Activities & Games to Learn Permaculture Through Nature Play!

We are passionate about down-to-earth living and teaching permaculture through nature play. The best way to learn and embody skills for sustainability is through fun, hands-on, practical life skills that engage one's heart and mind. 

We believe that inspiring and nourishing children (and our own inner child) with empowering ways to grow, is how we become the change-makers of today - for a better future. It is up to us, as influential adults, to model, support, and facilitated nature play for our kids so Earth Care and People care are intrinsic to their lives. 

Nature therapy, forest bathing, outdoor education and all buzz words related, are simply ways we can connect with the gifts that nature provides, assists in our development and strengthen relationship and resilience with all of life. 

That's why we created the Nature Kids Permaculture Club ~ to empower families with a transformational program to connect, nourish and grow with nature - through play. This article provides a basic outline of some of the 96 fun-filled lessons included as the activities and games that embody the permaculture 12 permaculture principles. 

Beyond boredom busters, they are designed to engage head, heart and hands for holistic learning with flexible options to enjoy either; self-paced or alongside our community, participating together, month by and engage in our private Facebook group with live Q&A sessions and prizes. 

If you have downloaded our free colour-in book, you'll already have some insight into our 9 pathways to get skilled in sustainability', with all the buzzing bees of activities that are included in each. 

This picture below shows the overview of these pathways as flowers in our garden! Kids (and their adults) can pick and choose their fun (aka learning) with the lessons featured within each appropriate pathway. This is the ultimate interest-led learning!

Plus, we do cool things like food blessings, working with moon cycles and celebrating seasonal festivals!

For a deep dive - our year long journey explores each of the 12 permaculture principles which is a comprehensive curriculum to learn the life skills for sustainability, such as; designing, implementing and caring for a healthy home, permaculture garden, playground and abundance mindset.

Excited, inspired and want to know more?

Check out what you can harvest each module or month at a time:

MODULE: OBSERVE & INTERACT / MONTH: JANUARY 

1. Create Your Book of Kin
2. Establish your Observation Chart
3. Observe Your Local Animals and Plants
4. Creative Reflection and Expression
5. Engaging your Senses with Mindfulness
6. Moon Gazing - A Night-Time Adventure
7. Seasonal Nature Art
8. Nature Adventure BINGO

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Waste Audit

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Peace Begins with Me

Change-maker Interview ~  Koa Windsong ~Wisdom Keeper & Samantha Jurgens - Nature Kids Facilitator

MODULE: CATCH & STORE ENERGY / MONTH: FEBRUARY  

9. Extend the Life Of…
10. Make a Worm Farm
11. Make Stock, Sprouts & Sauerkraut
12. Human Energy Cycle and Personal Audit
13. Soil Testing, Mud Pies & Cob Creations
14. Waterways & Waterplay
15. Make a Wicking Plant Pot 
16. Make a Nature Table

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Save Glass Jars & Bulk Buy Wholefoods 

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Energy Goes Where Intention Flows

Change-maker Interview ~  Ashaya Snedden ~ Eco Yoga Therapist, Environmental & Outdoor Educator & The 'Gut Goddess', Lynnie Stein - The Gut Academy 

MODULE: OBTAIN A YIELD / MONTH: MARCH

17. Plan to Grow Your Food
18. Eight Forms of Wealth
19. Activist Artwork
20. Extending the Yields
21. Set Up a Swap Shop
22. Create a Nature Mandala
23. Food for Thought Feast Event
24. Make a Bean Teepee or Bush Shelter

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Swap, Scrump & Emu Bob  

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Breath & Body Connection

Change-maker Interview ~  Melueka & Rahm, Rare Earth Oils & Kate Pearce, Creator & Coach of the Healthy Little Eaters Game 

MODULE: APPLY SELF-REGULATION & ACCEPT FEEDBACK / MONTH: APRIL

25. Know Your Eco-Footprint
26. Self-regulate Skill Set
27. Electricity Savings Test
28. Shower Audit
29. Bingo ~ 10 Self-regulation Games to Play
30. Dynamic Feedback Dance
31. Create a Mini Ant Farm
32. Make a Terrarium

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Feast with an Eco Diet

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Move like the Animals 

Change-maker Interview ~ Kerry Spina, creator of Kids in Harmony 

MODULE: USE & VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES / MONTH: MAY

33. Pay It Forward Rock Art
34. DIY Solar Oven
35. Propagate Perennial Plants
36. Make Egg Head Friends
37. Make a No-Dig-Garden
38. Make a Sundial
39. Make Seed Bombs
40. Create a Forest Folk House

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Know Thy Farmer

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Dragon breathing & Magic Carpet Ride To Your Own Secret Garden

Change-maker Interview ~ Lucy Legan, author of Planet Schooling 

MODULE: PRODUCE NO WASTE / MONTH: JUNE

41. DIY Beeswax Wraps
42. Homemade Nutmylk & Bliss Balls
43. Regrow Before You Throw
44. DIY Recycled Art Container
45. Make a Hot Compost Pile
46. DIY Natural Confetti
47. DIY T-shirt Bag
48. DIY Personal Care Kit

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Make Your Reusable Kit

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Hike, Bike or Climb Adventure

Change-maker Interview ~ Diana Condylas, coordinator of Boomerang Alliance and Plastic Free Townsville 

MODULE: DESIGN FROM PATTERNS TO DETAILS / MONTH: JULY 

49. Create Your Zone Plan Treasure Map
50. Create Your Sector Plan
51. DIY Herb Spiral Garden
52. Concept Design to Detailed Plan
53. Gratitude Spiral Wind Spinners
54. Patterns In Nature Bingo Hunt
55. Weaving Patterns With Nature
56. DIY Gift Wrapping The Furoshiki Way

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Plastic Free Month & Zero-waste Kitchen Swaps

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Essential Movement for Kids + Incidental Exercise

Change-maker Interview ~ Blake Hudon, Permaculture Designer at Eartheartisian 

MODULE: INTEGRATE DON'T SEGREGATE / MONTH: AUGUST 

57. Love the Bugs; Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
58. Go on an Edible Weed Walk
59. Plant a Companion Guild
60. Make an Integrated Chicken Coop
61. DIY Weed Tea
62. Round The Garden Bingo
63. Create a Bug Motel
64. DIY Art Puzzle

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Join a Community Garden

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Integrate Stretches Into Your Day

Change-maker Interview ~ Rodney Ingersoll, The Aquaponics Gardener 

MODULE: USE SMALL & SLOW SOLUTIONS / MONTH: SEPTEMBER 

65. Pen Pal Snail Mail
66. Leaf & Flower Pressing
67. Seed Raise Little Plants
68. Plant Green Manures For Fertility 
69. Spaghetti Eastern & Egg Race
70. Make a Seasonal Wreath
71. Grow a Food Forest
72. Dream Big, Start Small - Outcome Framework

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Join the Slow Food Movement 

Movement & Mindfulness ~ The Tortoise and Hare Yoga Poses & Breathwork

Change-maker Interview ~ Susie Pickett - Earth Building FNQ 

MODULE: USE & VALUE DIVERSITY / MONTH: OCTOBER

73. Make a Bird Feeder
74. Diversify Your Garden Varieties
75. Eat a Rainbow
76. Plant a Medicinal Garden
77. Loose Parts Play
78. Seed Save to Save Seeds
79. Natures Treasures Memory Play
80. A-Z Eye Spy

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Join your Local Seed Savers Group

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Step Outside For Five

Change-maker Interview ~ Sunny Ray - Children's Book Author, Performing Artist, Singer/Songwriter

MODULE: USE EDGES & VALUE THE MARGINAL / MONTH: NOVEMBER 

81. Make a Pond Ecosystem
82. Create Your Base Plan & Maximise Your Edges
83. Plant Fedges (Food Hedges)
84. Make a Vertical Garden
85. Grow Mushrooms & Beneficial Microbes
86. Beyond Your Comfort Zone Abilities
87. Ecosystem Explorer
88. DIY Mandala & Key-hole Gardens

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Set up a Book Exchange

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Sensing Your Edges

Change-maker Interview ~ Mike Gaia - Ranger & Vlogger from Gaia Gardens 

MODULE: CREATIVELY USE & RESPOND TO CHANGE / MONTH: DECEMBER 

89. Life Cycles Story Stones
90. Creative Design Process & Checklist
91. Veggie Garden Crop Rotation
92. Event Candle Calendar
93. DIY Gifting, Cards & Decorations
94. Planting with the Moon
95. Know Your Climate & Play with Microclimates
96. Chop & Drop to Accelerate Succession

Zero Waste Challenge ~ Source Separate & Create

Movement & Mindfulness ~ Lean On Me

Change-maker Interview ~ Twiggy Dawn - Alchemilla Herbals & Community Educator 

Imagine eating fresh from your garden and homesteading with excess abundance from your food forest! Becoming self sufficient and improving your community resilience is possible, and this is the place to start for beginners ready to make change. 

If this excites you, and you want to become an earth carer, come join our growing community here! and lavish foodies! 

Another really cool way to participate is via our flexible interest-led pathways. Learn more about our 9 Pathways to get skilled for Sustainability here!