Children in charge at Whanganui's Nature Play outdoors holiday programme

Bea Ward (left) and Manu Lebo put together a collection of imaginary objects during Nature Play. Photo / Bevan Conley

Fourteen children close their lunchboxes when kunekune pigs come looking for food - then they scatter to ride a flying fox and try climbing a gum tree.

The children were sitting on a blue tarpaulin to eat outdoors at the Eco School Nature Play school holiday programme in rural Whanganui on July 13.

It was on from 9.30 to 3pm every day that week, and was the second school holiday programme Dani Lebo and Stephanie Ward have run.

Both are teachers. Ward is a primary teacher and Lebo has a Masters degree in education and is doing a post-graduate diploma in teaching this year.

They've been running semi-formal Nature Play sessions since they were both on maternity leave, with young children.

"We just started doing it, and people started coming along and asking us if we would run more," Lebo said.

The school holiday programme is at her and husband Nelson's rural property, which is also used for workshops and training in permaculture.

They keep the group small, and had to say no to taking 10 more children that week.

The youngsters are aged 5 to 12, except for a couple of three-year-olds.

Parents pay $30 per child per day, and the children arrive with food and a change of clothes.

They head down a slope to a group of trees, and are outdoors all day.

They all have mud jackets and pants and if it rains the tarpaulin becomes a tent shelter.

The glade has rope swings, a flying fox, a drum kit and a slack line for tightrope walking.

There's a toilet and tap for washing hands, and the pigs will soon be confined by a fence.

Further down the hill is a stream and newly planted bush.

There's no set programme, but play usually moves down the hill during the day.

The adults try not to interrupt unless it's necessary.

"The idea is that it's as child-led as possible. Once the kids have come a few times they have more input into how the day is shaped," Ward said.

The women have a set of health and safety measures. They don't have to be as strict as those for a licensed school or early childhood centre.

"All the families trust us to take care of our kids," Lebo said.

The two also run Nature Play for preschool children on Tuesday mornings, in various places. And they host schools and early childhood centres for whole days, at a cost of $120 to $150 a day.

Schools and centres need to come at least three times, in order for children to make the best use of the time. The women can help match activities to curriculum.

The Eco School's goal is to make sustainability education affordable and accessible, Lebo said.

The women have applied for two grants, and received $5000 to get preschool children more active.

They used that across 800 children, over six months. And they are hoping some families will eventually be able to get Winz funding for the school holiday programme.

"For some parents, $30 a day is still not affordable," Lebo said.

They would like to offer free sessions, and say demand for Nature Play is growing. The work is enjoyable, with every day an adventure.

"How lucky am I that I get to hang out all day with my kids and my kids' friends?" Lebo said.