Frank Film: Out of the classroom and into nature

The classroom is a place of puddles and hay bales, trailers and tractors. Today's lessons – fire safety, edible mushrooms and the reality of homekill.

"Just imagine if every kid in Ōtautahi Christchurch, or even New Zealand, could have a day a week out on the farm, in nature, learning about it. It would just be incredible," says Katie Earle.

Incredible but unlikely. A Sport New Zealand survey in 2019 found that only 7 per cent of children and young people aged 5–17 met the Ministry of Health guidelines of at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity a day.

Recent research by Ara Institute of Canterbury into education outside the classroom found a third of schools struggle to get students outside, citing time constraints, added paperwork, education regulations and health and safety rules.

Four years ago, disenchanted with her own children's school experiences, Earle founded Bush Farm Education on Lyttelton Harbour, a one-day-a-week outdoor programme complementing the school system.

"We get kids outside doing real world learning on the farm and in the bush," she tells Frank Film.

Now it is one of a growing number of forest or natural learning centres around the world.

Once a week, different age groups come together for first-hand experience on the farm to learn about the natural environment, the seasons and where our food comes from

"They design their approach to the job themselves, which is always fun," says farmer and teacher Laura Beck.

On Wednesdays, from 10am to 2pm, the Little Guardians Ngā Kaitiaki ririki programme for 4½ to 7-year-olds discuss fire safety, search out dry pine cones, manoeuvre a trailer and cheerfully tromp through puddles.

"The weather is never a problem. The wet days are the best days. On Thursdays a group of 7-13-year-olds are our firekeepers, our ahi kā," Earle said.

When Frank Film calls in, they are having a science day, identifying the various bits of a recently butchered cow.

"If we get these kids learning from a young age about how inter-connected we are and having real life conversations around death and life and the cycles in between, we're going to be raising completely different children who will be completely different decision-makers in the future."

Eight-year-old Fergus Sherratt is not too keen.

"I'm not a huge fan of seeing the insides of people. I'm more about seeing the outsides," he said.

Still, he is one of the first to touch the flesh – "It's like jelly!" – and identify the oesophagus.

"Fergus is a bit challenged at school with reading and writing, he gets anxious in a normal school environment. This is like a breath of fresh air," says his dad, Duncan.

Dropping off their children at the farm-turned-school gate, other parents are equally enthusiastic.

"It gives them that extra day to be themselves and be outside," says Helen Alpe.

"And connect with the land as well. If you can do that from a young age, they have that for their whole life," agrees Nancy Coburn.