Spring is Here! Celebrate the Season With Children
September 15, 2026.
As the weather warms up, it’s a great time to bring some “fresh” learning into your ECE programme and conversations with children.
Spring naturally prompts conversations about seasons, weather, temperature, and changes in nature. You can build on this by exploring why the environment shifts at different times of the year, for example, how rain helps plants grow.
To extend this learning, you could take the tamariki out for a walk, or just walk around your garden, and notice new growth, colours, and how nature is changing. You might even collect natural materials for an art or science project.
Another option is to foster a baby lamb. We have a guide on how to do this safely and practically: Pet Lamb – fostering agreements, day-to-care care, and regulatory requirement.
Having an animal like a lamb on site can encourage children to spend more time outside.
Because they are so gentle, lambs can serve as great therapy pets for children, particularly those with behavioural or emotional issues.
Rearing a lamb is a classic Kiwi experience – but many children living in cities, apartments, or homes without outdoor space no longer get this experience. Early childhood services with outdoor areas and natural grassy spaces are perfectly placed to offer children this experience.
If fostering or adopting a lamb isn’t an option for your service, you could organise a field trip to a local farm that has some lambs and talk to the farmers about how they care for them.
If your service has a garden you could also harvest some seasonal veggies to cook some yummy meals together. Or you could plant some produce that grows well at this time of year (such as tomatoes).
Readings Related to Nature, Outdoor Environments, and Learning
Astroturf, Artificial Grass or Real Grass – What’s Best in ECE
Optimal Outdoor Environments for Young Children
Early childhood teacher engagement with place-based education: Professional learning
Early Childhood Educator Perceptions of Children’s Physical Activity and the Outdoors
What activities do you look forward to doing with the tamariki during spring? Tell us in the comment section below.
