Little Naturalists

Nature-based School Holiday Programs for Children in Perth

Our Perth-based school holidays program for school holidays is especially designed to connect children to nature and wildlife under the mentorship and guidance of real-life scientists. Each program is carefully crafted to give your child a fine balance of knowledge, skills, adventure, and enjoyment. There are structured and unstructured times during each program honing children’s social skills, leadership, confidence, adventurism, resilience, and teamwork. Our daytime and evening activities are offered on a ‘working with parents’ basis.

Our activities are planned to complement the WA curriculum (S/SUS/HASS), highlighting the importance and value of local wildlife and ecosystems, their conservation and the Indigenous relationships with our surroundings. All our facilitators have Working with Children checks, first aid certification and training on water safety (where applicable).

WHAT'S ON OFFER

Bush craft and survival

This program will introduce your child to the world of bushcraft and wilderness survival skills in a fun and insightful way, providing the perfect primer to begin his/her journey exploring the outdoors. The basic knowledge on ‘what to do if you get lost’ is applicable for both the wilderness and urban environments and is an essential training to have. Through guided, hands-on activities, your children will learn the arts and crafts of preparing for an adventure (what to pack and take so you don’t get lost in the first place), signalling, shelter making, finding water, fire making and keeping safe in the bush, which are crucial survival skills.
The program will be conducted as a classroom/ controlled outdoor activity at the Canning River Eco Education Centre at Canning River Regional Park in Wilson.

Dates: Fridays 8, 15, 22 and 29 January

Suitable for: Ages 5 years upwards

Basis: 'Working with parents’ basis

What you need to bring:
1. Suitable and comfortable clothing to work in
2. Work gloves if you got a pair
3. Ample food and water (we highly advise against single use plastics)
4. Hat and sunscreen to be sun smart

Night-time spotlighting

Evening and night walks spotlighting, observing and learning about the creatures of the night. Nocturnal (night-time active) creatures are fascinating and usually shy. With our field experts, your children will get an opportunity to see and learn about these unique critters while also getting an exposure to the equipment and techniques scientists use to study animals of the dark. We will meet at Herdsman Lake at 7 PM (sunset is late in summer) and continue our tour for ~2 hrs.

Dates: Wednesdays 6 and 20 January

Suitable for: Ages 5 years upwards. Please note that sunset in January is ~7.30 PM so it would be a late night for the children. However, we assure that the kids will be mesmerised by all the critters they are going to see 😊

Basis: With parents

What you need to bring:
1. Functional headlamp or torch with batteries
2. Suitable and comfortable clothing for walking (nights could get cold)
3. Boots (essential)
4. Insect repellent
5. Notebook and pen/ pencil
6. Ample food and water (we highly advise against single use plastics)

Guided beachcombing

Upon meeting just before 9 AM and registering for the program, we will do an easy-pase, guided walk through a meandering beach having a closer look at the many marine creatures washed up on the beach and those inhabiting the rocks along the beach. We will learn how to identify and classify the common species of shells and other marine life found during the event using field guidebooks. IF the reef is exposed (only happens at the lowest tides), we will carefully venture into the reef observing other forms of life living attached to or moving around the reef. To finish off the event, we will go through a short introduction to do’s and don’ts in snorkelling and a training on how to be safe with marine animals.
* We may walk through shallow water, but no swimming or snorkelling is included in the program.

Dates: Tuesdays 5 and 19 January

Suitable for: Ages 5 years upwards

Basis: With parents

What you need to bring:
1. Suitable, sun-smart clothing
2. Stable, closed footwear for reef walking
3. Notebook and pen/ pencil
5. If you have access to one, a smart phone or tablet with iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/) app installed. Your child will get an opportunity to contribute to real science by uploading the records he/she makes (optional)
6. Ample food and water (we highly advise against single use plastics)
7. Hat and sunscreen to be sun smart

BOOK NOW

Click on the date to book activities. Programs run for 4 weeks starting Tuesday 5th January to Sunday 31st January 2021. The programs are not sequenced, so you only need to book in for one day per chosen program. Please note that you only pay for the children and accompanying adults join for free. We will be adding new programs as we go, so please regularly check for updates.

Dec 11 - Dec 17

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Little Naturalists

Nature-based School Holiday Programs for Children in Perth

BOOK NOW

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