An A to Z of New Zealand

From:     Matthew (and Cameron said somethings too)
Date:       4th May 2005
Subject:  From A to Z in New Zealand
Place:      A Campervan

Travel through kids eyes

I often wonder what the kids will remember of this amazing journey when they are older. Sometimes they don’t seem to remember what we did yesterday. And other times they recall the strangest details that I missed. But they always seem to remember ice creams, sweeties and the M place. As we finished our time in New Zealand, I sat down with Matthew to make an A to Z of New Zealand, recalling his highlights, the things he remembers best, and worst.

Making an A to Z with kids

Making an A to Z with young kids is a great fun way of journaling, capturing memories or reviewing experiences. It’s easy, accessible and provides structure. For those learning their alphabet, it’s educational too.

My A to Z of New Zealand by Matthew

This is what Matthew said when we worked through his A to Z of New Zealand. It’s not the trip I remember!

Ais for apple. We had lots of them and they were very fresh and juicy on a hot day. Bis for bananas. We had lots for energy and we like them and also they are good for you. Cis for cows and campervans. Hey, they were in our way sometimes, lots of them. We beened in a campervan and I sleeped upstairs. Dis for dolphins. They splashed me on Chris’ boat. Lots of them. It was fun. Eis for eggs. Yummy for mama and dada but not yummy for me or Cameron, except Easter eggs. Fis for fruity roll ups. Cos I like them but they’ve got lots of sugar in them so they’re not good for you but they’re nice in the buggy. Gis for green beans. And kiwi fruit. I thought I didn’t like them but then I tried one and I found out that I did like them just like watermelon toothpaste. His for hot pools. They’re hot and I like them, the Japanese one was very very hot, it was burning hot and I didn’t like that though. Iis for ice cream. We had enough of them. Well quite a lot. Can we have another one when we finish this? Jis for jeep and jelly. We went in a jeep on the Big Coast Ride and it was really good fun and very bumpy. And a man is going to put jelly on mummy’s tummy to see what the baby is doing Kis for kayak and Kakapo. I did it on my own kayaking. She was a magic yellow boat you know Kakapo. Lis for llama and luge. It tickles when you feed it and I went on it in Rotorua and Queenstown. It was great and I want to be a luge man.

Mis for mama. I love her. Mama is having a baby and we are going to call it baby Sninkofart.

Nis for noodles. We eat a lot of them when we are camping. When we can’t go to the M place.

Ois for orange. We bought an orange tree for Nadine. She looked after us when you went sailing in that coffin.

Pis for playgrounds and peppermints. We went to lots of them. When we got into our buggies we got them.

Qis for quicksand. We drove in a quicksand river and then went boogie boarding on the sand dunes.

Ris for rivet rivet. Like the magic frog at Ruth and Donna’s place. Do you remember that?

Sis for sweeties and Snooko Sninkofart. Nice they’re too nice for me. He’s in mummy’s tummy and I like it when he kicks.

Tis for Te Papa and Thomas. It was really good museum. I got Thomas on my knickers from the Warehouse.

Uis for up. We went up a lot of hills and it was very slow. Very slow. Why were you so slow Dad?

Vis for van. A van took our bikes and buggies away today, it was sad. We will see them again?

Wis for Warehouse. Where everybody gets a bargain and a money back guarantee.

Xis for kisses. We gave lots of people kisses to say thank you. Why do we give people kisses?

Yis for yacht. We sailed on one called Kakapo. That was good, although mum didn’t like it.

Zis for zoom. We zoomed really fast down the hills on bicycles. That was the best bit. Apart from the ice creams.