A group of entrepreneurial students at Ōtūmoetai College has created a solution for parents looking for an alternative to kids’ screen time in cars.

The Year 12 business studies group, Wandering Kiwi, has designed a travel bingo set as part of the Young Enterprise Scheme that is an educational way to keep youngsters occupied.

“We noticed that as technology becomes big in society, children are a lot more exposed to it, so many are on iPads during road trips,” says Year 12 student and Wandering Kiwi CEO Ella Griffin. “We want to help get kids off screens in cars.”

Young Enterprise Scheme regional co-ordinator Manaia Penia says she likes the group’s idea as well as their reason for doing it. “I love their display and how the bags are made from hard-wearing recycled material. They’ve asked questions during the design process and implemented those responses into the product.”

The group of six started bouncing around ideas in March and when they settled on the idea of magnetic board games, they got quotes from local manufacturers and chose one that fit within budget and is also environmentally friendly.

“It was suggested that we use scrap ACM [Aluminium Composite Materials],” says Ella. “By using leftovers, the manufacturer at Mount Maunganui was able to give us a reduced rate.”

Wandering Kiwi bingo boards went on sale in early-June and the group has so far sold about 40 through markets, online sales and among family and friends.

“The game is in both English and Māori, so it has an educational aspect, too,” says Ella. “We like that this is helping kids.”

“Unlike other board games our magnetic bingo boards remove the single use aspect, promoting eco-friendly reusable products,” says Year 12 student and Wandering Kiwi marketing director Daniella Johnston.

Wandering Kiwi is one of 87 groups in the Bay of Plenty that collate points for the Young Enterprise Scheme by completing tasks.

The three highest-scoring teams will pitch their business at the YES regional finals on October 22 with one team picked to represent Bay of Plenty at YES nationals on December 5.

“These girls were really great at picking their team,” says Manaia. “Each has a niche, and they do that role to the best of their ability, then they work so well together too. They really are quite a dynamic team to watch.”

Wandering Kiwi will be at the Little Big Markets, at Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui, on September 7 from 9am. The group also sell Wandering Kiwi via their website with a percentage from each sale donated to KidsCan. Visit: https://wanderingkiwiotc.company.site

- SunLive