Christmas Giving

This Christmas, we’re encouraging quality over quantity — focusing on thoughtful, environmentally friendly gifts that bring joy to tamariki while caring for our planet and experience gifts, for example movie vouchers, mini-golf, or adventure passes.

If you or your community would like to contribute, we’d love gifts made from natural, renewable, and recycled materials or gift vouchers that offer whānau memorable experiences. 

Here are some ideas to inspire you:
________________________________________

🌿 For Younger Children
•    Wooden or bamboo toys and building blocks
•    Soft toys made from organic cotton, hemp, or recycled fabric
•    Wooden musical instruments (e.g. xylophones, maracas, tambourines)
•    Pretend play sets (e.g. wooden play kitchen food, tea sets, or tools gardening kits)

KMart has a great range of wooden toys available with local stockists like Mahana NZ or Little Whimsy supporting Kiwi businesses.

________________________________________

🎨 Creative Play
•    Art and craft kits with recycled paper or soy-based paints
•    Natural crayons, beeswax crayons, or modelling clay 
•    DIY kits: make-your-own birdhouses, beeswax wraps, or friendship bracelets  
•    Reusable sticker books or magnetic storyboards

Though stationery focused, Warehouse Stationery have eco-friendly product ranges (recycled, sustainable) and gift-items.

________________________________________

🎲 For Older Children & Teens
•    Board games or puzzles made from recyclable materials
•    Books
•    Reusable drink bottles or lunchboxes (stainless steel or recycled plastic)
•    Experience gifts – movie vouchers, mini-golf, or pool or adventure passes

Places like Megazone or Escape Artists in Dunedin, Puzzling World in Wānaka, or the Riviera Cinema in Balclutha or Ōamaru offer gift vouchers for purchase.

Fun fact: Escape Artists are actually based in our former Bath Street offices.
________________________________________

🌼 For All Ages
•    Eco-friendly outdoor toys (e.g. skipping ropes, recycled sand play sets)
•    Gardening kits with seeds and compostable pots
•    Experience gifts – movie vouchers, mini-golf, or pool or adventure passes

Kingsseeds has a range of kits to get those green-fingered tamariki started.

Mitre10 also has a great section on their website for activities to enjoy over summer.

Other local alternatives are: 

The Baby Factory stock the Everearth range of eco-friendly toys, Warehouse Stationery supply eco-friendly paint brush sets and paper options, Farmers also have a range of eco-friendly options.

________________________________________

We know not all gifts will fit this perfectly, but any effort to choose more sustainable options makes a real difference — to the planet and to the tamariki we support.

Thank you for helping us make Christmas special for families in our community.

‍