Childrens' Education

We offer the following specific children’s environmental education programmes:
• Green Fingers Gardening Club
• Information sheets for schools

We also offer the following services:
• Information and advice for your environmental projects
• Qualified teachers to provide information and support
• Specialist educational accompaniment for field trips in Western Southland*
• Speakers for your event (children’s or adults)
• Visits to the Centre (up to 25 children)
• Activities for groups of children on the topic of your choice - tailored to suit your age range and learning objectives
(only $30 per hour)

To see some of the topics we can cover, refer to our information sheets below.

*With the Environment Centre, the new museum, a working flax mill and a wide range of natural ecosystems in and around the township, Riverton has a lot of 'learning outside the classroom' experiences to offer schools.

Green Fingers Gardening Club

For a nominal price students get a selection of vegetable seeds, planting information and a diary to fill in. They plant their small garden at home and a local gardener comes to visit them in autumn to give them praise, advice and a certificate. They get stickers on their certificate for planning, care, growth and knowledge. We are currently in the process of overhauling this project; making it available to more of New Zealand and moving the platform online to make it more accessible. Please read this document and find our survey to give us feedback on improving this important project.

To get involved contact us.

Previous ‘garden in a bucket’ workshops for children resulted in many families starting their own vegetable garden. It proved to be an effective way to educate parents who can also be first time gardeners.

Information Sheets For Schools

The following information sheets have been developed specifically for New Zealand schools.
• School Vegetable Gardens
• Sprouts in Schools

We will develop more sheets on topics when requested - please contact us.