Keiki Heroes Expands Reach with Translated Activity Booklets

Keiki Heroes produced an original 18-page “Let’s Learn Together” activity booklet in English which provides parents and educators a way to connect with children about COVID-19 and its disruptions of daily life. Written in comic book style, the booklet conveys the Keiki Heroes background storyline and models Kai and Hōkū’s ‘super powers’ to Wash Hands, Wear a Mask, Social Distance and Practice Kindness. The informative activities are presented in a fun and relatable way, which helps children identify with the super heroes. This commonality is key to a safe learning atmosphere and is reinforced throughout the booklet with fun coloring and learning activities. By using familiar Hawaiian experiences, such as local characters, images of indigenous plants/animals and use of ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi, the story resonates with children and grounds them in the place of Hawaiʻi. However, if the language becomes a barrier, that connection can be lost.

Knowing that much of Hawaiʻi’s households use English as a second language and to keep that connection strong, the Keiki Heroes team decided that the book should be translated into the most common languages spoken within the islands. Over the course of recent months, the project team collaborated with in-community local translators (where possible) to translate “Let’s Learn Together” into 14 additional languages.  The local translators were proud to be part of this movement.

“Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this project. It’s probably the most meaningful thing I have done all year!” – Esther A. (who translated our book to simplified and traditional Chinese).

Makela B., who provided the ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i translation, was motivated to translate the booklet by the opportunity to help our keiki and ‘ohana. “I love the community collaborative and always enjoy working together to achieve a goal.” She hopes that those using the activity book will, “find a connection and be able to use these tips and to tell the story about it within everyone’s cultural context, and continue to be safe and healthy.”

With the Keiki Heroes characters and story in native languages, the materials reach more people and empower keiki in our diverse community. The translation provides accessibility to populations where mainstream messaging might not reach and reinforces healthy behaviors within those vulnerable segments so that we can all thrive in Hawaiʻi.

View All Translations

Please help distribute these FREE translated resources:

• Cebuano
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Chinese (Traditional)
• Chuukese
• Ilocano
• Japanese 
• Korean
• Kosraean
• Marshallese
• ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
• Russian
• Spanish
• Tagalog
• Vietnamese

Schools, child care centers, keiki-serving companies and other organizations can submit requests for printed activity books directly to the program team.