Written by Zoe
During the lockdown last year we had mat times using Zoom and took turns to have show and tell so that children could share their special items from home. Our teacher Sunghee also took a turn to share a Kumara that she had placed in a jar with water at her home. The children were so excited to see the roots and stems that were shooting out from the Kumara and when returning back to Piccolo Park kept the Kumara in the classroom and closely observed it’s growth.
After many shoots had sprouted from our Kumara the children decided that it was time to plant this in our garden. To get our Kumara ready to be planted we divided this into three sections and children carefully planted these in our garden beds in November 2020.
The children have been watching the kumara growing, and we have been excited to see leaves form and watch as these changed from green to brown. When the Matariki season began we harvested our kumara. We were amazed to find twenty-two kumara in our garden and we had a wonderful time washing and peeling these ready to cook. The children shared their knowledge of how we should cook our kumara, suggesting we cook it in a pot or in the oven. We decided to make wedges and a casserole using our yummy kumara which was thoroughly enjoyed by all!
By engaging in hands-on, real-life experiences we are able to support children’s innate curiosity and provide opportunities for them to develop their working theories and confidence as they share and discuss their thinking with others. Through being involved in the process of growing and harvesting food children are able to develop their understanding and a respect for papatuanuku (Mother Earth) and the interdependent relationship between people and the environment.
Children gain an understanding of what it means to be a kaitiaki (guardian of the land) as they develop their skills in caring for the natural environment.
