Learning in the great outdoors

 

This week, Autahi and Tautoru walked to Centennial Reserve to spend some time learning and playing in the great outdoors. 

Getting there was all part of the adventure. We were so proud of our Autahi students' Zest and Perseverance on the walk - especially on the way back, when it got quite hot!

At the Reserve, we had a little Morning Tea picnic before spending time sketching, building birds' nests and visiting the wētā hotel. 

We hope that experiences like this build our children's confidence to enjoy the natural world, and Curiosity about the plants and creatures in our local environment. As an Enviroschool, this is part of our mission. We know that we are lucky to have areas of native bush close our school, as well our beautiful beaches and coastline. Connecting with our local environment is a sure-fire way to build commitment to treating it with care and respect.

As a Positive Education school, we are also fascinated by the ways in which being outdoors benefits our brains, as well as improving our physical fitness. Activities like taking on the challenge of walking to Centennial Reserve or climbing a tree have been shown to build Resilience and problem-solving skills that transfer to other areas of life. Benefits for our mood and sense of wellbeing come simply from spending time in the natural world. For us in Autahi, this might be gardening, Te Wā Mahi Tahi, sport, play or simply taking our regular lessons outside. 

We will continue to keep finding ways to get outdoors for fun and learning, notice the bugs in the grass, hear the birds in the trees, and feel the wind in our hair.