Kai's Hunger and Fullness Placemats - ECE and health professionals

The Problem: Disconnected eating habits, mealtime anxiety, and limited emotional vocabulary.

Encouraging tamariki to tune into their bodies during mealtimes can be challenging in group care and learning environments. In early childhood centres and kura, abstract concepts around appetite often lead to dysregulated eating patterns, anxiety around trying new foods, or difficulty identifying physical feelings. Educators require durable, evidence-based tools that transform snack and lunch times into intentional, educational learning opportunities.

The Solution: A hands-on mealtime resource for intuitive health literacy.

Created by New Zealand Registered Dietitian Kendall North, these engaging, A3-sized learning placemats help tamariki explore hunger and fullness, build positive body awareness, and spark meaningful connection during centre mealtimes.

Whether you want to unpack intuitive eating cues, help children identify big emotions, or make talking about holistic wellbeing a natural part of the day, these beautifully illustrated mats build robust health literacy from the ground up while supporting social and emotional development.

Looking for a wall display instead? Click here to buy the poster version!

The 3 Educational Pillars of Every Mat:

• Hunger and Fullness Cues: Gives tamariki the language to decode their internal physical feelings. The interactive scale helps them identify exactly how their tummy feels—from understanding big feelings to recognising when they are satisfied or over-full.

• Positive Body Awareness: Validates that all body signals are natural and normal. These mats teach children that their bodies give them helpful clues every day to keep them calm, steady, and ready to grow, learn, and play.

• Mealtime Kōrero (Conversation): Transforms table time into a space for language acquisition and social connection. Each mat features mindful, open-ended prompts to get the whole table talking and reflecting together.

Mix and Match Your Designs

We have 7 incredible themed layouts to choose from. If you purchase a pack of 2, 4, or 6, simply type your preferred design choices into the "Order Notes" box at checkout. Otherwise, we will send you a beautifully curated variety pack.

Our 7 available themed designs include:

• Flax (Traditional Raranga Aesthetic)

• NZ Scene (Classic Kiwi)

• Zoo Adventure

• Down on the Farm

• Hobbit Shire

• Enchanted Fairies

• Prehistoric Dinosaurs

Premium Quality: Built for Busy ECE and Kura Environments

Mealtimes in educational settings are high-traffic and hectic, which is why these mats are built to last. We print exclusively on Duroprint, a premium, heavy-duty synthetic material designed for repeated daily use by little hands.

• 100% Waterproof and Tear-Resistant: Built to survive accidental spills, lunchbox leakage, and enthusiastic handling. It will not warp, bubble, or rip. No commercial lamination required.

• Easy to Wipe Clean: Simply wipe down after meals with a damp cloth or standard centre sanitising wipes, and it is fresh and ready for the next group. No stained, peeling, or fraying edges.

• Child-Safe and Eco-Conscious: Completely PVC-free, phthalate-free, non-toxic, and fully recyclable (Type 5 plastic) at the end of its long life.

NZ Procurement, Invoicing and Purchase Orders

We fully support institutional procurement pathways. We gladly accept standard school, kura, and centre Purchase Orders, and we offer direct bank transfer invoicing.

Simply select "Online Bank Transfer / Purchase Order" as your payment method at checkout, or email our team directly at dietitian@kendallnorth.co.nz with your specific requirements.

Disclaimer: These resources are intended for educational and health literacy purposes only to support clinical and classroom engagement. They do not replace individualised medical advice.

© 2026 Kai the Kiwi & Deeply Nourished Ltd. All rights reserved.