Unity says
Every great thing that exists in the world today started as an idea in someone's head — an idea that other people probably said was impossible. Today we're going to look at what New Zealand has contributed to the world, and think about what you might contribute next.
📖 The story
Read this story together.
Before you start, ask everyone to think of one invention or idea they wish existed.
Unity was visiting the aviation museum in Christchurch when she stopped in front of a photograph. It showed a man in a field, standing beside a strange wooden contraption with wings. The date on the photograph was 1903.
"Richard Pearse," said the guide beside her. "Some people believe he flew a powered aircraft in New Zealand before the Wright Brothers did in America. He worked alone, in rural South Canterbury, with almost no resources. Most people thought he was mad."
New Zealand has always punched above its weight when it comes to ideas and inventions. Ernest Rutherford — born in Nelson — split the atom and became one of the most important scientists in history. New Zealanders developed the electric fence, the jetboat, the disposable syringe, and the tranquiliser gun. We gave the world Sir Edmund Hillary, who stood on top of Everest. We gave the world Weta Workshop, whose special effects transformed filmmaking.
But dreaming big is not just about famous names. It is about the habit of looking at a problem and asking: what if we did this differently? What if we tried something no one has tried before? What if the answer does not exist yet — and we are the ones to find it?
New Zealand needs people who think that way. Our challenges — climate change, inequality, the future of our natural environment, the changing nature of work — will not be solved by doing what we have always done. They will be solved by people who are willing to imagine something different and then work incredibly hard to make it real.
"The difference between a dream and a plan," said Unity, "is a first step."
💬Talk and think
The second question is a great one for kids who feel like they are not creative — remind them that dreaming big is a skill anyone can develop.
- What is one problem in the world — big or small — that you would love to solve?
- Do you think of yourself as a creative person? What does creativity actually mean?
- What New Zealand invention or achievement are you most proud of — and why?
🔍Explore more
Take a few minutes to read through these facts.
The Rutherford fact tends to amaze people — most New Zealanders do not know how significant he was.
- Ernest Rutherford: Born in Brightwater, Nelson — split the atom and won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908
- Richard Pearse: May have flown a powered aircraft in South Canterbury in 1903, before the Wright Brothers
- The jetboat: Invented by Sir William Hamilton in the 1950s to navigate NZ's shallow rivers
- Weta Workshop: Wellington-based effects company behind Lord of the Rings, Avatar, and many more
- Sir Edmund Hillary: First person to summit Everest in 1953 — his face is on the NZ $5 note
- Innovation today: NZ is home to a growing tech sector with companies solving problems in agriculture, health, and space
🤝Solve one problem
Keep this fun and open — wild ideas are welcome. The point is the thinking, not the answer.
Choose one problem from your neighbourhood, your school, or your daily life. It does not have to be big — a small real problem is better than a large imaginary one.
Spend ten minutes brainstorming solutions together. No idea is too silly. Write them all down. Then pick the one that seems most interesting and talk about what a first step might look like.
Afterwards, talk about this: what stopped people from solving this problem before? Was it resources, imagination, time, or something else?
