Add Kupu To Your Kete
(Not Just Tiakarete)
This Te Aranga!
Easter is about more than just chocolate bunnies and sugar highs (although we’re not saying no to either of those). It’s also a sweet opportunity to weave more te reo Māori into your celebrations—without needing to add more to your already full plate.
Here are 5 fun, simple ways to reclaim some reo for Te Aranga this year:
(Ppsstt, quick heads up! Some of the links we’ve mentioned here might be affiliate links.
This just means that if you decide to buy something through them, we might make a commission. Tēnā koe!)
1. Label the Kai
We all gotta eat—and if your tamariki are anything like mine, it’s probably an event that happens at least 25 times a day. So it’s the perfect chance to sneak in some kai kupu—especially when there’s excitement in the air and a bit of novelty on the plate!
That’s why labelling your Easter treats is such an easy win. You’re bound to have some kind of kai for Easter lunch—so why not turn the dining tēpu into a language buffet too? All you need is a few sticky notes, bits of paper, or a paper tablecloth and a Sharpie.
Here are a few simple kai kupu from our latest Instagram carousel to get you started:
You could even make it into a game—can your tamariki remember the kupu before they eat the treat?
We’re not going for perfect. We’re going for playful, low-pressure learning that fits right into what’s already happening. And in our whare? That usually means a lot of kai.
🧡 Want to take it up a level? Grab our Kai Time Placemats to learn kupu for utensils, tableware, and simple mealtime phrases too—perfect for everyday use, not just Easter.
2. Make Rohi Rīpeka (Hot Cross Buns)
Easter wouldn’t feel like Easter in our whare without Rohi Rīpeka – and even if baking with tamariki is chaotic (because it is), instead of buying ours this year, we’re excited to try baking one of Whānaukai’s bilingual recipes for hot cross buns—and honestly, if you haven’t discovered Naomi’s recipies yet, you’re in for a treat!
They don’t just taste good—they’re written in a way that actually helps you learn as you bake. She includes ingredients and steps in both te Reo Māori and English, so you can start picking up kupu for kai, baking, measurements, and general kitchen kōrero as you go. It’s genius!
👉Check Out the WHĀNAUKAI Website Here!
Naomi’s mahi is such a beautiful example of how we can reclaim language in the heart of our homes. Because let’s face it—we’re in the kitchen a lot. We might as well be making something delicious and strengthening our reo at the same time.
🧡 Want to make your baking sessions even more bilingual?
We’ve got downloadable vocab lists for kitchen items and cooking utensils that you can print out and keep on the fridge. Perfect for expanding your everyday reo while you whisk, stir, and sneak-eat dough.
👉 Check them out here
3. Mix Up Some Bunny Bait
Every year in our whare, one of the most fun parts of Easter is crafting our own Bunny Bait—a magical concoction designed to lure the Easter Bunny into our backyard and convince him to leave a few extra hēki in our egg hunt stash 🐰
It’s become a bit of a tradition now… and not just for the kids. It’s also our annual “clean out the pantry” mission.
All the stale cereal no one closed properly, the rice bubbles from last year, those raisins that have turned into little rocks—it all gets donated to the cause.
✨ Pro tip: Stick to dry ingredients to avoid a slip hazard for ol’ Rāpeti
This activity is perfect for:
- Encouraging bilingual kōrero with colour, number, and action kupu
- Letting tamariki get creative and messy in a low-stakes way
- Freeing up precious pantry space in time for actual edible things
And the best part? It might just keep your kids busy long enough for you to sit down and enjoy that hot cross bun in peace! Maybe.
👉 Read the full Bunny Bait activity post here
4. Have a Bilingual Easter Hunt
If your tamariki love hunting for chocolate hēki, this one’s a must try.
We were so inspired by the team at Tereomaoribookshop, who shared a beautiful set of phrases to help you run your whole Easter egg hunt in te Reo Māori. And honestly? It’s genius.
They’ve created such a fun and accessible way to bring more reo into something that’s already packed with joy and movement. It turns the classic egg hunt into a bilingual kōrero session full of excitement, learning, and laughter.
Imagine saying things in Māori like:
- “The Easter Bunny came last night. Let’s look for his eggs!”
- “Where are the chocolate eggs hiding? Maybe behind the curtains?”
- “Look over there—you’ve found one!”
- “How many eggs are there? Count them for me!”
- “Yummy!”
The language is simple, relevant, and instantly usable—even if you’re still early on in your own reo journey.
This is what we love about kaupapa like this. Tereomaoribookshop are making it easy to bring te reo into real life, and we’re all better off for it. Their mahi is full of warmth, generosity, and practical magic—and if you’re not already following them, honestly, go do it now.
🌈 See the full post on Instagram
🧡 Or check it out on Facebook
We can’t wait to try this in our own whare this year—big mihi to the team for sharing it with the world.
🧡 Need help with colour or counting kupu before the big hunt?
You’ll find posters for both (and more) in our Te Reo Tots Collection – perfect for learning the basics before you go searching for those hēki!
5. Our Easter Activity & Colouring Booklet
This year, I wanted to create something moa than just a colouring book.
The Easter Activity & Colouring Booklet is a 20-page printable full of:
- ✍🏽 Colouring pages with Māori patterns
- 🧩 Reo-rich puzzles and matching games
- 🗣️ Sentence starters and kōrero prompts
- 🏅 A Tohu Reo badge to earn and collect
It’s designed for pre-school aged tamariki aged 3-5 (but honestly, big kids and kaiako have said they love it too), and of course it includes kupu + kōrero guide so you can actually use the pages as you play.
And the best part? Once you download it, you can print it again next year. Or for siblings. Or for your classroom. No need to buy it twice!
🎉 Grab your copy here
(P.S. Early bird pricing ends Good Friday – April 14th 2025!)
BONUS: Free Koha Downloads for Your Kete
We’ve also added a couple of free printables for your Easter kete this year:
- ✨ Te Karakia o te Atua – A simple printable version of The Lord’s Prayer in te Reo Māori, illustrated for tamariki
- 🎨 4 Māori-inspired Easter colouring pages – These ones are just for fun, no kupu, just beautiful designs
You’ll find both of these over on the Koha page on our website alongside our other freebies.
Pop them in your kete and enjoy!
How Are You Adding Kupu to Your Kete This Aranga?
We’d love to hear how your whānau is celebrating Easter in reo Māori.
Leave a comment, come kōrero with us on Instagram @moathanwords, or tag us in your stories—we’re always cheering you on!
