Auckland Council | Learning Through Experience

This article provides information about science-related experiences to support school planning. You can view more experiences across Aotearoa here.

Auckland Council’s Learning Through Experience programmes help schools take learning beyond the classroom by connecting students with the outdoors, physical challenges and real-world environments. These experiences support hands-on learning in parks, bush areas, waterways and recreation spaces across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Programmes are designed to support curriculum learning while helping students develop confidence, teamwork and practical skills through outdoor activities and environmental exploration.

     Programmes available by location

Ambury Regional Park

• Animal genetics and selective breeding Year 11, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Close encounters of the animal kind Year 0-3, approx 30 students max, $7 per student
  

• Discover farming Year 4-8, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Down to earth Year 4-8, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Fabulous fibres Year 3-6, approx 90 students max, $7 per student
  

• Farming technology - primary and intermediate Year 5-10, approx 90 students max, $7 per student
  

• Farming technology - secondary Year 9-11, approx 90 students max, $7 per student
  

• Magical migrants Year 5-8, approx 90 students max, $9 per student
  

• Milking it! Year 0-2, approx 90 students max, $7 per student
  

• Milky whey Year 3-4, approx 90 students max, $7 per student
  

• Outdoor challenge Year 4-8, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Volcanic discovery Year 5-8, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Volcanic hazards and landforms Year 9-11, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

Auckland Botanical Gardens

• Amazing adaptations Year 1-8, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Gardening and composting Year 0-8, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Friends and foes in the garden Year 4-8, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Harakeke weaving and propagation Year 4-8, 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Investigating invertebrates Year 0-4, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Let's focus on trees Year 0-4, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Natives in a nutshell Year 3-8, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Marvellous manu (birds) Year 1-8, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Outdoor challenge Year 4-8, 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Pollination Power Year 0-6, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Save our streams Year 4-8, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Spongy schools, spongy cities - primary and intermediate Year 4-8, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Spongy schools, spongy cities - secondary (Science 1.1) Year 11, 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Stratification in a podocarp/broadleaf forest (Bio 2.6) Year 12, 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Te ngahere Year 5-8, 100 students max, $7 per student
  

• Wai Care - junior and intermediate Year 3-8, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Wai Care - secondary Year 9-13, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

Long Bay Regional Park

• Biological impacts of pest control Year 10-11, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Coastal biodiversity detectives Year 4-6, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Healthy waterways, healthy people Year 4-8, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Outdoor challenge Year 4-8, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Seaside sensational senses Year 0-3, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Spongy schools, spongy cities Year 6-8, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

Arataki at Waitākere Ranges Regional Park

• Arataki nature trail Year 3-13, approx 60 students max, free self-guided or $7 per student
  

• Arataki visitor centre Year 1-13, approx 60 students max, free
  

• Biodiversity alert! Year 5-8, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Biological impacts of pest control Year 10-11, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Bush camp - 1883 Year 5-8, approx 30 students max, $10 per student
  

• Carbon sinking in the ngahere Year 5-8, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Investigating invertebrates Year 1-8, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Keep kauri standing Year 5-8 approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Outdoor challenge Year 4-8, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Plant power Year 0-8, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Sensational senses Year 0-2, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Sleepovers Year 4-8, approx 55 people max, $32 per student
  

• Stream testing (self-guided) Year 9-13, approx 60 students max, free
  

• Stratification in a podocarp/broadleaf forest (Bio 2.6) Year 12, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Tales of timber trickery Year 5-8, approx 30 students max, $9 per student
  

• Te Wai Nui a Tiriwa Year 3-6, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Tiakitanga (Science 1.1) Year 11, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

• Wai Care - primary and intermediate Year 3-8, approx 60 students max, $7 per student
  

• Wai Care - secondary Year 9-13, approx 60 students max, $9 per student
  

Zero Waste Zone at Waitākere Resource Recovery Park

• Healthy Soil, Healthy Kai, Healthy Communities Year 5-13, 75 people max, cost to be confirmed
  

• Zero waste heroes Year 0-13, 75 people max, $5 per child (community groups $7 per adult)
  

     More Information

While we've tried to summarise the numbers and costings above for easy planning, check out the Auckland Council website for the most up-to-date information.

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