School Holiday Programmes

School holidays are just around the corner…again!

It feels like the kids have only just gone back to school and already it’s time to think about what’s going to happen over the next school holiday break. So it’s time to think and organise some cunning outdoor plans to make these holidays the best ones for you and your family.

There are some things you need to think about when planning for school holidays;

• the implications of leaving older children at home,
• what care is available if you are a working parent,
• and what options you have if your child is keen as mustard to be occupied by someone else for a day or two during the holidays.

SNM has the BEST outdoor nature-based school holiday programmes & camps in Auckland for kids & teenagers. Have a look at our local school holiday programmes for ideas of naturally supervised activities your adventurous kids can do in Auckland outside when you go to work. There are full-week school holiday programmes, short outdoor courses, overnight nature camps, one day adventure skill workshops, one-off outdoor activities and more. All of these nature-based programmes provide natural childcare for your children too, so you can go to work knowing that your kids are being holistically looked after as well as having outdoor fun these school holidays.

If you are looking for outside activities and things to do in the school holidays together with your children when you are not at work, we have these options too.

Looking for a fun and educational holiday programme for your child in Auckland? Look no further than Social Nature’s holiday programmes. Our team of experienced guides offers a wide range of activities for children of all abilities, including sports training, crafting and arts classes, and local day trips.

Give your child the chance to learn new skills, make new friends, and explore the beautiful outdoors with us. Our team of guides specialise in providing sports holiday programmes Auckland wide for children of all abilities.
If you’re a working parent, don’t worry! Our nature-based programmes also provide natural childcare so you can rest assured that your child is being well taken care of while having fun. And, with options for full-week programmes, short courses, overnight camps, and one-day workshops, there’s something for everyone.

We have one of the best school holiday programmes Auckland has to offer, so give your child the best summer holiday experience with Social Nature’s summer holiday programmes Auckland wide. If you’re looking for a fun and inclusive holiday programme Auckland trusts, look no further than SNM’s holiday programmes.

Life Skills through school holiday programmes

Let your children laugh, move and have fun within a safe outdoor environment at SNM School Holiday Programmes. Our nature-based holiday programmes move the focus to fun and reconnection after your children’s busy terms.

We know how important it is to give kids a break over school holidays – so our life skills adjust to focus on soft skills like team work, self discovery and relaxation. This will give your excited children some different ways of thinking and interacting with others while at the same time allowing them to have fun and recharge.

Being creative and trying new things in a fun way can be some of the best school holiday memories. We’ve got heaps of outdoor options for children to express themselves, have some laughs and give things a go in nature.

Staying active during the school holidays

Being on the move is a great way for kids to blow off some steam but stay energised during their break. SNM are experts at keeping kids active through having fun, and building mental and physical skills through games and its in our name. In addition to incorporating movement through our sessions, we also run specialist sports programmes like SUPKids and much more.

Safeguarding children, young people, families and staff

Safeguarding is a fundamental part of our culture and a culture shared with all of our staff, customers and members. To support this we have:

• Staff trained in Child Protection through Child Matters,
• Designated Safeguarding Staff,
• Clear policies and protocols promoting safe and best practice for our customers and staff including safe recruitment practices,
• Compulsory safeguarding induction and ongoing training requirements for all staff,
• SNM Safeguarding Code of Conduct provides staff clear guidance and guidelines.

NZ School holiday programmes that are fun

Our NZ holiday programmes are, safe, loads of fun and jam packed with a variety of nature activities. Everyday is different, with lots of fun things to do outdoors.

Your child could be making huts, teepees, hammocks, bivouacs and sand castles. Some days we focus on outdoor sports activities, other days we might try crafting with nature.

On our fun holiday programmes kids will learn practical life skills, work together on neat oudoor projects, build resilience through new outdoor experiences and gain confidence with the support of our staff to explore their potential.

Nature-Based School Holiday programmes in Auckland

Give your school holidays a reboot – and get away, keep busy, have fun!

Each outdoor programme has a different focus depending on student age and level of challenge required and will involve physical activity each day so a moderate fitness level will help you make the most of the nature-based programme. But you don’t need to be into sport or the outdoors, the main thing you need is a willingness to “have a go”.

Our holiday programme runs during the New Zealand school holidays. Sessions start around 08:30 am and finish around 16:00. That is one hour either side of the suns smallest daylight hours (winter) while keeping times consistent and roughly a full-working day so that you can pick up and drop off while having done a days work.

There is no minimum attendance required and children are welcome to attend as many of these days as they wish.

Each session follows a similar pattern, providing a consistent structure that children become familiar with. We tend to develop themes and activities based on the interests of the children so every day brings new opportunities to discover something new and amazing. If your child has a particular fascination, please let us know when you book and we can try to include a science session on this!

Our programs are designed as an antidote to the fast-paced technology-filled world many children now inhabit. Our children’s lives are so filled with structure, our programs aim to give them a break from instruction and allow them to play as they like, for as long as they like, within a framework of respect for those around them and the environment.

The foundation of our programmes is free-play in a natural setting through human-powered movement with as little assistance as possible from equipment and technology. Extension opportunities will be available but only if the children genuinely want to participate.

We provide basic equipment suitable for exploring the outdoors: ropes, tarpaulins, bungees, compass, magnifying glasses, knives (to be used with supervision), and some art equipment. Any personal devices (phones, iPods, etc) must be left at home.

Playing in the outdoors inevitably means getting dirty, and often getting a few scrapes and bruises too. If you or your child are not happy with this concept then this is not the programme for you.

The program will go ahead in all weather. Rain brings exciting opportunities for play and exploration and of course shelter building! Good quality wet weather gear is very important. We wholeheartedly believe the famous quote “there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”. Waterproof gear (jacket and pants) is compulsory for rainy days. We offer waterproof pants for sale in our online shop. In case of a severe weather warning, we always have an indoor venue booked and ready to move the group in.

Benefits of regular free play in nature:

• Increased physical activity, and less risk of childhood obesity
• Children learn to interact with, and better understand the natural world
• Helps improve children’s cognitive function, personality development, and attention in school
• Improves childhood mental health and ability to handle stress
• ‘risky’ free play gives children a chance to develop the physical and emotional skills to deal with emergencies
• Children learn to assess and manage risks
• Learn to regulate emotion, and practice negotiation skills
• Develop and practice motor skills
• Supports creativity and problem solving

Check out our booking tab, click the book now button or make a trip enquiry.

Get help booking. Have questions? Click our FAQ’s, call a specialist (0800 76 62 66) or message one (support@snm.nz)