Get your kids outdoors on unique, small group wilderness adventures
Last updated on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 | By Craig Gibson
Get your kids outdoors on unique, small group wilderness adventuresWant your kids off screens, active outdoors and having a great time?
Then check out Primal Kids Adventures because they tick all those boxes and more!
The brainchild of Coogee local Helen Cooper, a one-time Outward Bound instructor and wilderness guide with a degree in Environmental Management, a Graduate Diploma in Education, and qualifications in Outdoor Recreation, Fitness Coaching and Wilderness First Aid. So quite keen on the outdoors you could say :)
Quick read:
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What’s so special about them, and how do they differ from a regular school camp?
For a start they offer smaller group experiences, higher staffing ratios, better quality food and personalised activities. They also take your kids off your hands to spectacular wilderness areas in the Greater Sydney Region and then return them to you three or four days later, tired, sunkissed but inspired.
Primal Adventures began taking adults on small group wilderness adventures in 2006 to remote parts of Australia, NZ & other spectacular locations around the world. Just last year in 2019, Primal Adventures took four groups to do mountaineering trips in New Zealand, took a fundraising group to Nepal to participate in the Annapurna Marathon, led adults and families on adventures in Tasmania and Kangaroo Island as well as the Larapinta Trail in NT.
If that wasn’t enough, in 2019 they began focusing on providing high quality school holiday adventures. Helen’s a trained teacher with 20 years experience in outdoor and experiential education, so it seemed perfectly natural for her to transition back into that space. She also has two daughters, one just finishing Year 6, and another in year 7 this year - who were the perfect test audience for the ‘awesomeness of their adventures’. She also says they are committed to ‘listening to what kids and parents need and want, and developing unique programs around that’.
Like everyone 2020 has been very challenging for the business, with many school holiday activities disrupted and cancelled.
‘Obviously, this year has been quite different – dare I say the word unprecedented! We have had to postpone our school holiday adventures twice, which has been challenging for the kids and the parents. It’s been tough on all kids and families with so much uncertainty, and government directives not to go anywhere. Most kids are more addicted to screens than ever, and it’s becoming increasingly more challenging for parents to motivate kids to do activities that don’t require screens’.
That’s where Primal Kids Adventures come in!
They whisk your kids off to wild places and keep them occupied with engaging outdoor activities and team challenges that involve learning new skills and experiencing different environments. All of it is done in a supportive and nurturing way. They also pride themselves on the quality of their food, which is a step up from typical camp fare, while also catering to all dietary requirements. The same goes for the staff who all have an outdoor education background, and are generally university educated as well.
Helen is a big fan of the ‘learning by doing’ approach to education.
‘We do a lot of activities based on the experiential learning cycle, which in simple terms is plan, do, review. Experiential and outdoor education is all about learning through doing, and on our adventures kids are generally enjoying themselves so much they don’t even realise they are learning.’
‘Down the track when they are doing a task or activity with much more competence than before, or relating better to others, it may click into place where that learning came from. It’s all about removing distractions and bringing life back to its basic elements. Nature, movement, friendship and support. What more could kids hope for in the school holidays!’
‘Each of our adventures are different – in December we have a co-ed group from year 4-6 heading for a 3-day camp where they will be abseiling, canoeing, playing laser skirmish and camping in the bush. We also have a Primal Girls Year 7 & 8 Adventure, with exclusive use of Pittwater YHA. They will be paddle boarding, kayaking, doing yoga and exploring aboriginal rock art sites. Each of these adventures only have 2-3 places available though!’
Primal Adventures will also be offering a wider range of trips in the April school holidays, when there is more certainty around what they can and can’t do - so keep your eyes peeled for their activities on Kidsbook.
Then check out Primal Kids Adventures because they tick all those boxes and more!
The brainchild of Coogee local Helen Cooper, a one-time Outward Bound instructor and wilderness guide with a degree in Environmental Management, a Graduate Diploma in Education, and qualifications in Outdoor Recreation, Fitness Coaching and Wilderness First Aid. So quite keen on the outdoors you could say :)
Quick read:
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- [li indent=0 align=left]Primal Kids Adventures offer 3 - 4 day school holiday camps for Primary and High school aged children.[/li][li indent=0 align=left]Kids participate in a range of activities while on camp such as abseiling, kayaking, SUP, and exploring aboriginal cultural sites in the Greater Sydney Region.[/li][li indent=0 align=left]They pride themselves on the quality of their staff. All are from an Outdoor Education background, are fully qualified, and go the extra mile to ensure your kids feel safe and included.[/li]
What’s so special about them, and how do they differ from a regular school camp?
For a start they offer smaller group experiences, higher staffing ratios, better quality food and personalised activities. They also take your kids off your hands to spectacular wilderness areas in the Greater Sydney Region and then return them to you three or four days later, tired, sunkissed but inspired.
The backstory
Primal Adventures began taking adults on small group wilderness adventures in 2006 to remote parts of Australia, NZ & other spectacular locations around the world. Just last year in 2019, Primal Adventures took four groups to do mountaineering trips in New Zealand, took a fundraising group to Nepal to participate in the Annapurna Marathon, led adults and families on adventures in Tasmania and Kangaroo Island as well as the Larapinta Trail in NT.
Quality school holiday adventures
If that wasn’t enough, in 2019 they began focusing on providing high quality school holiday adventures. Helen’s a trained teacher with 20 years experience in outdoor and experiential education, so it seemed perfectly natural for her to transition back into that space. She also has two daughters, one just finishing Year 6, and another in year 7 this year - who were the perfect test audience for the ‘awesomeness of their adventures’. She also says they are committed to ‘listening to what kids and parents need and want, and developing unique programs around that’.
‘I absolutely love what I do. Being able to take people to explore the wild places is a privilege. My team and I are passionate about adventure, the wilderness and providing your kids with an incredible and unique experience.’ - Helen Cooper, Primal Kids Adventures
Off screens and into the wild
Like everyone 2020 has been very challenging for the business, with many school holiday activities disrupted and cancelled.
‘Obviously, this year has been quite different – dare I say the word unprecedented! We have had to postpone our school holiday adventures twice, which has been challenging for the kids and the parents. It’s been tough on all kids and families with so much uncertainty, and government directives not to go anywhere. Most kids are more addicted to screens than ever, and it’s becoming increasingly more challenging for parents to motivate kids to do activities that don’t require screens’.
That’s where Primal Kids Adventures come in!
Engaging outdoor activities and great food
They whisk your kids off to wild places and keep them occupied with engaging outdoor activities and team challenges that involve learning new skills and experiencing different environments. All of it is done in a supportive and nurturing way. They also pride themselves on the quality of their food, which is a step up from typical camp fare, while also catering to all dietary requirements. The same goes for the staff who all have an outdoor education background, and are generally university educated as well.
Learning through doing
Helen is a big fan of the ‘learning by doing’ approach to education.
‘We do a lot of activities based on the experiential learning cycle, which in simple terms is plan, do, review. Experiential and outdoor education is all about learning through doing, and on our adventures kids are generally enjoying themselves so much they don’t even realise they are learning.’
On our adventures kids are generally enjoying themselves so much they don’t even realise they are learning - Helen Cooper, Primal Kids Adventures
‘Down the track when they are doing a task or activity with much more competence than before, or relating better to others, it may click into place where that learning came from. It’s all about removing distractions and bringing life back to its basic elements. Nature, movement, friendship and support. What more could kids hope for in the school holidays!’
Camping, abseiling, canoeing, laser skirmish and more
‘Each of our adventures are different – in December we have a co-ed group from year 4-6 heading for a 3-day camp where they will be abseiling, canoeing, playing laser skirmish and camping in the bush. We also have a Primal Girls Year 7 & 8 Adventure, with exclusive use of Pittwater YHA. They will be paddle boarding, kayaking, doing yoga and exploring aboriginal rock art sites. Each of these adventures only have 2-3 places available though!’
Primal Adventures will also be offering a wider range of trips in the April school holidays, when there is more certainty around what they can and can’t do - so keep your eyes peeled for their activities on Kidsbook.
