Raising Resilient, Well Beings through Nature and Play
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Welcome to Little Kiwis Nature Play
In a fast-paced, screen-saturated world, many parents and teachers are searching for ways to raise resilient, grounded kids — but aren’t sure where to begin.
At Little Kiwis Nature Play, we reconnect tamariki with the power of nature, play, and emotional wellbeing.
Through bush kindy and bush school programmes, teacher PD, inspiring keynotes, and parent coaching, we help adults support children to thrive — outdoors, off screens, and in tune with their natural development.
Whether you’re linking curriculum to the outdoors or navigating big emotions at home, we’re here to help you nurture confident, connected kids.
Because children don’t need more control — they need more freedom, more nature, and more time to play like they were meant to.
This short video captures the heart of what we do, supporting child-led, nature-based play that nurtures confidence, curiosity, and connection. At Little Kiwis Nature Play, we believe childhood is meant to be wild, muddy, and full of wonder.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Feeling overwhelmed and craving more connection with your kids? Mums Matter is a practical, empowering online program for busy mums—now 50% off for a limited time. Learn tools to support your well-being, parent with confidence, and find calm in the chaos.
Play in the Outdoor Classroom e-Course will help you to feel confident using play in the outdoor classroom. Covers essential theory and is backed by practical strategies, tips and ideas that help you develop an outdoor classroom that supports your curriculum and your students will love.
Teacher PLD
We offer practical workshops that build confidence and help support teachers who are wanting to use the outdoor classroom more, or for those who are setting up a bush kindy or one day school.
Customised Training and Support
We provide customised on request workshops which are great for those who want to offer some professional development to their teachers in their own environment.
Download Our Free Case Study
My First Bush Kindy Case Study
Are you an ECE teacher interested in the Bush Kindergarten movement and INSPIRED to find out more?
Find out how a New Zealand kindergarten ran their very first BUSH KINDY session and what they observed and learnt along the way.
What People Are Saying
Celia has a real passion and a lot of knowledge around getting children exploring their natural environments outside. The sessions that Celia runs are inspiring too. Highly recommend.
An outstanding presentation of an approach to learning that is desperately needed in these times of mental health fragility among our young people.
Thanks for leading such a great discussion, I really think it cemented the evening to our NZ context especially in terms of which direction we want our education sector to head in.
Articles
Supporting Children’s Wellbeing with Winter Nature Play
Children don’t resist the season. We do.”
Winter often gets framed as a season to survive, but it’s rich with opportunities for connection, calm, and emotional growth. When tamariki play outside in the cold, they’re not just burning energy—they’re processing feelings, building resilience, and strengthening all four walls of their wellbeing.
In this blog, I share why winter play matters more than we think, how to overcome the common barriers (yes, including freezing adults in jeans!), and offer practical, heart-led ways to reconnect with nature—mud and all.
The Ripple Effect of Parent Well-Being
The emotional and psychological states of parents are directly reflected in the children they care for. Prioritising parent well-being isn’t just a nice to have but an essential element to healthy child development.
One Day Schools: Frequently Asked Questions
I get a lot of emails from one-day schools and ECE centres setting up or running bush kindy’s or nature-based programmes. Questions are on a variety of topics and below is a summary of questions and answers for one-day schools.