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Hello, I’m Janet and welcome to Kiwi Rhymes! 

On becoming a new māmā I wanted to share stories and rhymes that reflected our values and the world I wanted my daughter and our tamariki to grow up in.

This isn’t what I saw in traditional rhymes. So, ‘Kiwi rhymes for modern times’ evolved.

I hope that every Kiwi kid feels represented and celebrated in these rhymes, no matter their race, gender, sexuality, size, shape or ability. And together we can share and celebrate the magic spot we get to call home, Aotearoa.

I’ve spent some time living in Melbourne and Berlin, and the beautiful backyard that is Aotearoa is what always called me home. I’ve recently settled in Māpua, with my partner, our baby and what we call our cat-dog (a cat that plays fetch and follows you around). 

I hope this little collaboration brings access to playful Kiwi rhymes that feel relevant, diverse and inclusive for you. Sing, rap, rhyme and laugh with whānau and celebrate the magic of Aotearoa.

Contact: kiwirhymes@gmail.com or 0223706142

Read more about what led me to this collaboration below…

Collaborations that led me to Kiwi Rhymes

  • robotics course, collaboration

    Robotics course for young Syrian new-comers arriving in Berlin

    Myself and two teachers ran a robotics course every Sunday afternoon throughout the Berlin winter for new-comers to Berlin who wanted to learn how to build a basic electronic circuit and do some simple programming.

    My motivation was to represent women in tech as a female teacher in this environment and ensure the girls saw normalcy in their participation. As a celebration of the closing of the course, I took the kids to my work, a fashion technology innovation lab where we shared the creativity and expression that can be built with technology. Eg: 3D printing earrings, algorithmic design for a dress.

  • Co-creating and open sourcing kids books

    I’ve made two collaborative kids books for family and friends. These came out of a curiosity to get adults and kids drawing together and a desire to engage kids in books.

    The first was a book to help entertain the parents whilst trying to get their baby to sleep. Some beautiful souls I call my friends illustrated different animals falling asleep in their unique ways. We created a story, an art and a special memory in these pages.

    The second was one of the most rewarding side projects I have worked on. And hilarious! I wrote and drew out the main storyline while the kids filled in the gaps and illustrated the rest of the pages.

  • Sweet Sneak Pop-up Bakery

    This spring pop-up was inspired by Copenhagen's Sweet Sneak Pop-up bakery. Five young, creative women from Copenhagen, Berlin, Melbourne and Blenheim came together to run a once-off Melbourne edition of Sweet Sneak.

    We each baked our favourite spring treats, sharing family favourites, or tastes from our home countries. We created a secret pop-up bakery in an old corner store in Brunswick, Melbourne. Announcing the location 24 hours beforehand with some creative marketing we were blown away (and relieved) to have a few hundred passer-bys drop in over the afternoon for sweet delights, spring sunshine and to hear a local Melbourne singer songwriter.