Resources & Activities
Through action-packed events, hands-on activities and engaging lessons, Eye on Nature encourages tamariki and their whānau to connect with the environment and learn how to be more sustainable in everyday life.
Check out these fun learning activities and resources for tamariki at school and at home.
200m Urban Garden Project - Koanga Institute NZ
For Greenies
Video - Koanga Institute has the largest collection of heritage seeds in Aotearoa. They help teach regenerative and sustainable ways of living in urban places.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai, Sustainability, Circular Economy
Anika's Go-To Boil Up
New World
Recipe - This classic kiwi boil up is easy to make, delicious to eat, and is sure to please even the fussiest eaters.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai, Māori
Auckland Teaching Gardens flyer
Auckland Teaching Gardens Trust
PDF - Flyer of Auckland Teaching Garden locations. Click here to see community gardens in your area which you can visit.
Type
Topics
Kai
Garden to Table Recipes
Garden to Table
Here is a small selection of Garden to Table recipes, developed and written specifically with young readers in mind.
Type
Website
Topics
Kai
How to make a Mushroom Kit
Mushroomate
Video - Learn how to make a GIY (Grow It Yourself) mushroom farm from scratch in less than 30 minutes.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Incredible Edible Gardens
Auckland Botanic Gardens
Visit the edible garden at Auckland Botanic Gardens to get some tips around making your own home garden!
Type
Website
Topics
Kai
Kai Sovereignty - Lowering your carbon footprint through local Kai
Ngāti Whatua and Para Kore
Video - Panelists discuss the impacts of global food production and how Mātauranga Māori can guide us in restoring our taiao.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai, Māori
Learning at Home Resources - Auckland Zoo
Auckland Zoo
Lesson plans, resources, and much more to support learning from the Auckland Zoo.
Type
Website
Topics
Sustainability, Kai
Mushroom Kit instructions
The Mushroom Smith
Document - Instructions for how to grow your Phoenix Oyster mushroom kits. Please remember to weigh and record data for harvest and weight of mushrooms.
Type
Topics
Kai
Principles of 'Mana to Mana' practice in Community Food Distribution
Kore HiaKai Zero Hunger Collective
Teachers resource (pdf) - Kore HiaKai supports the frontline work of community food organisations while also undertaking the slower, deeper work of addressing poverty related hunger’s root causes.
Type
Report, pdf
Topics
Kai, Māori, Sustainability, Circular Economy
Summer treat for squirrel monkeys
Auckland Zoo
Video - Watch as Sam prepares the perfect summertime morning tea treat for Auckland Zoo's curious and cute squirrel monkeys!
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
The Bee Lady - Video collection
The Bee Lady
Collection of short videos about the basics of keeping bees
Type
Video, Website
Topics
Kai
Wainuiātea - Te whakapapa o te Wai
Te Pu a nga Maara
Video - Actions to help remember the whakapapa of Wai.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai, Māori, Rangatahi, Water
Who's up at 5am? - Food at the Zoo
Auckland Zoo
Video - Auckland Zoo's Stores Manager, Ian, shows us the fridges and pantries used for animals diets at Auckland Zoo.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
3 Ways We Could Transform the Future of Food
SciShow
Video - As the population grows, the demand for food is only going to increase, but luckily, scientists are already working to solve this problem.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Are GMOs Good or Bad? Genetic Engineering & Our Food
Kurzgesagt
Video - Are GMOs bad for your health? Or is this fear unfounded?
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Climate Change and the future of production in NZ
Plant & Food
Video - Farmers and researchers are protecting our food security from the effects of climate change in Aotearoa and across the globe.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai, Sustainability, Circular Economy
Helpful Herbs
Auckland Botanic Gardens
Printable pdf - Explore the Herb Garden to discover plants from around the world that are grown for different uses.
Type
Topics
Kai
How to make a beeswax candle
The Bee Lady
Video - Follow along to create a candle using locally sourced beeswax and wicks.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Incredible Edibles
Auckland Botanic Gardens
Printable activity - Explore our Edible Garden using this activity sheet to gather ideas that will help you grow delicious food at home!
Type
Topics
Kai
Kai from the ngāhere
Auckland Council
Video - Join Anna, Kara, and Baxter as they walk through Totara Park highlighting some of Aotearoa's precious edible plants.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Lets blow tomatoes up!
Stuff
Video - Tomatoes are the cheapest they’ve been in 12 years, so we can afford to blow some up.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Mushrooms are Awesome - Presentation
The Mushroom Smith
PDF - Fungi presentation slides from Mushroom Smith.
Type
Topics
Kai
Rangatahi react to eating toroi
Re: and Mahi Tahi Media
Video - Lets try some māori delicacies! Rangatahi use reo and kai to revitalize and reconnect to māori culture.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai, Māori
Te Whakapapa o te Wai
Te Pu a nga Maara
Video - Remember the whakapapa of water using this waiata
Type
Video
Topics
Māori, Water, Kai
The Wai in Our Kai
Watercare
Video - In this fun-filled lesson, children find out why water is essential for life. The video explores how our bodies use water and how it is stored in our foods. It also looks at where our water comes from and why it is important to use it wisely. Jam-packed with activities, games and science experiments, it will engage and inspire curious minds.
Type
Video
Topics
Water, Kai, Sustainability
What is Food Insecurity? An Explanation
Thomas Reuters Foundation
Video - 925 million people go to bed hungry despite there being enough food to feed the planet. This video explains what food (in)security is, and why it is important.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai, Sustainability
Why are plants smelly?
University of Reading
Video - What do different plants smell of? Can smelly plants kill germs? Why are some flowers sweet smelling, others gross, while others don't smell at all?
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
APEC Food security Explained
APEC NZ
Video - Food security means that everyone has access to sufficient, safe, nutritious, and affordable food and food producers have sustainable livelihoods.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai, Sustainability
Auckland Teaching Gardens - What does a community garden look like?
Auckland Teaching Garden
Video - What does a local community garden look like? What sorts of things can you see at different times of the year?
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Food at the Zoo lesson packs
Auckland Zoo
Teachers pdf lessons - Resources and links to help children understand nutrition and enrichment for animals at the Zoo.
Type
Topics
Kai
Herb and Sunflower Seed Pesto
Garden to Table
Recipe - Pesto is a great way to use a surplus of greens in the garden. Use your pesto on toast, crackers or spread on a pizza base.
Type
Topics
Kai
How to make: Seed Tape
Garden to Table
PDF - Carrot and radish seeds are so tiny, they need help germinating. Making seed tape helps them grow better.
Type
Topics
Kai
Is Organic Really Better? Healthy Food or Trendy Scam?
Kurzgesagt
Video - Organic food is a huge trend: it promises a healthier and better life. But can Organic food really live up to the expectations or is it just baloney?
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Kids Try Spicy Food from Around the World
HiHo Kids
Video - Adventurous and adorable kids give us an entrée into the world’s array of foods and snacks
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Make your own - Behaviour Enrichment for Pets
Auckland Zoo
Video - Auckland Zoo educator Laura demonstrates how you can make your very own behavioural enrichment for your pets at home.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
Ngā Hekaheka o Aotearoa - Mushrooms of Aotearoa
Huia
Teachers resource (pdf) - A bi-lingual science/mātauranga māori guide to mushrooms of Aotearoa.
Type
Topics
Kai
See in the Dark ANZAC biscuits
Garden to Table
Recipe - How did food move around the world in times of war? ANZAC cookies were a popular item to send to soldiers across the sea.
Type
Topics
Kai
The Amazing ways plants defend themselves
Ted-Ed
Video - Plants are constantly under attack, but how do they protect themselves against threats.
Type
Video
Topics
Kai
The Water in our Food
Watercare
Printable activity - How much of our food contains water? Print and cut out to match the picture, name, and water percentage of natural foods. Answers included.
Type
Topics
Kai, Water
What, where and how food is important in children’s lives?
University of Auckland
Pdf - What foods do children eat, what should we be eating, and how does advertising effect children? This slideshow shows the latest in child health research from Dr Victoria Egli and Dr Rajshri Roy.
Type
Topics
Kai