Explore how Manaia Kindergarten’s Hono ki te Taiao programme takes learning outdoors, helping tamariki connect with te taiao and grow through hands-on, nature-based experiences.
For over 13 years, Manaia Kindergarten’s Hono ki te Taiao programme has been taking tamariki beyond the classroom and into the natural world, where learning is active, meaningful, and deeply connected to te taiao.
Through regular, hands-on experiences in local environments, children are encouraged to explore, listen, observe, and engage with the world around them.
These moments go far beyond traditional learning, as they help tamariki develop curiosity, confidence, and a genuine sense of belonging within their environment.
At the heart of the programme is kaitiakitanga. Tamariki are supported to understand their role as caretakers of the environment from a young age, building awareness of how their actions impact the natural world.
Whether it’s exploring bush tracks, the nearby coast, or local green spaces, each experience helps strengthen their connection to place and to each other.
The programme also reflects a wider commitment to sustainability learning across Te Taitokerau. Manaia Kindergarten is one of 42 early childhood centres in Northland involved in the Enviroschools programme, which supports centres to integrate environmental education and localised learning into everyday practice.
Together, these centres are helping to nurture a generation of environmentally conscious tamariki who are grounded in their communities and confident in caring for the world around them.
Hono ki te Taiao demonstrates the power of learning that is hands-on, place-based, and guided by the environment itself. It shows how early childhood education can foster lifelong values of respect, responsibility, and connection.
Watch the full story and see Manaia Kindergarten’s programme in action via the Northland Regional Council’s video on YouTube.
