Findley's Fantastic Adventures Book Six: New Zealand

Findley's Magical Journey Through New Zealand

Findley, a curious little explorer, sets sail for the wild wonders of Aotearoa - New Zealand. From bubbling mud ponds and singing orchards to time travelling Tui birds and talking volcanoes, every step of his journey is filled with kindness, courage and surprise.

Along the way, Findley meets dolphins that dance, taniwha that burp and trees that whisper stories. He visits hidden valleys where animals speak in rhyme, swims through glowing sea caves and learns ancient legends from the land itself.

With each adventure, Findley receives a special gift - a warm stone for bravery, a glowing pearl for wonder, a carved pendant for honouring the past and many more. When he finally returns home, his shelf sparkles with treasures and his heart glows with memories.

In New Zealand, magic isn't just found.......it's shared.

Literacy & Communication

Storytelling & Sequencing

Children retell Findley's adventure using story maps, puppets or role play.

Focus on beginning, middle and end to build understanding of story structure.

Phonics & Vocabulary

Introduce fun, descriptive words like twinkling jellyfish and burping mud pond.

Play sound games and explore rhyming words to build phonics skills.

Early Writing

Write simple postcards from Findley to a friend.

Create profiles for magical creatures with drawings and labels.

Invent new story parts with support.

Understanding the World

Geography

Look at pictures and maps of New Zealand.

Compare with the UK - talk about animals, weather and land.

Use globes and digital maps to spot places Findley visits.

Science & Nature

Explore volcanoes, sea creatures, glowworms and native animals.

Use Findley's magical gifts, to spark curiosity.

Try simple experiments - making a mini volcano.

People & Communities

Learn about Māori stories, songs and traditions.

Talk about how people live in different parts of the world.

Expressive Arts & Design

Art & Craft

Make Findley's treasure shelf using clay, collage or natural materials.

Design magical places like orchards or underwater caves.

Music & Movement

Create songs about singing fruit or dancing dolphins.

Use instruments to copy sounds from the story.

Drama & Role Play

Act out scenes like the volcano meeting or jellyfish island.

Dress up and explore different characters through play.

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

Feelings & Emotions

Talk about Findley's feelings - being brave, curious or kind.

Share times when children felt the same.

Friendship & Teamwork

Work together to solve problems like Findley does.

Celebrate helping and sharing.

Resilience & Growth

Discuss how Findley keeps going when things get tricky.

Encourage children to try new things and not give up.

Mathematics

Counting & Sorting

Count Findley's treasures.

Sort them by colour, shape or size.

Patterns & Sequences

Spot patterns in nature - like jellyfish lights or tree rings.

Make music patterns using claps or instruments.

Measurement

Compare sizes of animals or how far Findley travels.

Use timers or blocks to measure time and distance.

Physical Development

Fine Motor Skills

Make treasure shelf items with clay or collage.

Draw maps or thread shell necklaces.

Gross Motor Skills

Dance like Findley - mud prance, dolphin twirl.

Go on outdoor explorer walks to find natural treasures.

Includes Worksheets and Colouring Pages