School holidays should be a time when children have opportunities to informally explore their own and new environments, to be free to make new discoveries and to learn more about their own and other social and natural communities.
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There is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from the special places that exist in our neighbourhoods, and a variety of great hands-on activities that holidays can provide to allow children to explore and learn about themselves, their environment and others.
Sadly, for many, much of the holiday period is consumed by computer screens and television.
Some children do not have the opportunity to engage in activities which provide the above experiences.
This has been recognised by a small group of dedicated and enthusiastic parents and teachers who have formed a not for profit organisation which has been named Nature Kids Orange.
The venues will be the Environmental Learning Facility, Mount Canobolas State Conservation Area and the Orange Botanic Gardens.
The aim of Nature Kids Orange is to connect students from five to 17 with their environment through a range of experiences, designed to engage them with nature, themselves and each other. The program will run for three days on April 23, 24 and 26 from 9am-3pm.
The children will have access to three different environments to carry out activities. The venues will be the Environmental Learning Facility, Mount Canobolas State Conservation Area and the Orange Botanic Gardens. All activities will be supervised.
At the Botanic Gardens the children will be involved in activities including yoga, weaving from natural materials, drumming, nature surveys and drawing specimens in the wild.
The ELF experience will include composting, vegetable planting, worm farming, printmaking and creating sustainable plastic free alternatives.
The day on Mount Canobolas will provide opportunities to observe and record native flora and fauna, cook damper, walk on the nature trails, create poetry and engage in yoga in the beautiful surroundings of the Mount Canobolas State Conservation Area.
To find out more visit the Orange Nature Kids Facebook page or call Kate Willoughby on 0414 081 669.
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