With the average cost of paid school holiday programmes ranging from $40 to $50 per day per child, Ms Mackenzie said she also enlisted the help of grandparents.
"It's definitely not cheap but we just have to make it work and put money aside so we can afford them as we both have to work and don't have any other option."
Kathy Broadhead saw the need for an adventure-based school holiday programme which was why she created Nature Kids.
Ms Broadhead said she had received interest from families who were wanting to try a school holiday programme that was a bit different.
The idea behind the programme is to get kids discovering and connecting with the natural world.
The programme will run for the first time these school holidays in the second week.
Each day is filled with creative and adventurous nature-based activities such as a "Mount Mission" which is a clue-following nature trail to discover the Mount's coolest features and creatures.
Spaces are still available, to book or for more information visit naturelibrary.co.nz
Weather forecast a mixed bag
Niwa climate scientist Nava Fedaeff said this coming Sunday looked to be a wet one for Tauranga and there should be some residual showers on Monday for the first day of the school holidays.
From there the weather looks to improve with high pressure set to move in for a few days bringing dry but slightly cooler than normal weather for the first week of October.
The second half of the school holidays look warmer than the first with slightly higher than average temperatures.
The average minimum temperature in Tauranga for the first week of October is 8-9°C and average maximum temperatures are 17-18°C