Reviews
Don't just take our word for it - check out the reviews from those who have transformed secondhand toys into weighted pals!!
Sue Graham
Learning Support Coordinator
"Over the three sessions it was brilliant to watch the children extend both their sewing skills and their ability to interact and share what they had done. We made around 20 toys, with many going to classrooms and the rest eventually going into a sensory room"
North Canterbury
RTLB Team
Resource Teacher Learning And Behaviour
"On behalf of the North Canterbury RTLB service and the neurodiverse children we support, we are very grateful for the thoughtful and impactful donation of weighted toys created by the classes that your team have worked alongside.
This initiative has had a significant and multi-faceted impact on; Supporting Neurodiverse Children, Supporting Whānau, Personalisation, Fostering Compassion and Service, Developing Valuable Skills, and Environmental Awareness.
We are deeply impressed by the creativity, compassion, and dedication demonstrated by your staff involved in this project. Your efforts are truly making a difference in the lives of many.
Thank you again for your generosity and support!"
Rochelle Keats
RTLB Team
"Wow! These are amazing. This is such a generous and purposeful project that has such an incredible impact on our ākonga (students). To be able to gift a weighted toy and not have to ask for it back after a strong attachment is formed is priceless. It is so exciting to see your wee project growing and causing ripples through the community."
North Canterbury News Paper
"A weighty companion"
Issue: November 14th, 2024 pg18
Written by Abbey Wilson
"Students are able to gain self esteem and independence when learning how to sew the toys, as well as create a connection with the stuffed toy.
They last forever giving years of enjoyment.
Kids can name toys and teachers can use them in the classroom for learning."
Maria Thwaites
Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
Year 5/6 teacher
"Re-purpose Pals is a practical, student-centred programme that aligns strongly with sustainability and wellbeing while using a hands-on approach and building on other useful life skills. I would highly recommend them to other schools, and for any future funding.
Re-purpose Pals visited Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School and worked with our class to support students in reusing, repairing, and repurposing toys, including the creation of weighted toys designed to support emotional regulation. Lesley, the representative from Re-purpose Pals, was professional, approachable, and highly engaging with the learners and myself as the class teacher. She created a safe, inclusive learning environment where students felt encouraged to participate, ask questions, and take pride in their work.
As part of this experience, Re-purpose Pals provided our class with two weighted toys which have become an invaluable part of our classroom. These toys are a valuable wellbeing resource, offering a number of ways to support students, particularly those going through emotionally challenging moments, or experiencing neurodiversity difficulties. Students use these toys as a tool to calm down, refocus and connect back into learning when other stimuli became overwhelming. Students also demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility and care for the toys, showing respect and understanding of their purpose, as well as a commitment to keeping them safe from damage.
The toy-creation sessions were highly engaging and supported the development of a wide range of skills, including problem-solving and critical thinking, fine motor skills, creativity, collaboration, and communication. Students also gained a deeper understanding of sustainability through the reuse of materials and developed empathy and emotional awareness by learning how weighted toys can support wellbeing and learning. These skills and knowledge made the programme particularly worthwhile, as students were able to connect hands-on learning with real-world purpose and personal responsibility.
Overall, the Re-purpose Pals programme had a positive impact on student engagement, confidence, and wellbeing. Based on our experience, we highly recommend Re-purpose Pals to other schools seeking a meaningful programme that supports both learning and student wellbeing"
Straight from the kids!!
Tiny voices, big smiles!!
"It was so fun to learn how to sew and fill!" - Ashleigh
"I loved making and reloving bunnys and all sorts of animals" - Charlotte
"I think re-purpose pals is a really fun way to fix toys and help other kids to get toys of their own instead of letting them go to waste" - Lyla
"I think re-purpose pals is a good things to help our planet and to help kids who don't have toys" - Molly
"Making weighted soft toys was a very fun experience! Re-purposing toys is one of the best ideas someone has came up with." - Olivia
"This was one of the most enjoyable parts of my year by far! The weighted toy I created brought me much joy. Thank you Lesley for creating re-purpose pals" - Celeste
"I think re-purpose pals is a great way to recycle and save toys in op-shops and make them into new wanted toys for people who need them! - Chloe