Our Summer Term Project is ‘In the garden’!
One of the (many) things that we learn from our children, is that those of us who are lucky enough to have one, ABSOLUTELY LOVE our gardens!
We decided that a project based on gardens would be a brilliant way to share some of the things that our children like about their gardens at home, and the things that they see there. For those children who may not have access to a garden, this project will be particularly beneficial, as we will be bringing a little bit of the joy of a garden into nursery for us all to share together.
Gardens can be magical places where children’s imaginations have no bounds…
They can be brilliant places to discover nature and wildlife…
In nursery we will be consolidating some of last term’s life-cycles learning, and the children will watch as their caterpillars transform into butterflies which we’ll release into the nursery garden.
Minibeasts is always a popular topic with the children and lends itself well to our garden project.
World Bee Day is on Monday 20th May 2024 and we will be helping our children to understand the importance of bees to our planet. Designated by the United Nations, World Bee Day seeks to inform and educate people about honey bees. We will be teaching our children about the different types of bees and their roles in the hive. Waggle dancing and honey tasting are always very popular!
Gardens are great places to enjoy growing and planting activities. In nursery we will be encouraging the children to experience getting their hands dirty in the soil, and we will learn about what plants need to help them to grow well.
A great way to start is to plant quick-sprouting seeds so that impatient little ones can see the results of their hard work without too much waiting around. Sunflower, cress and salad seeds provide easy results if you want to encourage this at home.
Gardening activities are particularly great for our young age group. They…
Encourage co-operation with peers, and team work as the children learn to help one another in their tasks.
Encourage sensory development stimulating all five senses. Children will feel different textures in the soil, seeds and plants, they will be able to smell the flowers, hear the bees and birds, see the different colours of the plants and taste any vegetables, herbs or fruits they grow. Ask your child questions to consolidate their learning such as what colour is this flower? What does the leaf feel like? What does the strawberry taste like?
Get them closer to nature. Children will love planting flowers which attract bees and butterflies into the garden space. Try planting sunflowers, lavender, buddleia and roses to attract pollinators together in your garden at home.
Gardening is known to improve mood and reduce stress. Spending time outdoors is vital for improving or maintaining positive mental health. Research has shown that by undertaking simple gardening activities, children can reduce their stress levels, and improve their mood and self-esteem.
Encourage healthy eating. By planting seeds or plants, we teach your child how food is grown and about the lifecycle of a plant. Children are often more willing to try unfamiliar flavours and tastes when they have either grown the food themselves, or understand where the food has grown, what it looks like when it’s growing and what we can use it for in cookery recipes to try ourselves.
Gardens are also great places to exercise…
Providing a variety of ways to be physically active in the garden, children will have the opportunity to dig, rake and plant as well as lots of lifting and carrying, pushing wheelbarrows and watering. These activities will not only help to develop their fine and gross motor skills but also offer physical activity for exercise too.
Gardens can inspire us to create fabulous arts and crafts…
And we particularly like that they can be places to get muddy and wet!!…
We are always led by the children’s ideas and input into their project each term.
Some things they might like to include are:
The garden at night – looking at the types of wildlife that might be found in our gardens when humans are asleep in their beds.
The garden pond – looking at the different types of plants and creatures that are found in and near garden ponds. This also gives us lots of opportunities to discuss minibeasts and their life cycles.
The changing seasons – talking about the names of the different seasons and how our weather is affected by them
How are the creatures and plants that live in our gardens affected by the changing seasons? Do we see different wildlife at different times of the year?
There are many favourite children’s stories, songs and nursery rhymes that support our garden themed project this term including Jack and The Beanstalk, The Giant Turnip and Oliver’s Vegetables.
If your child has any particular favourites from home that are connected to our project, please let us know so that we can include them in our nursery day.
‘In the Garden’ is always a popular project, as it helps to make connections between home and nursery life. We’re really looking forward to talking with the children about the different types of gardens they might have at home. This might range from a few pots on a balcony, growing things to eat in a vegetable patch, or even a whole woodland area! Sharing with friends helps children to express themselves and extends their vocabulary. The different experiences that they bring to nursery and share with their peers, promotes learning, builds confidence and broadens their understanding of the world.
