Book the Bush Sprouts Holiday Programme | Bush Sprouts Nature School

When
Where: Battle Hill Farm Forest Park610 Paekakariki Hill Rd, Pauatahanui — meet at the big red woolshed classroom
Times: 9am drop-off3pm pick-up
Ages: 4.5 to 12 years
Cost: $70 + GST per day5% discount when booking 4 or more days

What a day looks like

The Bush Sprouts holiday programme is held at Battle Hill Farm Forest Park; a special place with beautiful bush, streams, eels, cute animals, firepits and an awesome rope swing. The focus is on having fun and a physical and emotional reset, while learning from and through nature. Children aged 4.5 to 12 explore and learn from the bush alongside their siblings and new friends, getting to know Aotearoa’s native creatures, building bush shelters, learning to make fire from scratch and cooking delicious food on it, creating artworks and tools from nature, playing in the awa, and challenging themselves.

Free play in nature takes away the limits that are often imposed on children in adult-led settings, so alongside the fun they are practising risk assessment, problem solving and being kaitiaki for the environment. Children leading their own play in nature — what could be better?

The programme runs rain or shine, so warm layers and a rain jacket matter more here than they do at school.

What to bring, every day

Two pairs of closed-toe shoes (gumboots are great)
Two changes of clothing (non-cotton preferred)
A warm fleece or wool top
A rain jacket and rainpants
Swimming gear and a towel
A warm hat — and a sunhat and sunscreen, because early spring can give us all four seasons in a day
A BIG rubbish free lunch
A large water bottle
Any medications required

Good to know

All kaiako are police vetted.
Clothing is checked at drop-off — we will not send a cold child into the bush.
Places sell out quickly and are confirmed once payment is received.

Book a place

Fill in your details, choose the days, then pay by card or by bank deposit. Places are not confirmed until payment has been received — if payment is not made within two days of booking, the place is released to the next whānau on the list.

Your details

The parent or caregiver we will contact about this booking.

Parent or caregiver name

Relationship to the child/ren

Email address We send the confirmation and any programme updates here.

Phone number

Address

Emergency contact name Someone other than you who we can call if we cannot reach you.

Emergency contact phone

Who is coming

Add each child you are booking. Days are chosen per child, so siblings can come on different days.

Anything else

Discount code Only if you have been given one. Everyone else can skip this — there is nothing to miss out on.

Anything you would like us to know Friendships, worries, what helps your child have a good day — anything at all.

How would you like to pay?

Full payment is expected at the time of booking.

Pay now by card You will be taken to our secure Stripe checkout. Your place is confirmed the moment the payment goes through, and we never see or store your card details. Card payments carry a processing fee, which is added to your total and shown before you pay. Pay by bank deposit Our preferred method; NO FEE We will show you our account details and a booking reference on the next screen. Please pay within two days — the place is held until then.

Terms and conditions

Bush Sprouts Holiday Programme — Terms and Conditions

Risk disclosure

The safety and wellbeing of all participants is important to us. Nature School NZ employees take all practical and reasonable steps to keep children safe while they are in our care. However, participants and their guardians will accept full responsibility for their own actions or inaction and will follow the advice and instructions of our teachers.

Before participating in the Nature School NZ Trust Bush Sprouts holiday programme, I agree to:

I understand that participating in the Bush Sprouts holiday programme requires an adequate level of mobility/fitness and exposes participants to certain risks of playing in the outdoors. Nature School NZ will make every effort to reduce the risk for all Bush Sprouts, and give information on safe practices. No liability for loss, injury or damage will be accepted. We retain the right to deny access and/or remove people who fail to comply with these Terms and Conditions. This decision is at the discretion of ngā kaiako.
I consider that the child/ren enrolling are physically and mentally able to safely take part in Bush Sprouts holiday programme. We ask you to declare any medical conditions or behavioural issues your child has so that we can provide appropriate support while your child is in our care. Please note — We love and welcome diversity and diverse learners at Nature School and aim for successful ‘best day ever’s for every child. If your child has high behavioural needs, Bush Sprouts holiday programme may or may not be suitable for them. We need to take into account the safety and functioning of the whole group, with our ratios of 1:7 on Bush Sprouts holiday programme, so please detail any high needs when registering and we may be in contact with you to discuss.
Clothing will be checked during check-in. Children must have adequate layers of warm and weatherproof clothing, as this holiday programme is based outdoors, and will go ahead rain or shine. All participants must undertake Bush Sprouts holiday programme activities in accordance with the risk management processes, practice common sense and follow the safety advice and instructions of the Nature School NZ staff.
To ensure that your child has a positive and enjoyable experience please communicate the importance of listening and following instructions. Failure to do so may result in a phone call to the guardian and collection of your child. Participants and/or their parent/guardian may be liable to pay any costs incurred due to intentional misuse or damage caused to the facilities or equipment.
Child protection: All staff at Bush Sprouts holiday programme undergo a police vetting process. Staff will be briefed on child protection policy. At Bush Sprouts it isn’t practical for adults to stay within sight of each other at all times, so this risk is managed through police vetting and child protection protocols.

Cancellation policy

Full payment is expected at time of booking. Non payment by two days following payment request will result in you losing your booking.

Cancellations may be made by Nature School NZ for extreme weather situations or unforeseen staffing issues, and in this case an alternative date will be offered or 90% refund. Other cancellations should be emailed to admin@bushsprouts.nz. 80% of booking fee may be refunded if the space can be filled and 7 days notice is given. Leo, one of ngā kaiako, is contactable on 027 438 5366, before the holiday programme. Cellphone reception is variable at Battle Hill, so radios will be used for contact between staff, and the ranger phone will be used in emergency/pickup situations.

If we have to cancel due to matters related to COVID-19, participants will be offered a refund, less 10% admin fee. If you wish to cancel due to matters related to COVID-19, see cancellation policy above.

Rainwear offer

Nature School NZ sells Betacraft rainwear in their Facebook shop. If you would like to purchase this excellent rainwear for the holiday programme, please let us know your requirements 2 weeks before the programme begins and we will have the rainwear for you when you check-in for the holiday programme. We are happy to offer a 10% discount to participants on the Nature School NZ Bush Sprouts holiday programme.

All proceeds from the shop and holiday programme fees go back into running our programmes.

Your booking

Total to pay $0.00 including GST

Questions?

Email admin@bushsprouts.nz. If you are not sure whether the programme is the right fit for your child, please get in touch before booking — we would love to talk it through with you.