nostalgic for new zealand

The boys wanted something different on their walls apart from school artwork and hurley posters.  We put our heads together and the boys suggested to paint a map of my home country, New Zealand. As I got started I couldn't fit the South Island on it and I'm not proud to say that I haven't even gone as far as Wellington. shhhhh.... but the North Island will do for now. We'll come up with a good slogan, maybe we will use "te ika a maui".

According to Maori mythology, the North and South islands of New Zealand arose through the actions of the demi god Maui. Māui and his brothers were fishing from their canoe (the south island) when he caught a great fish and pulled it from the sea. While he was not looking his brothers fought over the fish and chopped it up. This great fish became the North Island and thus a Māori name for the North Island is "Te ika-a-māui."

I used this map as a my example

free hand the map with chalk or you could use a projector

I painted the inside with the grey that's on the opposite walls

then I used a small paint brush and lined it with red to give it some contrast

 I printed towns and cities that were meaningful to the boys and used a spray glue to adhere it to the wall. It just peels right off if you didn't place the name in the right spot
finished product.... well I haven't added "Te ika a maui" yet but will very soon