All About Me Worksheets New Zealand | Trauma-Informed Back-to-School Activities

Help every child begin the school year feeling seen, understood and welcome.

Many traditional All About Me worksheets focus heavily on a child’s family or home life. These questions can be uncomfortable for children experiencing trauma, family changes or complex living arrangements.

This inclusive, trauma-informed resource offers children safer and more flexible ways to introduce themselves. Students can share their interests, strengths, preferences and learning needs without being pressured to disclose sensitive personal information.

Designed especially for New Zealand classrooms, the activities include familiar Aotearoa contexts and te reo Māori vocabulary such as:

• Ko ___ ahau

• Ingoa

• Whānau

• Kai

• Pukapuka

What is included:

• Nine different All About Me activity pages

• A detailed learning and wellbeing questionnaire

• Simple drawing and early-writing templates

• Favourite-things activities

• A New Zealand location activity

• A Would You Rather? activity

• “Have You Seen This Kiwi?” poster

• An All About Me classroom display pennant

• Options for different ages, abilities and writing levels

Children can share:

• The name and pronouns they would like used

• Where and how they prefer to work

• What makes them happy at school

• What helps when they feel sad, angry or overwhelmed

• Their interests, strengths and favourite activities

• Something they would like to achieve

• Fun facts about themselves

• Their favourite kai, pukapuka, music, places and sports

More than a back-to-school worksheet

These activities give teachers valuable information that can help them build relationships and create a more responsive learning environment. Children can communicate whether they prefer quiet time, movement, space, support from a friend or another strategy when they become overwhelmed.

The different templates make differentiation easy. Choose a simple drawing page for a beginning writer, a favourites page for a developing writer or a more detailed reflection page for an older student.

Use this resource for:

• The first week of school

• Back-to-school activities

• New students arriving during the year

• Student portfolios

• Classroom community building

• Wellbeing conversations

• Whānau evenings

• Classroom and corridor displays

• Mixed-age or Montessori classes

• Homeschool introductions

Created by a New Zealand registered teacher who is Montessori and state trained, this resource reflects my experience supporting diverse and neurodivergent learners. I understand that genuinely getting to know a child means learning what helps them feel safe, respected and ready to participate—not simply discovering their favourite colour.

Suitable for approximately Years 1–8. Select the templates that best suit the children in front of you.

Please note: This is a digital PDF download. No physical item will be shipped.

You may also be interested in my New Zealand Back to School Bundle or the following resources:

Find Someone who.... (trauma informed)

Classroom Directory (strength based, inclusive class book)

Three in a Row class game

Waitangi Day Scavenger Hunt

Waitangi Day Scavenger Hunt Junior Edition

Maori Themed Name Tags