



KERERU & PIKAO PROGRAMMES
Location: Ara-Kotinga, Brookby
When: Thursdays (Kererū) & Fridays (Friday group currently not operating)
Age Group: 4 - 13 years old
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Our Brookby programme is the heart of Nature’s Den—our HQ and longest-running programme.
Set on the breathtaking Donald’s Farm, a 72-hectare working dairy farm, this site was gifted by Donald Pearson to the Young Farmers Trust, and we are blessed to be part of it.
This programme runs every Thursday and Fridays of the school term and is open to children aged 4 to 13 years old.
Brookby is an adventure-filled, hands-on outdoor space designed to keep tamariki engaged and inspired. The diverse environment includes:
- A beautiful ngahere (forest) perfect for exploration and free play
- A purpose built firepit for cooking and warmth
- A shed for crafting and woodworking
- A woodworking shed for hands-on skill-building
- Permanent features developed with the children, including a slackline, zipline, and treehut, etc
- Rat trapping stations for conservation learning
- A working dairy farm where children get to experience farm life firsthand
This programme is led by Alex and Deirdre, who have been with Nature’s Den since the very beginning. Their extensive experience and passion for nature education create a safe, enriching, and dynamic environment for all tamariki.
Each day at Brookby is a blend of child-led learning and structured activities, ensuring children are engaged and constantly discovering new things. Activities may include:
- Exploring the forest, trees, and supplejack vines
- Whittling, carving, and woodworking
- Cooking kai (food) on the campfire
- Shelter building & tree hut development
- Foraging/plant ID
- Rat trapping, tree planting for conservation learning
- Occasional farm exploration—calving season is a favourite!
Our programme thrives on the Tuakana-Teina learning model, where older children mentor and support younger ones, fostering a strong sense of community, leadership, and shared responsibility.
To ensure a high-quality experience, we take a maximum of 24 tamariki and maintain a 1:8 educator ratio.
Fees: Term fees can be paid weekly or fortnightly, with the first payment due before the first day of the programme.
Drop-off time: 8:45 am – 9:00 am
Pick-up time: 2:30 pm – 2:45 pm