Hello we are Ari and Friends - your creative crew! Think of us as your creative besties and pocket sized hype monsters! We are here to help you feel awesome, get into your feels, and express yourself with creative tools that actually make sense.
We have creative ways to help you feel more like you!
Hi, I'm Charlotte
I'm a mum, a Masters graduate in Psychology, and a creative arts facilitator. But more than any of that—I'm a parent who's been there.
I've sat with my kids through meltdowns I didn't know how to help. I've watched them struggle with anxiety they couldn't put into words. I've felt the helplessness of wanting to support them but not knowing where to start.
Therapy isn't always accessible. Pinterest crafts required hours I didn't have. Apps felt disconnecting. And most "emotional learning" resources were either too clinical or too surface-level to actually help.
So I created what I couldn't find.
The Creative Toolbox started as something I made for my own children —simple, creative activities that taught emotional skills without feeling like work. Activities they could do on their own, in 10 minutes, when emotions felt too big.
I combined what I learned professionally (therapeutic techniques that actually work) with what I needed as a mum (practical, quick, no-prep tools).
And when I tested them with other families and saw kids actually engage—and parents actually get relief—I knew this needed to exist in the world.
What We Believe:
Every child deserves tools to understand and manage their emotions. All kids. Every child.
Because emotional intelligence isn't a nice-to-have. It's foundational to everything—confidence, relationships, resilience, mental health.
But kids don't learn emotional skills through lectures or worksheets. They learn through doing. Through creating. Through play.
That's what The Creative Toolbox does—it makes emotional learning feel natural, empowering, and fun.
Meet Our Hype Monster Friends:
Our activities are guided by four Hype Monster characters—Ari, Rumi, Ezra, and Sae. They're not just cute mascots. They're creative companions who help kids feel less alone, more understood, and brave enough to explore their feelings. Think of them as pocket sized hype buddies.
Each monster represents different strengths kids are building:
Where We Are Now:
We've just launched our physical Activity Snack kits—pocket-sized envelopes with complete creative activities that teach emotional skills. Kids ages 6-10 can do them independently in 10 minutes.
We started with 3 activities (Worry Eater, My Weather Report, Gratitude Scavenger Hunt) and we're building toward a complete set of 8 tools kids can collect.
Every kit is packed by hand here in Auckland, NZ. Every activity is designed with care, tested with real kids, and grounded in therapeutic principles.
This Is Just The Beginning:
We're building a community of parents who believe emotional wellbeing matters. Who want practical tools that actually work. Who know their kids deserve better than just "calm down" and "use your words."
If that's you—welcome. We're so glad you're here.
With gratitude,
Founder, The Creative Toolbox
