On Wednesday 9th April 2025, the Kaipātiki Project EcoHub was buzzing with energy and excitement as 58 tamariki aged 5 to 7 years, their teachers and adult helpers made their way down the road from Birkdale Primary School. The journey may have taken a little longer with the walking school bus in full swing, but the laughter along the way made every step worthwhile.
Greeted warmly at the EcoHub gates by Teresa Kavanagh, our Chief Executive and Karla Macdonald, our Community Activator, the young learners were welcomed with open arms and even wider smiles. What followed was a half-day of hands on, nature-based learning across three engaging education stations within our magical teaching garden and EcoHub building, each designed to connect our local tamariki with the wonders of the natural world right in their own backyard.
Split into three smaller groups, the tamariki rotated through 30-minute lessons covering: 
NZ Native Birds & Trees – where they learnt to identify native birds by their songs and discovered the special relationships between birds and native trees grown in our nursery.
Wai Care: Stream Health & Macroinvertebrates – including testing water clarity and searching for tiny aquatic bugs that tell us how healthy our waterways are.
Composting & Worms – featuring a deep dive into compost ingredients, the magic of worm farms and the mystery of ‘worm wee’, what we use to make what is known as ‘worm tea’. One curious student, fascinated by the process, asked with genuine wonder: “Can worms make coffee too?” to which made tamariki and adults alike giggle.
Across the morning the learning was rich, the curiosity boundless and the giggles constant. With a balance of indoor and outdoor activities, the session provided just the right mix of fun, focus and fresh air.
These sessions not only brought science to life but showed ward to welcoming more young eco-explorers to our EcoHub soon. Ngā mihi to all the wonderful teachers and helpers who made the day possible.
Want to bring your school group to the Kaipātiki Project EcoHub? We offer tailored half day and full day sessions for up to 66 tamariki. Email [email protected] to find out more.