celebrate the arrival of the New Year – and sometimes we need a bit of a celebration to see the back end of a hard year! Here are a few ideas to celebrate New Year’s Eve with the kids.

Throw your own New Year’s Eve party

Keep the celebrations at home and avoid all the crowds. Put on a spread of finger foods for the guests, or better yet, ask everyone to bring a plate or fire up the BBQ. Set up a few fun party games for the kids (and adults!), offer some fun photo props and just enjoy each other’s company. If you’re inviting other families with children, ensure there is somewhere safe for them to crash out when the hours start to tick by and it all gets too much. Remember to drink responsibly and ensure that all guests have safe transport home.

Make it a special movie night

Choose a favourite film or discover a new release for a fun family movie night – don’t forget the popcorn! If the weather cooperates, you could even take the film outdoors and set up a sheet and projector in the garden with bean bags for moviegoers. Try some other munchable movie snacks.

Have a games night

Break out the board games and cards for some quality time with the kids. Try a variety of games like simple dice games, Jenga, charades, go fish and Mousetrap. Or for the older kids, get set for an epic game of Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit. Break out a few snacks and pop on some favourite music in the background.

Create a family time capsule

Capture those happy memories from the year that was. Ask each family member to contribute a few items, drawings or photos to create a family time capsule. To make a digital time capsule, video each family member talking about some of their favourite memories from the year.

Sparklers, hot chocolate and stars

If you have some sparklers leftover from your Guy Fawkes celebrations, New Year’s Eve is the ideal opportunity to use them up. Kids love to twirl them in the air, ‘writing’ their names. If your photography skills are up to it, you can even get a fantastic family photo with everyone drawing a letter of a favourite word, ie LOVE. Pull the last of those Christmas crackers, serve up some hot chocolate outside and gaze up at the stars while you recount favourite memories.

Camp out

Even if you’re not going away, you can still have the fun of camping. Put up the tent in the backyard, toast marshmallows on the brazier, tell spooky stories, play spotlight and other outdoor night games.

Check out what’s on

Local councils often put on family-friendly New Year’s Eve events featuring fireworks, music, outdoor movies or entertainment. Some even have a special fireworks show a few hours before midnight so the little ones don’t miss out when they can’t quite keep their eyes open long enough to see in the new year. Go prepared with blankets, snacks and drinks (check for restrictions on what you can and can’t bring along). Check with your local council website for events.

Here’s a list of regular New Year’s Eve events in some of NZ’s cities. We have updated the list with the latest information to hand.

Written by Kidspot NZ.

How do you celebrate New Year’s Eve with your kids?

Family review: Kids Don’t Come With A Manual

Promotion for NZ On Air

To mark the release of the second series of Kids Don’t Come With a Manual, we asked several of our Kidspot families to review the parenting TV series. Read their reviews now and see what tikanga/values whānau shared with us.

To help you with your journey as a parent, Nathan Mikaere-Wallis is back for a second series of Kids Don’t Come With A Manual with science-based, easy-to-understand solutions to help whānau navigate tricky situations they’re facing with their tamariki.

Made with the support of NZ On Air

Family review – Amy

Kids Don’t Come With A Manual is a series filmed in New Zealand that has Nathan Wallis connect with Whānau and explore parenting challenges they may be facing. It appealed to me due to the preface that it combines the latest Neuroscientific research with a Tikanga Māori approach. I have also attended a talk held by Nathan Wallis and found what he had to say very interesting and applicable to my life as a parent of young children and a teacher specialising in supporting students with additional needs.

I particularly enjoyed the episode where India’s whānau were sharing that their daughter had been identified as having some neurodivergent behaviours by her teacher. It was informative for me as a teacher to have a ‘behind the scenes’ look at how those concerns can be received by parents and the emotions attached. Getting everybody together, kanohi ki te kanohi was invaluable at getting everybody on the same page.

As a keen learner of te Reo, I enjoyed the episodes as there was Reo integrated throughout in context, which made it easy to understand and absorb; building my vocabulary in the process.

Finally, as a parent of a four-year-old and three-month-old, it was great to add more strategies to my kete as I am sure we will need them along our journey! Deepening my understanding about children’s relationships with different parents and the modelling of how to unpack a problem and have everyone’s perspective and opinion valued was great and I look forward to trying some of these strategies.

Family review – Aimee

Aaron & Raka: Season 2, Episode 3

I found this episode very interesting as the girl in this episode is the same age as my daughter Summer (5). Like in the episode Summer also had struggles starting primary school. Summer also went into an established class and her peers had friendship groups just like India in the episode. So it was interesting to see similar concerns raised by India’s Dads. Summer also has the need for structure and routine and I could see this with India in the episode. I loved Nathan’s approach of saying that the brain loves predictability such as having those set routines for bedtime. I also liked how if your child gets up out of bed to consistently take them back into their room in a nurturing way. I am also growing with my daughter just like the Dads in the episode. I’m keen to continue to have these routines for my daughter to support her growth and development.

Tash: Season 2, Episode 5

I really loved this episode and thought that Tash the Mum has similar characteristics to me. You could see her aroha for her boys and she was really open to finding out their individual needs. I liked how Nathan talked about the Social emotional regulation and wellbeing for Jesse in the episode. I could see myself supporting my daughter like Jesse and this is by having her at the right kura. I’m keen to see if I can support my daughter Summer (5) with some of these ideas about Intelligence and learning. I liked how Nathan mentioned about the intelligence you feel and the child having the perception of themselves as a learner. I loved how accepting Tash was of her boys and their learning.

Family review – Michelle

Season 2, Episode 5

I watched episode 5 about mum TASH and her kids, her seeking help with her potentially neuro-diverse sons. I was interested because I don’t know much about neurodiversity and was keen to learn more. I enjoyed this episode because it clarified that often kids just get put into a bubble and aren’t heard enough. Nathan said that her oldest son probably feels that he’s not good enough when completing tasks, even though he’s done a few perfectly well. I also enjoyed hearing about how kids under the age of three do not overly require daycare and are better off at home, I did this with my own daughter and it has reassured me.

Season 1, Episode 3

I really enjoyed this episode. I found it very related to my own life. I found it very interesting watching what Mitch had to say about his concerns and fears with not sending his son to daycare and was he missing out because of this. I am currently struggling with that same decision for my own child, my son is aged 14 months. My daughter stayed home with me for three years because starting preschool and her social skills are amazing. I enjoyed the concept of scaffolding instead of helicopter parenting. And I liked how Nathan said a lot of the time it’s just about reassuring parents that they are doing the correct thing even when it feels like you aren’t.

Overall I have enjoyed this series and would probably continue watching more episodes. I feel like parents can use and need all the support given when it comes to parenting and raising kids as it’s hard work. Thank you for reading my review.

Family review – Marketa

I recently had the opportunity to watch a few episodes of Kids Don’t Come With a Manual on MĀORI+, and it was an eye-opening experience. As a parent of two young children—“Peter” (name changed), a 7-year-old with ADHD, and “Paul”(name changed), my 8-month-old—I found this series incredibly insightful, offering both expert advice and practical strategies that I could relate to and apply in my own parenting journey.

The premise of Kids Don’t Come With a Manual is simple but powerful: it acknowledges that every child is unique, and there’s no universal guide to raising them. This resonates deeply with me, especially as Peter has ADHD, which presents its own set of challenges in our day-to-day life. I appreciate that the show takes a holistic approach to parenting, blending personal stories with expert advice on navigating various parenting hurdles.

Parenting challenges 

I watched a mix of episodes, but I specifically focused on episodes that addressed topics I’m currently facing with my kids. One episode that stood out to me was about managing children’s behavior and emotions, especially for kids with attention challenges. This was particularly relevant for Peter, who struggles with focus, impulse control, and emotional regulation due to his ADHD. I also watched an episode about parenting a baby, which I found incredibly helpful as I’m learning to navigate the early stages of raising Paul, especially around sleep and establishing routines.

What I like about the show

As a parent, I appreciate how the show offers practical, actionable advice rather than just theory. In particular, the episode on managing emotional behavior gave me some great ideas on how to approach situations when Peter is feeling overwhelmed or frustrated, which happens frequently. The expert in that episode suggested creating calm-down spaces and using visual schedules to help children like Peter feel more in control, which is something I’m definitely planning to try. The show also does a great job of addressing both the challenges and the joys of parenting. I found it reassuring to hear from other parents who are going through similar struggles, and the advice provided felt grounded and realistic, rather than idealistic or unattainable.

Tips and ideas I’m keen to try

One of the most helpful takeaways from the show for me was the idea of building routines around Peter’s needs. The expert emphasized the importance of creating predictable structures, especially for children with ADHD. This is something I’ve been working on, but I got some great new ideas from the episode, such as incorporating sensory breaks into Peter’s day and setting clear, consistent expectations. I’m excited to see how these ideas can help reduce his frustration and increase his focus. As for Paul, the episode on baby routines and sleep strategies gave me some useful tips on creating a consistent bedtime routine. Paul is at that age where he’s starting to establish his sleep patterns, and I’ve been struggling with getting him to sleep through the night. I’m looking forward to trying some of the techniques suggested, like gentle sleep training and using soothing sounds to help Paul settle down.

Conclusion

Kids Don’t Come With a Manual is an invaluable resource for any parent, but especially for those of us who are navigating the complexities of raising children with different needs and stages of development. From managing ADHD to learning how to parent a baby, the show provides realistic, expert-backed advice that I’m eager to implement in my own life. I particularly appreciate that the show feels empathetic and understanding of the unique struggles that each family faces, offering solutions that are practical and grounded in real-life experiences. I would highly recommend this series to other parents who are looking for actionable tips and a supportive, non-judgmental environment to learn and grow as caregivers. I’m looking forward to watching more episodes and continuing to integrate the advice into our daily routine.

Whānau share their tikanga (values)

Kids Don’t Come with a Manual has a focus on integrating tikanga – Māori customs, values, and traditions – into family life. So we asked our Kidspot readers to share their family values. Below are some of the responses.

  • Treat everyone with the kindness and respect you want yourself to feel when you interact with others. (Z Batool)
  • Live by the principle of whakapapa and respect – saying please and thank you is just the beginning! (E Elvi)
  • Nothing in life is free. You have to work hard to get what you want in life, you can’t skip the ‘work hard’ part. (G Roberts)
  • Always tell the truth. (T Green)
  • Communication is the key. Let’s talk about everything and anything with understanding and no judgement. (E McCarthy)
  • Appreciate what others do for you and always say thank you. (L O’Rourke)
  • Be kind, Be brave, Be honest, Be true, Be you. (K Rowlatt)
  • With a blended family, communication is very important. Everyone can speak up, be heard and be understood. (J Mondia)
  • Always speak your truth and stand up for what’s right even if you stand alone. (G Murphy)
  • Be kind with your words and actions. Be charitable with your words and actions. Be true to yourself and treat others with respect. (D Snell)
  • Do not judge others without walking in their shoes first (and take off your shoes at the front door). (A Waterson)
  • Do what’s right when no one is looking. Lead with love. Remember who you are in all decisions you make. (T Parata)
  • Strong work ethic – be it chores around the home, school, hobbies and sports, where praise is given for growth and effort. Quality family time – set aside time as a family for dinner, games, walks, playground, etc. Clear but fair boundaries – set rules and boundaries with consistent consequences. (E Gee)

Watch now

Watch all episodes of seasons one and two of Kids Don’t Come with a Manual on the Māori+ app or at maoriplus.co.nz.

Watch now on MĀORI+

Made with support from NZ On Air.

Glossary

Click the links for a full definition of each te reo word and pronunciation.

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