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At Kakapo Creek, we know children need nature to develop their sense of inquiry and curiosity. Nature also helps us find contentment and rest.
Children over 3 years of age , who are nappy trained, are invited to join our once-a-week excursion to our Northern Campus . This unique opportunity allows them to spend a day at our exclusive 1.2ha farm forest in Silverdale, where they can learn and grow in a natural environment.
At Kakapo Creek, we believe in hands-on learning. Children will be immersed in our farm school experience, exploring our one-acre bush, caring for and learning about our animals—chickens, Swiss Valais Blacknose and English Baby Doll sheep, frogs and fish— growing vegetables in our glass house and walled vegetable garden, and picking organic fruit from our orchard. This interactive approach ensures that children not only learn about nature but also develop a deep appreciation for it.
Children can roam open spaces, explore our native bush, and roll down grassy hills. This one-day-a-week farm school is an optional extra to our fees and is in addition to our frequent exploration walks to the local playground and Mairangi Bay beach.
To learn more about the farm school movement around the world, click here.
At Kakapo Creek, we understand that children’s best learning and memories occur outdoors . Nature, our second best teacher, provides unique experiences that cannot be replicated indoors. That’s why we have taken special care in designing and maintaining an environment rich in nature. Children spend time every day exploring and learning in our mini forest/bush. Our gardens are not just for aesthetics, but to enhance children’s knowledge and experience of NZ flora and fauna. So expect your child to come home explaining how to make fire from Mahoe or how to eat Kawakawa. We even build huts in the bush, and on special occasions like Matariki, we light fires under close supervision, ensuring your child’s safety at all times.
In our fast-paced world, children need rest and rejuvenation. The outdoors, particularly nature, has a transformative effect on children, providing a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Nature is a fantastic place for learning through observation, listening, and tactile experiences. Scientific studies have shown that daily contact with nature has a positive impact on children’s social, psychological, academic, and physical health, reassuring parents about their children’s well-being at Kakapo Creek.
Nature is abundant at our Mairangi Bay location, too! Kakapo Creek’s Mairangi Bay environment is rich in nature, with large trees, bushes, ferns, and even our creek with its eels, fish, and ducks. Our Nature School in Silverdale offers total nature immersion.
Our Northern Campus Farm-Forest school has so much to offer children. The photos above and below are taken to show parents the range of learning and fun that is available during our weekly excursions.
*Note: To enjoy our nature school opportunities, children must be enrolled for three or more days and over 20 hours per week.
Awesome childhood memories, resilient character development, wonder, delight and excitement are all created in nature.
Research is increasingly pointing towards the essential learning that takes place when we ‘get dirty’ and engage in more ‘risky’ play outdoors. Of course, we take safety seriously, while allowing children the freedom to feel the mud between their toes.
Children learn best through play. But not just any type of play. The play must be emergent, creative, natural and supported. At Kakapo Creek we create opportunities for your child’s inner explorer to roam free.
In a virtual, technologically driven world, children spend more time indoors and less time outdoors in nature or a natural environment. Scientific studies show that a child’s social, psychological, academic, and physical health is positively impacted when they have daily contact with nature. More than ever, children need the calming of nature. When we are in nature, all five senses get engaged: look, listen, touch, hear, and taste (if there’s an apple tree close by!).
At Kakapo Creek, children are surrounded by nature both within the classrooms and outside. Every room allows children to be connected to nature. Nature is like learning medicine that ignites creativity, curiosity, and discovery. Bugs, trees, flowers, leaves, and our creek eels, fish, and ducks all create an interest in learning for a child.
We believe nature is so vital we have Kakapo’s northern campus (Silverdale), where our children will go on weekly trips to play in a native tree forest of kauri and totara, care for farm animals in their natural setting, and experience growing and harvesting food from the organic gardens and orchard.
Nature isn’t just great for stimulating learning; it’s equally effective at giving brains rest. A research study found that a 15-minute walk in a forest reduced cortisol (stress) levels by 12%. When a child is emotionally rested, they have fewer anxiety distractors and become better focused and more energised positively. Children need nature for healthy growth and development.
• In one generation, the time spent outside dropped by half. From the 1970s to the 2000s, there was a 50% drop in time spent outdoors, along with a 3 times rate increase of obesity and a 40 times increase in the use of Ritalin to treat ADHD!
Privately owned and operated by Ian & Kaye McKean, Kakapo Creek is designed using the very best evidence based family research, incorporating attachment theory and neuroscience.
09 410 2181
Monday – Friday
7:30am – 5:30pm
409 – 411 Beach Rd,
Mairangi Bay, Auckland, New Zealand
