All of our activities can be catered to suit your group’s needs and required learning outcomes. The APOEC manager will help to design your programme based around your school curriculum and intended learning outcomes.

​Below are some of the activities that APOEC can run as part of our programme. The variety of activities allows for teacher’s preference, weather conditions, time of year, groups size, group age and group goals. Rain or snow does not usually keep us inside. However, if weather conditions are sufficiently nasty to keep us indoors, APOEC has indoor activity options available as well.

Activities

ABL

These games can be designed to focus on:
> leadership
> team work
> trust
​> communication

Sensory Trail

A blindfold sensory trail activity where participants have to find their way through a rope maze leading through the bush.

Search&Rescue

Plan and prepare a search team, collect clues and learn to track a person in the wilderness. Build and test your own rescue stretcher.

Navigation

Begin with a theory session, then put those map reading skills into practice outside, adapted for differing skill levels

Shelter Build

Build your own survival shelter out of natural resources.

UHF Radios

Learn to use a walkie-talkie and the phonetic alphabet before putting this into practice around the village.

 


 

Nature Art

Get creative using natural materials to create a sculpture with personal meaning

CampCooking

Learn the basics of cooking on outdoor stoves and have the opportunity to cook a team meal.

Orienteering

Based on team work and navigation skills, race around the village to collect the 15 markers

SquawkSquad

Use the clues to find the kiwi or whio whilst learning about their predators and food habits.

Walks & Hikes

The walks range in length from 30 minutes to 8 hours duration. Click here for all the walks available

Fire Building

Learn about fire triangles, safety and structures, then build a fire to cook morning or afternoon tea on.

 


 

Wilderness Solo

Give your students an opportunity to take some time out to reflect on their journey with a beautiful backdrop.

River Crossing

Learn how to work as a team to cross a river safely, by looking at the river dynamics and assessing a safe crossing site.

Camp Out

Camp out locally or as a small expedition combined with hiking. Learn the basics including how to prepare, what to pack and how to cook outdoors.

 

Planning

Here are some tips and thoughts on planning your class visit to the centre.

Theme

You may wish to have a theme or topic for your visit. It is best to choose a topic that is readily observed in the Arthur’s Pass area. Good examples are:

  • Ecology
  • Native plants
  • Back country recreation, especially tramping, skiing and climbing
  • Geology, landform processes
  • Maori history, especially the pounamu/greenstone trails
  • Early European history, the gold rushes, Cobb and Co coaches and the Midland railway line

Native animals/birds are a good topic but sometimes it can be difficult to track them down to see. Keas can be present in large numbers or totally absent.

 

 

 

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