Outdoor Education

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We strive to promote the connection between the indoor and outdoor environments and ensure children are free to move between the spaces as they choose.

 

The children can engage in a variety of play experiences with a focus on gardening and sustainability such as recycling, composting, upcycling, gardening, caring for animals and collecting eggs. Judy, our outdoor environment coordinator will provide the children with opportunities to learn about caring for our environment and sustainability to ensure our future.

 

Judy believes that gardening encompasses several learning areas and concepts in Early Childhood Education with the most obvious being the education about and provision of healthy and nutritious food and the benefits of healthy living and sustainability.

 

For many children and staff, our centre’s garden is the only opportunity for them to be involved in “hands on” growing of food and ornamental plants. We all find it very exciting and rewarding to plant, care for and anticipate the ultimate rewards from our garden, that is eating healthy delicious fruits and vegetables straight from the garden.

 

The children also learn the importance of teamwork and communication when gardening and develop a sense of pride and ownership of their work – all lifelong skills. Some may even be inspired to continue onto related careers such as food production, chef, landscaper or ground person.

 

While children are gardening, it is also play. They all love to dig holes, water plants and eat strawberries and cherry tomatoes. Finally, even if it doesn’t lead to a career, the value of self-sufficiency/sustainability in home gardens is crucial to a better environment for us all.