For schools · kinders · childcare
School incursions, Melbourne — we bring the hive to you
A real beekeeper, a safe live observation hive, and the story of bees, pollination and rescue — a school incursion children remember. Hands-on, curriculum-linked, and delivered across South East Melbourne.
What a BeesFriend school incursion is
If you’re looking for school incursions in Melbourne’s south-east, a BeesFriend visit brings the hive into your classroom. We set up a sealed observation hive with clear sides, so students can safely watch live bees at work — the queen, the workers, the comb — while a real beekeeper tells the whole story: how a hive works, why pollinators matter to the food we eat, and how we rescue bees rather than exterminate them.
It’s hands-on and pitched to the age of the room, from kinder and early learning up through primary. The session ties naturally into science, sustainability and food-education units — and because a bee is a minibeast, it slots neatly into early-years minibeast and life-cycle topics too. There’s honey to see, smell and, where suitable, taste.
- A real beekeeper — not a video or a kit, the actual person who keeps the bees.
- Working with Children Check — held and current, so you can book with confidence.
- A safe observation hive — live bees behind glass, weather permitting, with no risk to the children.
- Age-appropriate — tailored for early learning, primary, or older students.
- Curriculum-linked — pollination, sustainability, life cycles, food and farming.
- Local — Berwick-based, covering Melbourne’s south-east.
A note on the bees: we bring the live observation hive whenever the weather allows. On cold, wet or windy days it isn’t safe to open a hive, so the bees stay home — but the session still runs in full, with honeycomb, beeswax, honey and all the tools and stories of beekeeping to explore.
Schools, kinders and childcare
We run primary school incursions in Melbourne, along with kindergarten incursions and childcare incursions across the south-east. Whether it’s a single classroom or a whole-of-year session, we tailor the visit to the age group and the space you have — a room of four-year-olds and a Grade 5 class get very different sessions, both hands-on and both pitched just right. Every incursion is led in person by the beekeeper — the same person who keeps the rescued hives our honey comes from — who holds a current Working with Children Check.
Trusted by schools and groups across the south-east
We’ve been welcomed into classrooms, early-learning centres and community groups right across the region — from Beaconsfield Primary and Hippity Hop Early Learning in Berwick to garden clubs, Bunnings community days and a full house of 120 at The Beekeepers Club. You can see where we’ve been out in the community, and where BeesFriend has been recognised — in Parliament, the press, and by leading chefs.
Book a school incursion
If your school, kindergarten, childcare centre or community group would like a bee incursion in Melbourne’s south-east, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us your location, the age group and rough numbers, and we’ll take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
Do you run school incursions in Melbourne?
Yes — we run bee-themed school incursions across Melbourne’s south-east, for primary schools, kindergartens and childcare centres. A real beekeeper brings a safe observation hive and leads a hands-on, curriculum-linked session on bees, pollination and rescue. We’re based in Berwick and travel across the region.
Do you have a Working with Children Check?
Yes — our beekeeper holds a current Working with Children Check, so schools, kindergartens and childcare centres can book with confidence. We’re happy to provide the details when you get in touch.
Do you offer kindergarten and childcare incursions?
Yes — we run kindergarten incursions and childcare incursions across South East Melbourne, tailored for early-learning ages. For the little ones we keep it sensory and simple: watching the bees in the observation hive, smelling the honey and beeswax, and a gentle story about how bees help our gardens and food grow.
What happens during a bee incursion?
Children hear the story of the hive from the beekeeper — how bees make honey, why pollinators matter, and how we rescue colonies — with honeycomb, beeswax and honey to see and smell. Weather permitting, we also bring a sealed observation hive with clear sides so students can safely watch live bees at work. The session is pitched to the age of the group, from early learning to upper primary.
Will there be live bees?
Whenever the weather allows, yes — we bring a sealed observation hive so children can safely watch live bees at work. On cold, wet or windy days it isn’t safe to open a hive, so the bees stay home, but the incursion still goes ahead in full with honeycomb, beeswax, honey and all the stories and tools of beekeeping. We’ll always do our best to bring them.
What ages are your incursions suitable for?
All of them — we tailor the session to the room, from kindergarten and early learning through to primary and older students. The content links to science, sustainability and food-education units, and fits early-years minibeast and life-cycle topics too.
Which areas do you cover?
We’re based in Berwick and cover South East Melbourne — including the Casey, Cardinia and surrounding areas. Get in touch with your location and we’ll let you know.