Tuesday
Enrolments open13 Oct – 1 Dec
We keep groups small and confirm each place personally.
Shuttle: 2 shuttle seats available. Places confirmed individually.
Enrol your child
Less classroom. More connection.
is a place of belonging
A one-day school beside the Ōhinemahuta river, for tamariki aged 5–16. Fire, tools, rivers, waiata, mud, and the time to find out what you can do.
Come for a free Discovery Day
Ages5–16
Learning across ages
DaysTuesdays & Thursdays
Regular Tuesday & Thursday sessions.
Hours10:30am – 4:00pm
Seasonal hours confirmed each term
Tuition per session$70/ child
Sibling discounts available
Find your place
A group to grow with.
16 places per session. Choose a term to see its dates and availability. The team confirms each offer with your family.
Thursday
Enrolments open15 Oct – 3 Dec
We keep groups small and confirm each place personally.
Shuttle: 3 shuttle seats available. Places confirmed individually.
Enrol your childThe first question
“What about their
regular school?”
Start with a conversation.
Tell your child’s school what you’re considering, and discuss how a one-day nature programme could fit with their learning. We can explain the day, the learning and the practical arrangements.
Approval and attendance arrangements need to be confirmed with your child’s school.
A day here
A day has a rhythm. Curiosity leads the way.
Child-led exploration. Real-world skills. A deep connection to the natural world. Our days are shaped by curiosity, community, and the freedom to discover what you’re capable of.
Follow a whole dayMorning
Hui & waiata
We gather for roll call, the day’s safety kōrero, waiata, and a story from the nature school library.
Gather · Listen · BelongThen
Discovery Basics
Reading, maths and science arrive inside one hands-on activity. Children might read a map, measure a tree, or investigate a tiny habitat.
Notice · Question · DiscoverThe open middle
Time to follow an idea
The paddock, trees, riverbank and garden. A shelter to finish, something to make, or a new place to explore. Free play is a central part of the day.
Follow your curiosityAround midday
Kai, together
Time for lunch, a drink and a rest. In the cooler terms, children can contribute to a shared meal prepared over the fire.
Pause · Share · RefuelAfternoon
A skill worth learning
A specialist workshop introduces a practical skill: weaving, cordage, shelter building, fire cooking, navigation, and more.
Try · Practise · MakeBefore home
Afternoon hui
We tidy up, return the tools, and come together for stories, reflection and waiata before heading home.
Reflect · Remember · Return
A little structure.
Room to find your own way.
The learning
Real questions.
Real things to work out.
Reading, maths and science make sense when there is something you want to find out.
Literacy
A story starts outside.
Reading a map. Following instructions. Writing from the perspective of a tree. Language has a purpose here.
Numeracy
Maths you can get your hands on.
Measure a shelter, estimate the age of a tree, or work out how much food to prepare over the fire.
Science
Look closer. Ask why.
Observe a habitat, identify plants, follow the water, and test an idea against what happens in the real world.
Ngā mahi · Specialist workshops
Practical skills. Real projects.
Practical skills that build on each other. Workshops follow a three-year cycle and the seasons, with time to practise, experiment and return to a project.
- Weaving & raranga
- Pottery
- Growing food
- Carving & tool care
- Food preservation
- Basket making
- First aid
- Reading the landscape
- Sewing & mending
- Harvesting
A free discovery day
Come and see how it feels.
Spend a day exploring, making and getting to know Ō. Try a full session, or talk with Emily about a shorter visit and time to settle in together. We’ll agree the details with you before you come.
Ask about a free discovery day ↗Ages 5–16 · Subject to space · Please arrange your own transport
The place
The best classroom has no walls.
Our place beside Onamalutu Reserve. Open paddocks, trees to explore, and a river that invites you to slow down. This is where our learning begins.
Explore the placeFees & dates
$70 per session.
Let’s do the numbers.
Choose one or more terms, add siblings and see the effect of the optional shuttle. Your place and final invoice are confirmed by the school.
Current termExplore our one-day school
Dates13 October 2026 – 3 December 2026
SessionsTuesdays & Thursdays · 10:30am – 4:00pm
MAKE IT WORK FOR YOUR WHĀNAU
Plan a term.
Or a few.
Select one or more terms to see your family’s estimate.
Shuttle can be included for budgeting, even when arrangements or seats are unconfirmed. This estimate uses $15 per child, per session for a return trip. Prices vary by pickup location; the team will confirm your charge.
YOUR FAMILY ESTIMATE · NZD
$5601 term · 8 weeks · one session day per week
Child 1$560
Term 4, 2026$560
A place, then an invoice. A three-week tuition deposit secures an offered place. The team prepares the remaining tuition invoice three weeks after your child starts.
Need to talk about cost? Falia Funds is being developed to help more families take part. Contact the team to discuss your circumstances.
Your guides
People who know
your name.
Ōhinemahuta is a one-day nature and forest school in Marlborough for children aged 5–16. We welcome families from across the region, with a familiar team to learn alongside, ask questions and share discoveries with.
Meet the people behind ŌThe practical things
A few things
you might be wondering.
How do we choose a session day?+
For a new enrolment, tell us whether Tuesday or Thursday would suit your family. The team will discuss the arrangements and confirm a place, subject to availability.
What do we pack?+
A refillable water bottle, lunch and snacks, weather-appropriate clothing and a complete spare change. Name everything. The school will confirm the seasonal kit list.
Is there transport from Blenheim?+
Ask about shuttle availability when enquiring. The team confirms seats, pickup and return stops, times and the agreed charge with each family.
Can we talk about additional support?+
Yes. Tell us about your child and the support they need, so we can discuss whether the programme and available arrangements will work for them.
What happens after we apply?+
The team reviews the application and contacts you about the next step. If a place is available, they can make an offer. Otherwise they can discuss the waitlist.
A day outside. Something to bring home.
A place to grow. A day to look forward to.
Tell us a little about your child.
We’ll take it from there.