Let Nature In
Children are naturally drawn to nature and animals, and benefit from spending time in environments where these are part of everyday life. Early experiences in te taiao help build a strong connection to Papatūānuku (mother earth), a sense of identity and belonging (ukaipotanga), and a lifelong love and responsibility for caring for the natural world (kaitiakitanga).
Early learning services play an important role in providing everyday opportunities for children to engage with nature.
Te Whāriki
Handy Actions are ideas, activities and initiatives that your Early Learning Service could implement relating to the topic of Let Nature In. You could use the list as inspiration or as a checklist to assess what your ELS is currently doing towards 'Let Nature In' and decide what other ideas could be implemented. Choose actions that suit your service, your community, and where you are at. You don’t need to do everything; these are ideas.
He Pou Oranga Tangata Whenua
Here are some examples of how the pathways of wellbeing can be interwoven into this Block.
Encouraging self-help skills, ownership of their wellbeing, and caring for te taiao, enhances the mana and rangatiratanga (self-determination) of tamariki as well as developing and growing their skills (pūkengatanga).
Providing opportunities to build a stronger connection to Papatūānuku can enhance wairuatanga (spiritual existence) and ūkaipōtanga (connection to locality) which can form a deep-seated love, appreciation and responsibility to care for and protect the environment (kaitiakitanga).
Caring for the environment and growing kai to share is a great way of showing manaakitanga (giving and receiving hospitality). It can also build a sense of kotahitanga (unity and solidarity) in caring for our world, and emphasises the importance of whānaungatanga (kinship and family connection) through our relationships and connection to all living things.
Supporting information and evidence
Despite its importance for wellbeing, many children now have fewer opportunities to engage with nature due to modern lifestyles and urban development.
Nature’s constant change offers real-life learning, including concepts of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and provides experiences of surprise, curiosity, awe and wonder—powerful motivators for lifelong learning. Sheltered or hidden natural spaces offer calm and restoration, helping reduce stress and restore energy. Interactions with animals nurtures care, responsibility, empathy, self-esteem and social competence.
Nature also supports children’s urges for adventurous and risky play—exploring heights, speed, tools, elements, rough-and-tumble play and places to hide. These experiences help tamariki build risk awareness, confidence and understanding of their own abilities and boundaries.
Key Messages
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Experiences in nature provide tamariki with positive learning experiences and connection with te taiao (the environment). Learning experiences foster curiosity, imagination and wonder, as well as promoting physical development and wellbeing in the outdoors.
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Nature plays an essential role in the development of identity and belonging, motivation for learning, cognitive, mental and socio-emotional development.
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Nature provides opportunities for risky play, which is important for children in developing problem-solving skills, understanding limitations and fears, and building resilience.
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Staff and whānau have an important role in modelling respect, care, enjoyment, comfort, pleasure and fascination of nature.
Facts
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Nature reduces stress and supports better physical health.
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Outdoor play boosts physical activity, balance and agility.
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Natural play sparks creativity and builds problem‑solving, language and social skills.
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Time in nature improves focus, attention, self‑discipline and impulse control.
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Nature strengthens self‑esteem, independence, empathy and cooperative behaviour, while reducing aggression.
