New Zealand schools are putting less focus on pencils, and more on play.

An increasing number of schools are embracing "play-based learning", which sees kids spending more time outside, now that National Standards have been scrapped by the Government.

Ann Langis runs the Conscious Kids holiday programme, and says, sometimes, the best place to learn is outside.

She says play-based learning encourages creativity and divergent thinking and kids should be encouraged to use their imagination as much as possible.

"You can't replicate the complexity of climbing a tree with a climbing frame, you can't replicate the complexity of digging in an actual eco-system with looking in a tray in a classroom."