Archives For Children

Young campers at Piripiri campsite

Department of Conservation —  18/02/2013

By Angeline Barnes, Community Outreach Coordinator

DOC's Piripiri campsite sign.

Welcome to Piripiri campsite

Last week, while out with DOC’s Manawatu Area team, I met a young girl named Hannah. She had planned and arranged a camping trip for her group of friends and they were camping at Piripiri, a free DOC campsite, along the Pohangina River.

Cooking on the campfire at Piripiri campsite.

Cooking on the campfire

Along with a little bit of help from her mum she had organised the camping trip. She had developed invitations, food plans, budgets, travel plans, sleeping plans and more.

The kids made gifts from natural materials at the Piripiri campsite.

Making gifts from natural materials

To make it happen they allowed one adult to come, purely for health and safety reasons! But the adult’s attendance (in the form of Hannah’s mother) came with rules – she had to sleep in her own tent ‘outside’ of the campsite territory, which was marked with colourful bunting spread amongst the trees.

The campsite was so lovely – a young girl’s dream  – nature as the backdrop, colourful bunting, tents, friends and lots of giggling.

Making chocolate damper dough leads to messy hands.

Chocolate damper dough hands!

Hannah’s mum was allowed to accompany them to the river where they swam (beautiful swimming spot), jumped off a ledge and had a fabulous time. I went and had a chat to them and they were all so happy – creating their childhood memories.

Crowding around the campfire.

Crowding around the campfire

In Camping , , , , ,
permalink

Kiwi: the real story book giveaway

Department of Conservation —  17/12/2012

UPDATE: The competition has now ended. 

Kiwi: the real story made it onto the Listener’s 50 Best Children’s Books of 2012 list, and it’s not hard to see why.  The combination of verse, factual text and beautifully luminous pictures, offers a spellbinding glimpse into the secret night-world of our amazing iconic kiwi bird.

Kiwi: the real story would be an amazing Christmas present for any lucky kiwi kid and, thanks to New Holland Publishers, we’ve got three copies to give away here on the Conservation Blog.

Kiwi: the real story

“Muckracker, stem-shaker
nosy parker, mud-larker, dashing darter
cricket-cruncher, mantis-muncher
eavesdropper, clodhopper, show-stopper!”

Kiwi the eavesdropper.

“These feisty birds have a life and spirit of their own and Kiwi: the real story will be the book to inspire your children to love and protect kiwi long into their lifetimes, ensuring that they will still be in the ‘backyards’ of our grandchildren in years to come.”

Kiwi the snail snatcher and beetle battler.

To be in to win a copy, leave a comment on this post before 12 noon, Thursday 20 December 2012, telling us why you want the book. Three winners will be selected at random and contacted by email.

The giveaway is open to everyone, except employees of the Department of Conservation, New Holland Publishers, and their immediate families; however, we can only ship to New Zealand addresses.

Good luck!

Kiwi: the real story is valued at $29.99 and will be available from good bookstores nationwide.

In Giveaways, Kiwi, Native animals , , , , , , ,
permalink

Kiwi Ranger adds fun factor this Christmas at Totaranui

Sarah Mankelow —  12/12/2012

Kiwi Ranger activities are available at Totaranui this summer.Christmas camping at Totaranui just got a whole lot more fun with the arrival of Kiwi Ranger – just in time for the holidays!

Totaranui is a ‘Great Walks’ campground next to the clear waters and golden sands of Totaranui beach and estuary, in the wonderful Abel Tasman National Park.

It’s been a popular place for families for many years, with sites booked out every summer. People come here to relax on the beach, swim, kayak, fish or explore the nearby stands of native bush by walking one of the many tracks. Now its popularity is set to increase, as Kiwi Ranger is added to the mix of family-friendly fun activities on offer.

Kiwi Ranger is for kids of all ages – from 3 to 103! It’s a booklet of activities which you can choose from to do during your visit.

With Kiwi Ranger you can:

  • Use all your senses on the Pukatea Walk,
  • Walk barefoot between the tides and dig down to discover the colours and patterns of the mudflats,
  • Explore rock pools shaped by wind and waves and discover what lives within,
  • Keep a campsite journal,
  • Collect a checklist of amazing nature experiences; watch a sunrise, be bitten by sandfly/namu, lie under a giant māmaku fern, or watch fluorescence where the waves break.
photo credit: Nicky Kenny.

Totaranui Kiwi Ranger adds the fun factor!

Kiwi Ranger guides families to make the most of their visit, by taking it beyond a mere walk in the park, to an experience worth remembering and treasuring.

Becoming a Totaranui Kiwi ranger is easy. Pick up your booklet from the Totaranui camp office. Check out how many activities you should do depending on your age. Then when you are done, return your completed booklet to the campsite office to claim your badge!

Booklets and badges will be available next week – just in time for Christmas!

Kiwi Ranger is now live at ten sites around the South Island. To find out more go to doc.govt.nz/kiwirangeror kiwiranger.org.nz

Family fun in the lagoon while on holiday at Totaranui

Family fun in the lagoon while on holiday at Totaranui

In Camping, National parks, Nelson/Marlborough , , , , , ,
permalink