Our Hobart school holiday program runs every holiday. Click Book Now to see dates.
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Tues to Thurs April 16-18 & Mon to Wed April 22-24
All sessions: 9am - 3pm
Bookings Essential. Programs sell out fast.
Location:
The Lea, between Hobart and Kingston
All programs are Full Insured and led by qualified educators
Affectionately called ‘nature school’ by many of our returning children, our School Holiday Program has been designed to help children grow in the most natural way possible - in the great outdoors at their own pace.
As most of our parents will tell you, their kids come home come home bright eyed and bushy tailed and can’t wait to come again after a good meal and a big sleep.
Our child-led program helps children gain independence, build resilience, grow their confidence, expand their problem-solving skills and make new friends. At nature school you may sometimes hear the words ‘real play’ or ‘wild play’. These are the terms we use to describe play that allows for self discovery and understanding the natural ecosystems we are part of.
$110 per child, per day, siblings $105 with gst
What happens at nature school?
At Nature. Be in it. you won’t find pre-scheduled activities on set days. That’s because all our programs are child-led! This means that it’s your child’s imagination and curiosity that set the tone of the day. We know parents are as often just curious as their children though, so while no two days are ever the same, here’s an outline of a ‘typical’ day in our school holiday program…
Our days start with a safety talk and boundary walk, followed by explaining the various equipment we have and how to use it all. We have loads of ideas and heaps of resources to get everyone started from ropes and pulleys to fire lighters, spades, saws and tarps.
Now is the time to get into a state of flow and play. Overseen by our experienced nature educators, the children’s creativity and problem solving skills are brought to life as they make bush swings, zip lines, cubby houses, potions, bow and arrows, magical fairy homes and music and puppet shows before we stop for lunch.
As the day comes to a close we spend some time winding down and coming together to listen to one another’s adventures from our day. We learn how to make a fire by friction, share a story and a warm drink (with permission) next to a crackling camp fire, when weather allows.
Our days together look like this:
Climbing Trees
Bush & Nature Craft
Camp Coooking
Cubby Building
Mindfulness Sensory Play
Real Tools
Fire Lighting
Making Swings & Zip lines
Investigations
$110 per child, per day, siblings $105 with gst
Frequently asked questions.
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You may have heard of Nature School under many names like bush kindy or forest school even though we aren’t actually a registered school! The idea of Nature School is based on the idea of Nature Play - an inspirational educational philosophy that offers all learners regular opportunities to achieve success and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a wild space or natural environment. Our school holiday program is based on upholding these principles to the highest standard for positive learning outcomes, skill development and most of all, happy, joyful children!
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We do not have planned themes for each day of the holiday program. This is because our programs are child-led. Every day at Nature School is different. Children can embark on new adventures or carry on adventures and projects from previous days.
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No, parents do not need to attend the school holiday program. Children can be dropped off for the day at the top carpark at The Lea (look for the Nature. Be In It. Sign). We have ratios of 1 educator per 10 children attending all holiday school sessions.
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Children can be dropped off between 8:55am and 9:00am and picked up by 3:00pm.
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We understand that some children would like a little more support from caregivers when attending new things. If it’s your child’s first time to Nature. Be In it. Program and you have a Working With Vulnerable People Card we’re happy for you to stay until your child settles it. We usually find that once caregivers leave, they do get distracted and into the flow of the day very quickly!
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Have you heard the old saying, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing?” Well, this is the philosophy we go by! We are an all-weather program, in fact we find the wet days make for the most fun and adventure. We do make a temporary tarp shelter when needed, but given that Hobart is the second driest capital city in Australia, we find rarely need to cancel for rain. If it is predicted there will be severe rain, wind, or fire, we will cancel 24-48 hours in advance and offer a full refund or credit.
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Yes, please pack a water bottle and a hearty lunch including a morning snack and lunch. The children use plenty of energy throughout the day! We stop for a morning snack at 9:30am and lunch at 12pm.
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Comfortable clothes that can handle the dirt and weather:
• Closed toe shoes are a must – gumboots are good for puddles, runners are better for climbing.• Long pants and long sleeve top to protect against the sun, bites and scratches.
• Pack wet weather gear - rain jacket (essential), rain pants (if you have them) even if it doesn’t look like rain!
• A sun hat in summer and a warm beanie for winter (but it doesn’t hurt to pack both just in case).
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For all our programs please pack:
• Hearty food including morning snack and lunch
• Water bottle
• Wet weather gear - rain jacket (essential), rain pants (if you have them)
• Sun hat and warm beanie • Some extra warm layers just in case • Spare change of clothes
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Unfortunately, we cannot offer a childcare rebate as we are classified as an educational skills program as an activity provider rather than a childcare provider. We are not a not-for-profit and so do not have access to grants, nor are we backed by corporations or a franchise, and so our prices reflect this.
What we are though, is a small, Tasmanian-owned business dedicated to offering high quality, real play experiences for children using, pocket knives, tree climbing, mud play and campfires. Although we know it is part of a “normal childhood” and creates strong, healthy, whole children, there is a perceived risk in what we offer which means our insurance premiums are higher than most businesses.
We need more staff for required ratios for our work and are committed to only hiring the best staff to make sure our programs are delivered to the highest standard. We hire the land at a premium from city councils and the Scouts. We purchase high quality, ethical resources and donate to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary as part of our environmental ethos.
Children who attend our programs tell us they have “the best day of their lives” time and time again; we think it is worth it, we hope you can join us.
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Mature 4 year olds can attend, preferably with an older sibling.
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Nature. Be in it. is insured under Miramar Our insurance policy covers $20 million public liability and is comprehensive to cover, dropping off children without parents, fires, working with pocket knives, climbing trees and a range of other outdoor activities.
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When you cancel we can not always fill your spot and it takes a spot away from others. If we can fill it from a wait list we will provide a full refund. Please contact us within 72 hours of the program start time to qualify for a 90% refund. Cancellation within 48 hours of the program start time will result in a forfeit of all fees paid as we have held your spot and staffed and resourced for it.
If severe weather is forecast and a new venue cannot be found, the session may be cancelled the day before or earlier, we will offer you a full refund when we cancel the session.
If a session is cut short or cancelled halfway through due to a severe weather event or unsafe conditions, we are unfortunately unable to refund the day’s fees.
If you, your child or a member of your household is unwell, for the safety of our community, please stay at home and notify us at kara@naturebeinit.com and we apply the above cancellation policy regarding.
If your child arrives showing signs of illness (fever, sore tummy, snotty nose or cough) we will contact you to come and pick them up. Because fees, costs, resources and staffing are based on particular ratios, Nature. Be in It. unfortunately cannot offer ‘make-up’ days or offer refunds if an attendee is absent due to illness on the day or during the day.
See what the kids have been up to lately…
“Thank you all for a spectacular week. Harriet has had the most wonderful time and came home deeply contented every day. As much as she loved time in nature with her friends (old and new), she also loved spending time with all of you, from building shelters and whittling, to reading stories and applying the odd ice pack. I can’t tell you how much I am in awe of what you all manage to do - there’s a special kind of magic woven by excellent teachers, small children, and the natural world. Your kindness and wisdom come through in all the things you do, and I am at a loss for words to explain how deeply I appreciate it. All I know is that we will be back for more.”
ANNA CLAYDON, NATURE SCHOOL HOLIDAY PARENT