Balancing Kiwis

Oh a happier note, here's another fun activity you can do with small groups or a pastoral care class. Also safe for young kids as it doesn't contain small parts and is made from solid wood.

This game comes from New Zealand and is called Balancing Kiwis. It's made up of kiwis carved from wood, and you have to arrange them in such as way that they balance in formation, a bit like cheerleaders.

It's great for teaching the importance of teamwork, strategy and patience. There are also suggestions if you get stuck or are looking for ideas of different formations.

The last time I used it in class, I forgot to take my camera to photograph some of the formations the students made. I'll try to remember to next time! So here's one I made earlier:

The bonus challenge at the end is the first group that gets all the pieces back in the box!

It has the potential for being even more fun if you use more than one set.

The company, Tarata, makes lots of different sets, including different balancing animals, coloured shapes, alphabets (a bit pricey), jigsaws, etc. See their online shop for prices. The jigsaw clock looks pretty cool!