Big Heart Day Challenge 2027

Big Heart Day Challenge 2027 invites early learning services to celebrate heart health through a fun skipping challenge for tamariki, kaiako, staff and whānau.

Child jumping rope on a grassy lawn with leafy trees in the background.

Are you ready to take on the Big Heart Day Challenge?

Celebrate 25 years of Tohu Manawa Ora | Healthy Heart Award by joining the Heart Foundation for the Big Heart Day Challenge this February. 

Big Heart Day Skipping Skills Challenge is a fun way for tamariki to practise locomotion – one of the fundamental movement skills. Developing these skills supports  balance, coordination and muscle strength, which are essential for play and lifelong enjoyment of movement. 

Whānau and staff can enjoy watching tamariki progress through the 6 skipping skills and complete their achievement chart. 

How to get involved

Register today to receive a Big Heart Day Challenge kit, which includes: 

  • a free beginners skipping rope 
  • skipping skills lesson plan 
  • skipping skill cards 
  • achievement chart and certificate. 

Choose any day in February to hold your Big Heart Day Skipping Skills Challenge at your early learning service. Make your special day an opportunity to come together with whānau, celebrate heart health and have some fun! 

Register now

Win a visit from Hearty

Hold a Big Heart Day Challenge andyour service could win a visit from the Heart Foundation mascot, Hearty. 

To enter, email us the following details: 

  • The category you’re entering (choose from the 3 options below) 
  • Your early learning service name 
  • Image and/or video content that celebrates Big Heart Day Challenge Skipping Skills and a brief description of how your service represented the category. 

Email your entries to: bigheartday@heartfoundation.org.nz by 31 March 2027.  

Categories

#1 Team spirit: Show us how kaiako and tamariki took up the challenge (no more than 8 images with a brief summary) 

#2 Chart toppers:  Share photos of how many tamariki completed their skills chart. 

#3 Fancy footwork: Send us a short video showing off your skills! 

Terms and conditions for the Win a visit from Hearty competition 

  1. This competition will run for the period 1 February 2027 to 31 March 2027 (the 'Promotional Period').   
  2. The competition is only open to New Zealand early earning services who register to hold a Big Heart Day Challenge between 1 February and 31 March 2027.  
  3. To enter the competition, entrants must email a photo of their Big Heart Day Challenge event to bigheartday@heartfoundation.org.nz during February and March 2027. Only one entry per Early Learning Service is permitted. 
  4. No purchase or fee is required to enter the competition. 
  5. The prize is a visit from the Heart Foundation mascot, Hearty, to the winning early learning service (The Prize). Winners can specify their chosen date and time to redeem their prize.   
  6. Entry into the competition is deemed to be acceptance of these terms and conditions. 
  7. Heart Foundation staff members and their families are not eligible to enter the competition. 
  8. The prize winner will be chosen by the Heart Foundation from all the valid entries on 10 April 2027. The Heart Foundation's decision is final. 
  9. The winner will be notified in mid-April 2027 by the Heart Foundation via the contact details on record used to enter the competition. 
  10. The Heart Foundation is not liable for any loss, damage or injury by any person in connection with the competition or the prize. 
  11. The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash. 
  12. This competition is run by the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand, 9 Kalmia Street, Ellerslie, Auckland, 1051. 

Media template

Social media picture frame template 

Capture your skipping skills and frame them in our Hearty social media template to share with whānau and friends on your learning platforms or print them out for tamariki to take home. 

How to take part 

  1. Open the Canva template link and select View template. 
  2. Sign in or create a free account https://www.canva.com/  
  3. Template will download to your account. 
  4. Upload your school photo and drag it into the photo frame. 
  5. Download your completed design as a PNG. 
  6. Post it on Facebook or Instagram. 
  7. Tag @HeartFoundationNZ on Facebook and @heart_nz on Instagram. 

Other Big Heart Day activity ideas: 

Already taking part in our Tohu Manawa Ora | Healthy Heart Award? 

This skipping challenge is a great way to promote physical activity and movement to tamariki, kaiako and whānau and can be used as evidence for your award. 

Not involved? Find out more here. We’d love to have you on board!