Little Seeds for a Better Future
Conscious Kids Programmes for Schools
Play-Based Learning for Primary & Intermediate Schools
Nurturing wellbeing, resilience, and creativity through nature and play
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Are you looking for authentic learning experiences that strengthen your Learning Through Play philosophy?
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Do you want to deepen connections between your students, the environment, and the wider community?
Our EOTC programmes bring rich, hands-on learning right to your school grounds or local reserve. Rooted in Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Curriculum, and the principles of Mātauranga Māori, our programmes support holistic growth, where play, exploration, and connection with nature foster lifelong skills.
He Taonga te Taiao – Nature is a Treasure
Mā te rongo ka mōhio – through perception comes awareness
Mā te mōhio ka mārama – through awareness comes understanding
Mā te mārama ka mātau – through understanding comes knowledge
Mā te mātau ka ora – through knowledge comes wellbeing
These guiding whakataukī reflect our belief that play and nature are essential pathways to learning and wellbeing.
The Power of Play & Risk
At Conscious Kids, we recognise that risk is not the same as danger. Managed, age-appropriate risk is a powerful teacher, offering tamariki opportunities to stretch their abilities, test boundaries, and build trust in themselves and others.
Through climbing, balancing, tool use, fire-making, traditional games, and collaborative building, children learn to:
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Assess and manage risk – developing judgment, foresight, and decision-making
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Build resilience – learning to cope with uncertainty and setbacks in safe environments
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Strengthen self-confidence – experiencing pride and empowerment when challenges are overcome
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Develop social skills – negotiating, supporting peers, and respecting boundaries
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Enhance physical literacy – coordination, balance, strength, and agility
This aligns strongly with the NZ Curriculum key competencies:
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Managing Self (independence, perseverance, self-regulation)
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Relating to Others (empathy, communication, cooperation)
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Thinking (problem-solving, reflecting, making choices)
From a Mātauranga Māori perspective, engaging with challenges in the natural world also deepens children’s understanding of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (relationships), and manaakitanga (care and responsibility).
Programme Options
1. Outdoor Classroom Day
Hands-on learning in Nature
A full or half-day of experiential learning where your school grounds or local reserve becomes the classroom.
Activities are adapted to suit your environment, students, and the seasons, and may include:
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Building shelters and learning bushcraft skills
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Fire lighting, cooking, and safe tool use (e.g., whittling)
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Harvesting and weaving with harakeke (flax)
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Ecological exploration – bugs, birds, water, and trees
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Nature-inspired art and storytelling
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Collaborative games that foster teamwork and resilience
Curriculum Links:
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Science (Living World, Material World, Nature of Science)
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Social Sciences (place-based learning, community, and kaitiakitanga)
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Technology (design thinking, problem-solving, innovation)
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The Arts (visual arts, drama, storytelling through nature)
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Health & PE (hauora, teamwork, physical challenge, outdoor safety, resilience)
Risk Play in Action:
Children safely explore challenges like climbing, tool use, and fire-making, helping them develop risk competence, courage, and decision-making skills.
2. Junk Play – Loose Parts Fun
Creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration through play
We bring an abundant supply of loose parts and recycled materials to transform your school grounds into a world of imaginative construction and discovery. Each 1.5-hour session (up to 100 students, max 3 per day) sets clear expectations around safe and creative use while empowering tamariki to:
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Explore engineering, balance, and design
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Collaborate on large-scale building projects
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Develop critical thinking, resilience, and innovation
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Experience the joy and freedom of unstructured play
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Practise sustainable thinking by reimagining materials and making decisions that value creativity, resourcefulness, and environmental care
Curriculum Links:
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Science & Maths (forces, measurement, balance, geometry)
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Technology (design, building, materials, sustainable use of resources)
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Health & PE (wellbeing, teamwork, resilience, movement)
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Social Sciences (decision-making, community, and environmental responsibility)
Risk Play in Action:
Open-ended building naturally involves physical and social risk-taking. Tamariki practise negotiation, trial and error, safe risk management, and teamwork while constructing ambitious creations — all while learning to make thoughtful choices about how materials are used and reused.
3. Ngā Taonga Tākaro – Traditional Māori Games
Wellbeing, confidence, and connection through play
Discover the magic of Ngā Taonga Tākaro – Traditional Māori Games that nurture wellbeing, confidence, and connection. Grounded in Māori values and learning approaches and led by cultural leader Wiremu Sarich, these sessions support tamariki to explore their natural talents (ngā pūkenga rau) and inner wisdom (kura huna) through hands-on, joyful play.
Each session weaves together:
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Physical movement and coordination
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Storytelling and whakapapa (heritage and connection)
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Nature-based learning
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Teamwork, leadership, and collaboration
Curriculum Links:
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Health & PE (hauora, movement, teamwork, wellbeing)
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Social Sciences (culture, identity, belonging)
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The Arts (storytelling, performance, music, rhythm)
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NZ Curriculum Key Competencies (participating, relating to others, managing self)
The Gift of Play:
Ngā taonga tākaro awakens the spark that sets ablaze the inner wisdom we all possess. Children leave inspired, connected, and proud of their heritage and identity.
Why Schools Choose Conscious Kids
Teachers tell us our programmes:
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Extend classroom learning outdoors
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Support key competencies – thinking, relating to others, managing self, participating, and contributing
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Encourage healthy risk-taking that builds confidence, resilience, and problem-solving skills
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Foster sustainable thinking and environmental responsibility
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Enhance hauora – fostering social, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing
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Inspire creativity and resilience in students of all abilities
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Create memorable, joyful experiences that strengthen school values
"It became very apparent to us as teachers how important play is.
I loved the opportunity it gave me as a teacher to support those children who struggle socially.”
“Everything seemed very well thought through, from the resources available to the logistics of managing
children in an outdoor, and unpredictable environment.”
Programme Details
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Available as one-off experiences or a series of sessions
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Suitable for primary and intermediate levels
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Numbers vary depending on activity
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School to provide supervision at a 1:8 ratio
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Conscious Kids provides trained educators and assistants
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FREE site visit and follow-up consultation included
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Pricing tailored to school size, site conditions, and programme choice
Our Reach
We are proud to have delivered programmes to thousands of tamariki across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, partnering with schools such as Nga Iwi School, Pinehurst School, Flat Bush School, Devonport School, Kohia Primary, Randwick Park School, Torbay School, Vauxhall School, Weymouth Primary, Windy Ridge School, Mt. Albert Primary, Target Road School, Wakaaranga School, and many more.