Forest School in Wellington: Forest Fridays at Mangaroa Farms
A day outdoors can hold many kinds of learning: finding a way across uneven ground, noticing new growth in the forest, working together to prepare a fire, or watching how water moves through a wetland.
At Earth School Aotearoa, Forest Fridays give children time to build these relationships with the living world. Our forest-school-inspired programme takes place at Mangaroa Farms in Upper Hutt, bringing together forest adventures, bushcraft and the everyday life of a working regenerative farm.
For families looking for a forest school in the Wellington region, it offers a regular day of outdoor learning where children can move freely, develop practical skills and get to know a place over time.
A forest school within a working regenerative farm
The setting shapes what children encounter. At Mangaroa, their learning reaches into regenerating native forests and wetlands, alongside the pastures and activities of a working farm.
These places invite questions. What helps a young tree grow? Where does rainwater go? What lives in damp ground? How do farming decisions affect the land around them?
Children have opportunities to see regeneration as something happening around them. Returning through the seasons gives them time to notice changes and develop their own questions about caring for land, growing food and making space for other living things.
Fire skills, bushcraft and wilderness safety
Learning to work with fire calls for attention, patience and care for others. Forest Fridays include opportunities to learn fire safety, fire lighting and cooking over a fire, when conditions permit.
Alongside other bushcraft and wilderness safety skills, these experiences help children practice making considered decisions outdoors. They learn that gaining a practical skill also means understanding when and how to use it responsibly.
Adults guide these activities, with expectations and boundaries appropriate to the children and conditions. There is time to ask questions, watch others, try something new and gradually build confidence.
Room for active bodies
Children need opportunities to use their bodies in varied ways. A forest offers uneven surfaces to navigate, places to balance, space to climb and room for energetic play.
Forest Fridays make time for this movement throughout the day. Children can practise coordination and judgement through real experiences: choosing a foothold, carrying materials together or deciding when to ask for help.
There is room for quieter moments too. Sitting beside a tree, watching an insect or listening to birds can be as much a part of the day as an energetic adventure. We make space for children to notice their energy, take a break and rejoin when ready.
Deep nature connections grow through returning
Becoming familiar with a place takes time. A tree becomes recognisable. A stretch of track holds a memory. A child notices that something has changed since last week.
Our weekly rhythm allows these connections to develop. Children can return to an idea, continue an investigation and revisit the places that interest them. Through repeated encounters, they build knowledge grounded in their own observations.
Care can grow from that familiarity: noticing where to tread around young plants, respecting an animal’s space or thinking about what should be left undisturbed.
Friendships through shared adventures
Forest learning is also learning with other people. Children negotiate games, share discoveries, solve practical problems and find ways to include one another.
A shared task gives friendship somewhere to begin. One child notices something; another has an idea about it. Together, they decide what to try next.
Forest Fridays welcome children with different interests and levels of outdoor experience. There are opportunities to contribute, observe, ask for support and discover what they enjoy.
What might a Friday look like?
Activities respond to the season, weather and children’s interests. The following is an illustration of the day’s rhythm, rather than a fixed timetable.
After arriving and reconnecting with the group, children might head out to a familiar forest area, notice changes along the way and spend time in play or exploration. A practical session could involve bushcraft, wilderness safety or preparing food over a fire when conditions allow.
Shared kai offers time to pause and talk. Later, there may be space to continue an investigation, climb a tree, explore another part of the farm or return to a game begun that morning. The day leaves room for both guided experiences and children’s own discoveries.
Joining Forest Fridays in Upper Hutt
Forest Fridays take place at Mangaroa Farms in the Mangaroa Valley, Upper Hutt. We welcome enquiries from families across the Hutt Valley and wider Wellington region.
The programme is for children aged approximately 5–12 and runs on Fridays from 9am to 3pm during term time.
Homeschooling families can make it part of their weekly learning rhythm. Families with children enrolled at school are welcome to contact us to discuss participation alongside their current schooling (via our one day programme).
You do not need to know in advance whether your child will love bushcraft, forest exploration or farm life. A sample day offers a chance to meet the people, experience the setting and see how it feels.
Questions families often ask
Does my child need outdoor experience?
Children arrive with different experiences and levels of confidence. Tell us about your child’s interests, any concerns and what helps them feel comfortable in a new group, so we can discuss a suitable start.
What should my child bring?
Plan for a full day outdoors, with suitable waterproof footwear, weather-appropriate layers, a raincoat, spare clothes and a water bottle. We will confirm what to bring before your first day.
How do we arrange a sample day?
Send an enquiry with your child’s age and a little about what you are looking for. We will be in touch to discuss availability, current fees and next steps.
Learn more about our weekly programmes, or enquire about a Forest Fridays sample day.