Kids head outdoors, swap screens for survival skills, on school holidays at Terra Tribe Farm

A timber shelter and a handpainted sign saying 'market garden', 'forest school', 'waterslide' in a natural setting.

Kids are getting back to nature these school holidays at Terra Tribe Farm in the Wide Bay-Burnett. (ABC Wide Bay: Jake Kearnan)

School is out across the country but for some kids, the outdoors is a classroom these holidays as they ditch screens to learn survival skills. 

Terra Tribe Farm near Howard on Queensland's Fraser Coast is teaching kids about permaculture, nature and sustainability at its outdoor programs over the school holidays.

The farm, on 12.5 acres of land on the Burrum River, was purchased by Elizabeth Pohlmann in 2019.

She says the programs give kids an opportunity to learn while having fun.

"This is how I lived out my childhood. I spent a lot of time in the bush," Ms Pohlmann said.

A woman in a t-shirt smiles at the camera with trees behind her.

Farm owner Elizabeth Pohlmann says her programs teach skills that kids need. (ABC Wide Bay: Jake Kearnan)

"We run school holiday and forest kindy programs — we're a nature connection program where kids can come outside and have child-led play and learn survival skills.

A pink letterbox in the shape of a pig on a timber fence.

The farm is home to pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks and geese. (ABC Wide Bay: Jake Kearnan)

"We build bows and arrows and rafts, we do fire lighting and we make shelters.

"The kids have all these materials, pallets, wood, hammers and nails. They can build whatever they want out here.

"They can climb trees, they can take risks, they can play in the dam … [do] things they can't experience in cities anymore.

"These are skills that the kids need, and they do so well out here."

Lighting fires, tying knots and catching tadpoles

Aside from survival skills, Ms Pohlmann is teaching her students about permaculture.

"There are nine people on the property and I grow all our veggies," she said.

"We have over 300 fruit and nut trees but they're not producing yet.

"In terms of animals we have pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks and geese.

"We had baby piglets yesterday and we all got to pet one this morning."

young boy crouching down for a in front of a dam

Saskia Heard enjoys fishing tadpoles out of the dam. (ABC Wide Bay: Jake Kearnan)

Farm student Saskia Heard said he had been attending the programs for a year.

"It is fun to play a game on the iPad but it's important to socialise with nature as well," he said.

"I've learnt social skills, survival skills, fire lighting and knot tying.

"We just went up to the waterslide and now we're doing Christmas crafts.

"I also like fishing tadpoles out of the dam."

Kids playing in water in nature.

Kids playing in the dam at Terra Tribe Farm. (ABC Wide Bay: Jake Kearnan)

Karma Kereopa said her daughter, who attends the school holiday programs, was learning to be more competent outdoors.

"I grew up when there were no cell phones, we didn't have a TV, so we were always outside playing, riding bikes, risking our lives, climbing trees and doing what isn't normal anymore," she said.

"What kind of world would it be if my kid didn't know how to do those things?

"To me it's a part of childhood."