Pūtaiao me te Taiao Science and Nature
Science & Nature | Pūtaiao me te Taiao
Science and nature play provides opportunities for children to explore their ideas about the natural world, encouraging them to develop their curiosity, ask questions, investigate the environment and learn ways to find answers.
Learning and Development
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Our centres feature gardens and natural spaces where children can explore insects, small animals and materials like leaves, rocks and wooden logs, sparking curiosity and investigation.
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Science and nature play nurtures observational skills and the ability to communicate ideas. Children learn to classify, measure and predict, enhancing their understanding of the physical world.
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Through play, children are introduced to science and cultural concepts about nature, including the anatomy and lifecycles of plants, insects and animals, as well as habitats and ecosystems.
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Children become familiar with Māori terms and scientific names for plants native to Aotearoa, deepening their cultural and environmental knowledge.
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Exploration expands to learning about space – the earth, planets, moon, stars – and the properties of solids, liquids and gases.
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Children develop awareness of physical phenomena such as sound, magnetism, gravity and electricity and explore how objects move through force and motion.
How science and nature relates to the primary school curriculum
Continuing Learning at Home
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Nature walks:
Take a nature walk – observe what captures your child’s attention and focus your conversations on their discoveries. -
Gardening:
Create a vegetable or flower garden – plant seeds together and discuss the lifecycle of plants as they grow. -
Bug hunts:
Look for insects and use a magnifying glass to explore details. Pay attention to what fascinates your child most about the bugs. -
Infants and toddlers:
Introduce basic physics concepts like force and push-and-pull toys or by rolling objects down ramps or PVC pipes. -
Older children:
Build a marble labyrinth in the backyard or playground with planks and PVC piping to develop physics and problem-solving skills. -
Magnetic play:
Provide magnets or magnetic games for hands-on exploration and discovery. -
Water, sand and messy play:
Compare different properties such as wet vs. dry sand or ice vs. water to encourage sensory exploration. -
Make a volcano in the sandpit
Use vinegar and baking soda to create a lava flow and introduce basic chemistry concepts. - Rock collection:
Observe and discuss similarities and differences to develop classification skills.
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