Growing, Learning, &Tasting in the Childcare Garden By: Wanda Davis-Director Childcare Network www.childcarenetwork.com (919)854-2652
How It All Started Working in gardens with children has taken on many titles. From Seed to Plate, Gardening with Children, and Farm to Childcare. My interest in cultivating community gardens was sparked after seeing First Lady Michelle Obama growing vegetables at the White House and her love for educating children on eating healthy. Watching seeds grow and blossom is similar to watching a child grow. If we put the right stuff in, something wonderful will bloom.
A Child s Right to Play From a child s prospective, outside time is a place for children to run, jump, swing, ride bikes, and then go back inside.
What lessons were learned? Were all the possibilities explored? Lessons Learned They played under trees that bare no fruit, wild flowers that did not have a smell and green grass we could not eat. -Wanda Davis
Primary Food Supply If you ask children where their food comes from, the answer might sound like this! Food Lion, Harris Teeter, McDonalds, or even Wal- Mart, because they have everything in one store. You would never hear them say a farmer.
Old McDonald Had a Farm One of the first songs they learned to sing as toddlers was Old McDonald Had a Farm. And on his farm he had some chickens, cows, pigs and every animal you can think of. Carrots, peas, squash and green beans were never mentioned.
Meet our Farmer We first partnered with a local farmer. Robert Jones Jones Farm, Snow Hill, NC 28580 (919) 673-2663
A farmer knows the soil and how to prepare the soil for planting. He knows what seeds to plant depending on the seasons. He knows how much sun and water each crop will need.
Our on Site Farmers Market Connection Connect teachers, parents and children with your grower. Send home a letter of Introduction about your farmer, be sure to include his pictures and available items. This letter should highlight fresh local foods. Plan a meet and greet to introduce the farmer to the parents and children.
Newsletter Highlights Introduces Meatless Monday Thinking Tuesday Wellness Wednesday Thursday Tasty Thought Fresh Fruit Friday
Mary, Mary, quite contrary how does your garden grow. With seeds and soil, girls and boys and water to help them grow.
What s on your schools menu? Your school menu should start reflecting new, fresh and local items that you are buying from a farmer. Highlight these items in red on your menu so everyone will know that this item is new, fresh and local.
What is your Mystery Fruit? Mystery food is a fruit or vegetable that is rarely seen or eaten. This item is displayed where there is a lot of traffic, so that everyone can see it. Teachers, parents and children can touch, smell, and try to guess what it is. Display this item for several days, and on Friday, this item is ready for sampling along with recipes on how to prepare. By now you have the attention of teachers, parents and children. Papaya
Circle Time Topics Children are taught what is considered a fruit or vegetable. Fruits Vegetables Discuss parts of a plants: roots, stems, leaves, fruits, seeds and flowers. Oranges Apples Pears Green Beans Potatoes Carrots
Parts of a Plant Each part of a plant has a very important function. All plants produce flowers for the same reason; to make seeds so another plant can grow. Seeds: Contain a tiny embryo of a plant inside. The seed halves contain food which supplies energy and materials for growth until the plant grows its first leaves above the ground. Roots: Anchors plants in the soil. Water and minerals are taken from the soil through the roots. Many plants such as carrots; store food in their roots.
Cont d Stems: Supports the upper parts of plants. Water and dissolved nutrients from the soil travel up the stem in a system of tubes. Flowers: Are the reproductive parts of plants; Flower petals and the flowers smell attract insects and bees to pollinate the flower. After pollination, the petals fall off and seeds develop on the part of the flower called the ovary. The ovary itself usually becomes what we call fruit. Leaves: Are the parts where food is made by photosynthesis. Leaves take in carbon dioxide from the air, water from the soil, and energy from the sunlight. During photosynthesis, the leaves use light energy to change carbon dioxide and water into food (sugar).
Stone Soup Read Stone Soup by Marcia Brown. Cook Stone Soup using vegetables that children have been introduced to over several weeks. Have these items donated by parents. Show the children different varieties of the featured foods.
Facts about Cucumbers Did you know cucumbers are 96% water? Cucumbers are a great food for travelers in the desert. Cucumbers flavor is in the seeds. Cucumbers are the oldest vegetable, cultivated for thousands of years in India and parts of Asia.
Mystery Feely Boxes Talk about the texture. How does it feel? Is it soft, hard, squishy? Compare the food to other fruits and vegetables. Cut the item and allow the children to examine the inside. Ask questions: What do they have in common? What color is on the inside of the food? In the spring, people plant vegetable and flower seeds in their gardens. After the rain falls and the sun shines, the seed sprout. Soon, pretty flowers and yummy vegetables are growing. We eat the seeds of some foods such as peas, cucumber, and corn. Strawberries have seeds on the outside, and we eat those too.
Outside Center Set Up s Sensory and Dramatic Play: Slice lemons and limes and give each child a slice to smell and taste. Set up a pretend lemonade stand. Math and Science: Cash register with money, measuring cups, scales, spoons, plastic lemons and limes. Art: Make signs to sell Lemonade. Bring your easel outside. Gross Motor: Lemon Spoon Race, Pass the Lemon (played like Hot Potato)
Let s Get Dirty Collect seeds and soil, ask parents to donate. Start seeding inside the classroom, using newspaper or trays, place near a light source. In the meantime prepare the ground outside with good soil; making sure it will be place in a spot with enough sun light to grow and be watered. In about 2 or 3 weeks plants should start to grow and be placed in your garden outside. Remember to cover plants if frost occurs. You will need a small budget to get started. Seeds or plants and good soil. Ask families or local stores for donations. Children love to look the part. Buy straw hats, gloves, gardening tools, include scales, baskets and water cans. Start a garden club at your school that includes parents. Plan a fundraiser for rain barrels. Remember the exposure to eating healthier while watching the children learn is priceless. Take plenty of pictures. Add props so that the children will know what to expect when their plants grow. Example: place a plastic tomato next to the real tomato plant. Garden markers are great, but they seem to disappear once weeding and watering take place. Sometimes it becomes a mystery item until it bares its fruit.
What Works Best? Raised garden beds works best for preschoolers and teachers to maneuver around without stepping on plants. Narrow or circular boxes are good for smaller children to reach. Consider garden containers if space is limited. Small swimming pools are great for pizza gardens, use landscaping edging to create slices, then plant the topping you like and watch it grow. Vine items like cantaloupes, watermelon, and even tomatoes need a lot of space so don t use the whole pack of seeds.
Harvesting Your Crop Your hard work of watering and weeding has paid off. The excitement rev s up when plants start to bloom. Check every day because your plant is about to produce it s crop and will soon be ready to be picked. Binoculars, measuring tape and scales are a must to keep the excitement alive. Children love to find what s hiding under large leaves so keeping peeking!
Song Mary s Choice Mary made a healthy choice, healthy choice, healthy choice! Mary made a healthy choice, she chose green beans for lunch! Mary chose green beans for lunch, green beans for lunch, green beans for lunch! Mary chose green beans for lunch. Which pleased her Mom and Dad!
Time to Eat! Adult supervision always. Start with simple recipes; the ones with only 3-4 ingredients. Non cooking recipes are quick and children can taste right away. Homemade recipes cards with picture's showing each step are easy for children to follow.
Garden Tours
Spring and Summer 10 Week Schedule June 13- August 15 Week 1 - Introduce teachers, parents and children to gardening at your center. Week 2- Create a display to inform parents about gardening activities. Week 3 - Collect supplies, soil, seeds, books, props, and start planting seeds.
Week 4 - Start a journal to record activities as they occur. Week 5 - Read the story The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Week 6 Update displays with new pictures. Water and weed if needed. Week 7 Garden Tour; parent and visitors can tour to see what s growing.
Week 8 - Each child that is participating is given a bowl to take to the garden to pick something for lunch. Week 9 More weeding and eating from the garden. Week 10 Showcase your collection of pictures, journals and garden samples to taste.
Quick Review What lessons were learned? Food source option: Where does your food come from? Why partner with a farmer? Introduce weekly options like Meatless Monday. Change up songs and rhymes to match you lesson. Highlight fresh items on your menu. Reduce can items by using fresh fruits and vegetables. Parts of a plant and its function. Fact sharing on fruits and vegetables. Educate your parents. Outside Center Set Ups Garden Tours 10 Week Garden Plan
Wanda Davis, Director cni61@childcarenetwork.com www.childcarenetwork.com (919) 854-2652