Nature Kids
Weekday Nature School
Would you like your child to explore, create, play and learn in nature in a nurturing environment, one day a week? To have fun and make friends while being supported by qualified, experienced and caring teachers? To build their confidence, curiosity and creativity through nature experiences and free play? To develop love and respect for self, others and the nature?
Welcome to Nature School, our one-day-a-week, in-term programme for kids aged 6 to 12 years.
At Nature School, we blend intentional learning experiences and free nature play, with a focus on child-led learning. We spend our day connecting with and exploring nature; we are curious, we observe, discuss, create, and play. With small groups and mixed ages children grow and thrive, developing their curiosity, creativity, care for self, others and nature - and so much more!
Nature School is an 8 (sometimes 9) week term at one of three locations - In Mount Maunganui, Tauranga and Waihi Beach where we explore in special public nature spaces.
Nature School was created by Kathy Broadhead in 2019, we are qualified, experienced and caring educators and supporters of your children. We value relationship and weave our kaupapa of whakaute, respect for ourselves, others and nature through all we do.
Thrive at Nature School
In this nature based, engaging and supportive setting your child will thrive and develop:
Curiosity
Creativity
Confidence
Self Management
Problem Solving skills
Resilience
Developing tūrangawaewae, feeling empowered and connected to place
Communication and Collaboration skills
Emotional, Physical and Spiritual wellbeing
Empathy, Love and Care
Sense of Joy and Wonder
So much more!
With small groups (ratio 1 to 9) children develop strong social-emotional skills and learn to care for themselves, others and nature.
Converging evidence strongly suggests experiences of nature boost academic learning, personal development, and environmental stewardship - click here to read the research.
“Harry lives for Nature Kids, it’s helped him at school, in his home life and he is such an empathetic, adventurous and nature loving boy... characteristics nurtured by Kathy every week. It takes a village to raise a child and Nature Kids is a great part of Harry’s Village! Here’s to many more terms/years with Nature Kids” - Sarah Talbut
Our Nature School Days
At Nature School, we blend intentional learning experiences and free nature play, with a focus on child-led learning. We spend our day connecting with and exploring nature; we are curious, we observe, discuss, create, and play. Our term focus is linked to our location, the season and what is happening in nature at this time.
Our experiences can include a focus on:
Seasons, including seasonal celebrations
Birds, Bees, Bugs and all living things
Ecosystems and interconnections in nature
Trees, plants and planting
Wild food, gardening, rongoa māori
Creating, building, nature arts and crafts
Nature connection
Exploration of land, forest, stream, pond, beach, rock pools, sandy shore and more depending on our location
Nature yoga and mindfulness
And so much more!
Nature always has something magic to share so every day is different at Nature School.
Nature School is facilitated by,
Kathy Broadhead (MEd, PGDipT, BSc), a qualified and experienced teacher and environmental educator with over 20 years working in a variety of education roles. Kathy is a supportive and nurturing educator, she created Nature Kids in 2018 and started Nature School in 2019, you can read more here. At Nature School we value relationship and weave our kaupapa of whakaute, respect for ourselves, others and nature through all we do. Kathy is joined by other exceptional educators from time to time.
Nature School is ideal as a grounding pause one-day-a-week from mainstream school - under the Education Act, schools may authorise any student to attend education outside the school. This is often referred to as a one-day school, and we currently have a number of awesome kids from mainstream school with us. It is also perfect for homeschoolers.
"The Nature Kids weekday class is my daughter's highlight each week. She absolutely loves going…it is some combination of delight in nature, presence in nature, the way Kathy guides and supports them as individuals and also the small group of kids that make this such an enjoyable, relaxing and positive learning day for her. I definitely recommend this programme" - Mel Isacc
Nature School Includes
Sessions run from 9am to 3pm
Small group sizes (1-9 ratio)
Nature Notebook for use during our sessions (and to use at home)
Afternoon snack and drink (either Pukeko Poo, aka oat mlyk hot chocolate or Weta Wee, aka reduce sugar fruit juice).
Cost
$675 - 9 week term (gst inclusive)
When and Where
Nature Kids - Weekday Nature School runs every school term
Bay of Plenty - in Mount Maunganui, Te Puna Tauranga and Waihi Beach we explore in special public nature spaces
See the Nature School Booking Form for dates and locations
Bookings: are essential as numbers are limited
Nature Kids is completely nature-based, the drop-off and pick-up point are at our base for the day, see schedule below
Important Information
Click here to read our Nature Kids Terms and Booking Information
Contact Kathy for our Health + Safety Documents and Child Protection Policy.
Due to the nature of our sessions operating in public nature spaces, Nature Kids may not be suitable for kids with high level needs, please contact Kathy to discuss.