Bush kindy: kids in nature

Last week, I had the privilege of visiting a forest school session in Waituna West (not far from the Manawatu town of Feilding). This is part of my research for my latest book, exploring nature and wellbeing in New Zealand (see also: The connection between nature & wellbeing).

Children from Waituna West and Hunterville kindergartens participated in the session. For many of them this was a new experience, and it was a joy to watch them slowly 'acclimatise' to the new, and rather unfamiliar, bush environment, becoming more exploratory and experimental as the session progressed.

In the photos, they can be seen washing their hands at the bush ablution facility, listening intently to Lucy's reading of 'Room on the broom' by Julia Donaldson (which was followed by a practical exercise of making a witches' broom from forest materials), doing some bush 'wood work', and taking a walk.