Category: Food Education

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Mud Play

On By aprilzajkoIn Booklists, Building, Early Childhood Education, Food Education, Gardening, Learning Environment, Loose Parts, Mud, Natural Materials, Nature, Nature Art, Outdoor Classrooms, Sensory, Trainings with April's Teaching TreeLeave a comment

I know that mud can feel like a HUGE barrier in an outdoor classroom. So NOW is the time to think through the obstacles. (Actually well before mud season is even more ideal, but let’s take action NOW.)

Set up a time to talk with your coworkers and share information with currently  enrolled families so that your muddy play area can be a YES space. Children thrive with daily outdoor time, so canceling outside play time for the entire mud season is NOT an option. Mud builds healthy immune systems, supports physical and cognitive development, and so much more.

I have compiled a FREE “Mud Play Resource” to hopefully make mud easier this year!  In this resource you will find links to:

  • Mud Play articles to share with families
  • Mud Curriculum Ideas for teachers
  • Mud Kitchen Resources for teachers
  • Children’s Books about MUD!

Three steps for embracing mud play! (And then three cheers for bringing back mud pies!)

Muddy Mindset for Staff ~ even BEFORE mud season, schedule a conversation with your teaching team about their perception of mud play. Come to a consensus about your program’s ‘mud rules’ and ensure that children hear the same message from all staff. Perhaps pre-read a Mud Play article and talk about the Pros & Cons at a staff meeting.  {During mud season, continue the conversation, document the children’s learning and JOY with mud. Then revisit your ‘mud rules’ after mud season. Step by step is how we make change.}

Muddy Solutions – if you have extended ‘mud seasons’ at the beginning and end of winter….consider investing in Muddy Buddy types of suits, have a place to hang them to dry, and a system for drying boots. Having functional systems for dealing with muddy gear when coming in and how to manage so the indoors space isn’t too hard to clean. {Would fundraising or grant writing make gear more accessible for your children? Think NOW about how to set yourself up for success in the future.}


Mud Chat with Families ~ even BEFORE mud season, prepare families for what to expect. Remind them of your messy clothes policy, share mud articles about why it’s valuable to play outdoors even when it’s muddy, get their support in sending in extra dry clothes, and build in an understanding of what you need for this season to be successful. We need to work in partnership with our families. If families have a bunch more laundry as a result of being in your classroom, they are going to understand the WHY.

Wonders of Worms ~ Free Training!

On By aprilzajkoIn Community Conversations, Early Childhood Education, Farm to School, Food Education, Gardening, Integrated Curriculum, Outdoor ClassroomsLeave a comment

Wonders of Worms ~ Spring is a wonderful time to get children digging in the soil and discovering our nearby nature. What a joy is it when a child discovers that first worm?! Something as simple as studying worms sparks children’s wonder and curiosity of nature.  Research validates that young children thrive with ample “hands on” learning opportunities. This two hour session will focus on equipping educators with ways to help extend the children’s questions and inquiries about worms, while also aligning to early learning standards!

In this two hour session we will co-create an a *rough draft* of an early childhood “Worm Unit” as a digital download. All participants will have access to print the “Worm Unit” and use with the children in your classroom!

You will hear how experienced nature based educators have moved away from thematic units and into authentic and emergent teaching practices utilizing integrated curriculum design.


Details ~ This two hour workshop is FREE! 
Date / Time: March 27, 2023 – 6-8pm EST 

To register for the free training, complete the Wonders of Worm Google Form: https://forms.gle/LWYGfz7kgkGFHScx5

NOTE: You will NOT get an immediate automatic confirmation (because I am just learning Google Forms) but I will send out Zoom links every few days so it will land in your inbox to the email you put on this form! 

  • A Zoom link will be sent to you a few days ahead of the training and in the morning of the event, so be sure to check the email you listed on the google form.
  • This session will be recorded and will be published on the April’s Teaching Tree website and YouTube channel.  
  • This session will include an interactive 20-25 minute break out room activity so please plan on having your camera and mic working for that portion of the session. 
  • Participants are encourage to bring ideas with them about how to teach about worms. You will self select the breakout room to engage in and each will focus on a different learning domain: literacy / math / gross motor / science / social emotional / and “Worm Phobic” 
  • Are you “Worm Phobic”? Does “Woes of Worms” sound like a better title than “Wonders of Worms”? Maybe you are sort of curious and also pretty sure you’ve never touched a worm in your life. I invite you to join us, and dig in to think about how to shift your mindset about worms. One of the breakout rooms will be titled “Worm Phobic” and April will spend time with this group thinking about ways to help support your children outdoors while not really identifying as a nature loving teacher! All are welcome!
  • For all my fellow Vermonters ~ I am a Master Trainer on the Northern Lights / BFIS system and I have submitted this training to count for BFIS PD hours. If you are Vermont ECE and input your BFIS number, you will be able to earn 2 hours of Professional Development that I will submit directly to Northern Lights. 

Sprouting in a Jar

On By aprilzajkoIn Edibles, Farm to School, Food Education, Gardening, Wellness1 Comment

I grew up with a mom who loved plants, and who always had small businesses that involved plants. In fact, I helped my mom build a greenhouse at three different properties she owned. Growing plants is one way that I feel connected to my mom and to my childhood roots.

1980’s Childhood with my two older brothers! ~Willow Grove, Delaware ~

So naturally, as a teacher and parent, I prioritize teaching children about their food and think it’s empowering for children to learn how to grow their own food.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to grow sprouts in jars. It takes very little time, space, or effort….and kids LOVE to watch the changes that occur from day to day. Children also are more likely to eat food that they’ve helped to grow!

“How to Grow Your Own Sprouts”

Read the package of your Sprouting Seeds for more specific guidelines, but there really are only a few steps.

Step 1 – Wash a couple mason jars, add 1-2 Tablespoons of seeds, fill with water and allow to sit over night (or about 8 hours). Drain and rinse, lie jar on its side.

Step 2 – Every morning and night, rinse the seeds, drain, shake to distribute them around the jar, and lie jar on its side. (Singing to the seeds is completely optional but my inner preschool teacher knows singing grows happier sprouts.)

Step 3 – In about five days your sprouts will be ready to eat. Just give them a final rinse and eat! I like to serve our fresh sprouts on a platter with raw veggies. This winter I have taken to making veggie art and posting it on Instagram….because I think we all need friendly reminders to ‘eat the rainbow’!

Stop on over to Instagram and follow Aprils_Teaching_Tree for your sprout/veggie man updates!

And…I’ve finally gotten over my fear of posting videos of myself. {Drum roll please…} Here is my first ever video explaining the process of sprouting. Click on the link for my YouTube tutorial and subscribe if you’d like updates when my weekly videos are published!

 

Seeds, seeds, seeds

On By aprilzajkoIn Booklists, Edibles, Farm to School, Food Education, Gardening, Natural Materials, Science1 Comment

As spring begins to arrive we start to think about sprouting seeds and begin dreaming of our gardens. There are countless different ways for us to explore, examine, investigate, germinate, and even feast on seeds. Here is just a sampling of the seed investigations that I have offered, throughout the year, in the preschool programs I have taught in.

Some of favorite seed investigations include:

Seed Exploration Bin – add a variety of seeds or dry beans for closer observation and exploration. Larger seeds such as sunflower, wheat, peas, corn, pumpkin, and beans are great for sensory bins. If you have a large collection of seeds, put them into a bin so kids can scoop, sort, and pour.

Seed Exploration Trays – If you have a small amount of seeds, use trays with bowls.Try saving seeds pods from nature to explore as a cost free alternative. I keep a metal cookie tin in my science center with a nice variety of seeds for children to explore.

“Ziploc Greenhouse & Bean Seeds” – soak beans overnight. Decorate their own greenhouse sheet. Child moistens a paper towel and folds & lays it in the bottom of their Ziploc baggie. Place 3-4 bean seeds onto the towel and partly close the bag. Tape bag to the greenhouse and hang in window. Observe the greenhouse each day and record on “My Observation Log” sheet. (Note: if your classroom windows are cold because of outdoor freezing temperatures, do not hang them in the window because the germination will slow or not sprout at all.) Free printable here: http://kindergartencrayons.blogspot.com/2013/04/growing-beans-like-jack-did-freebie-fun.html

 

Greenhouse – small collapsible ‘greenhouses’ can be purchased such as this one pictured on the right. This mini four shelf unit with a plastic zippered covering was sold at our local Ocean State Job Lots for only $20. This allowed me to grow a larger number of seeds so we could have seedlings both for our school garden and for children to take home seedlings!

Seed Trays Indoors – children delight in seeing multiple types of seeds sprouting next to each other in a tray. It is fun to do daily observations of the sprouts to compare growth, color, texture, and germination rates! If you have access to a grow light and warming seed mat the seeds will grow stronger, but even a sunny window is enough for our young scientists

Seed and Plant Matching – print the matching cards from http://www.montessoriprintshop.com/Free_Montessori_Downloads.html

Have small containers of the nine types of seeds. Display the seeds with the matching cards – Sunflower, Pumpkin, Sesame, Flax, Fennel, Cumin, Poppy, Pomegranate, and Mustard. Children love this matching game!

 

 “Our Seed Book” – this site has 4 different printable covers and detailed directions here http://www.prekinders.com/2012/04/make-a-seed-book/   This Ziploc bag book is made with empty seed packets and real seeds. It’s great to compare the sizes, colors, and shapes of seeds.

 

Examining Seeds – open several seed packets and compare the size, color, and shape of the seeds! Children are often surprised to find out that some seeds have a scent, which is easiest to detect with herb seeds.

Seed Sprouting Necklaces – moisten a cotton ball and put it inside a mini jeweler’s Ziploc bag. Add a seed and close the bag. Poke a hole in the top of the bag and add a yarn or hemp necklace. Make the length of the necklace so it fall where the child’s heart is ~ the warmth of their heart will help the sprout grow. After the roots and first leaves appear, transplant into a small pot and then later into the garden when it’s warm.

Surprise Garden –let children choose from 6-8 different types of seeds, they plant their own container. Let them sprout at school, then send home. Send a list of plants that might be included in the garden.

Sprouting in a Jar – a fun year-round activity is to grow sprouts in mason jars. Start them on Monday and by the end of the week the children can feast on a fresh batch of sprouts!

Finding the Seeds– bring in a variety of fresh fruits and veggies. Cut them open and have the kids help you find where the seeds are located. Scoop and spread out the seeds to dry. These can be planted (though some may not sprout) and others could be used in art projects.  Also try finding seeds in other foods we eat….such as delicious local bagels!

No sun. No soil. No Water. Experiment-take three Ziploc bags and write one sentence on each. One another bag add a small amount of dirt, some water, and three bean seeds. In each other the other bags add three bean seeds and do whatever the sentence says. (ex. the ‘no sun’ bag add the beans, dirt, and water but hide it in a shady place) Observe the bags for a couple of weeks and discuss the results.

Harvesting Seeds – look around outdoors for dry seed pods either from the garden or the wild garden in the forest. Lupine is one type of seeds that are easy for little hands to harvest and then can spread the native species seeds on the edges of the school yard!

Exotic Fruit – children develop their palette in early childhood…so why not bring in unusual and exotic fruits. Try to see how different seeds look in fruits from other parts of the world.

Seeds & Balance Scales- another way to explore seeds to weigh and compare them using balance scales

Grass Heads – this project helps children see how grass or wheat grows. First decorate small clear cups with wiggly eyes and construction paper glued on. (The clear cups let children see the roots, but small pots could also be used.) After the faces are dry, add a small amount of rocks in the bottom of the cup for drainage. Then add potting soil leaving ½ an inch from the top of the cup. Finally add the wheat seeds. Moisten the soil and mist once a day until it sprouts. Show kids how to give their ‘Grass Head’ a haircut.

So many engaging ways to explore seeds….all while dreaming of the days when the garden is in bloom again!

Books about Seeds:

A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds by J. Richards

A Seed is Sleepy by D. H. Aston

From Seed to Plant by Allan Fowler

From Seed to Pumpkin by W. Pfeffer

How a Seed Grows by H. Jordan

I’m a Seed by J. Marzollo (compares pumpkin to marigolds)

Just a Seed by W. Blaxland

Oh Say Can You Seed? All About Flowering Plants by B. Worth

One Little Seed by E. Greenstein

Seeds Like These by Paki Carter

Spring is Here! A Story About Seeds by Joan Holub

The Carrot Seed by R. Krauss

The Surprise Garden by Zoe Hall

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

We Plant a Seed (Troll First Start Science)

Math PLAY – Bean Sticks!

On By aprilzajkoIn Food Education, MathLeave a comment

Bean Sticks are simple to make, frugal, and oh so much fun!

A bean stick is simply a Popsicle stick with 10 beans glued to it! Easy right? I love frugal teaching tools!
When making this set I decided to use tongue depressors with lima beans that I had spray painted green. I like to spray paint the beans outdoors at least a week or so ahead of making them, this way the smell dissipates.
To attach the beans I used white Elmer’s glue. Hot glue would likely make a stronger hold but I wanted to do this project WITH the children, not FOR them. When children are engaged in making their own learning materials they have a greater sense of ownership and pride in them.
We will be using the bean sticks for counting, place value, adding & subtracting groups of ten, and skip counting by ten.
Extra beans that are spray painted on just one side will also be used as individual counters. We’ve been using these this past year to play a fun game called “bean toss addition”.
Food education ~ many educators choose NOT to use food as play materials and I respect that choice. For me, I use a small amount of food for play and use it as a time to talk about where this crop comes from. Many children dislike beans but after having a Bean Taste test or making a crock pot of homemade Maple Baked Beans they often change their minds!
Looking for more resources:
If you are looking for more ideas on using your bean sticks check out “Count Your Beans” mat that Fran over at Kindergarten Crayons has posted.
http://kindergartencrayons.blogspot.com/2011/05/count-your-beans.html
If you are looking for math activity ideas check out the website, Math at Home, which focuses on teaching early math skids for children birth -five! I love how they focus on no or low cost materials!

Communicating Food Education & Mealtime to Families

On By aprilzajkoIn Edibles, Farm to School, Food Education1 Comment

One of my core beliefs is that we need to integrate food education into our programs. If we are serving snacks and meals then we have a captive audience to talk about food! Now there are many things that I could say about my beliefs surround food education but today’s focus is some simple ways that we can communicate to families how we approach meal time. The way you approach mealtimes will likely change and I encourage you to keep thinking about your approach. I know my teaching practices shifted radically after I attended a week-long VT FEED training at my children’s school in 2011. There is no one-size-fits-all and therefore your approach might vary from mine, but this is how I frame meal time in my program. If you utilize the food program or work in a center be sure that your views match the guidelines in place. This blog post is written with the audience of families in mind, and I welcome you to ‘cut and paste’ & edit it for your own newsletters or print materials that you share with the families in your programs.

person holding black and brown food tray

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Research shows that a child needs up to 15 exposures before they will begin to like a new food, and if you are like me it’s hard to keep buying foods that I am not sure my child will eat. So here at Utopia Child Care we are working on becoming ‘adventurous eaters’, and each month we offer a wide variety of foods for your child to sample. It’s important to us that you child try new foods but at no time do we require any child to eat the foods we serve. Some of our approaches include:

  • We communicate to children the concepts “I don’t like it yet” and explain that as children get older they often begin to like more foods. Most young children want to be ‘big kids’ and sometimes this frame of mind helps them embrace the adventure.
  • We have a rule at meal time: “Don’t yuck my yum”. This simple phrase helps children learn to be respectful of other children’s food preferences and sets the tone that we can each like different foods.
  • We ask staff to avoid giving negative comments about particular foods or food groups.
  • Food is never used as a reward or as a punishment.
  • We will explore the “The Two Bite Club” and will be sending home a book for you to read with your child (see link below). This book is published by the USDA and explains MyPlate, food groups, and suggests that children try two bites of a new food.
  • We serve food family style which means that each child is able to serve themselves from dishes. This gives us the opportunity to explore making sure there is enough for every child, serving the amount that we think we will eat, and knowing that there is plenty for all of us. And yes, it does get messy, especially on spaghetti day, but it is an important motor skill to learn.
  • We teach about manners and how to use a napkin.
  • We also learn how to have an ongoing conversation with our friends at the table without talking over each other. There are no digital distractions during mealtime.
  • And best of all….we get to build community while we share a delicious meal.

 

Additional thoughts for providers ~~

Diversity and respect – as providers and educators it is essential that we honor the choices that a family makes about food. Families may have religious, ethical, medical, environmental, or spiritual reasons for choosing to eat they way they do at their home. Whether or not we are able to provide their needs is a conversation to have PRIOR to the child starting in a program. It is through open communication that parents can decide if what the program offers meets their needs.

Clean Plate Award – it’s engrained into our brains not to waste food, but more current research suggests that we teach children to listen to their bodies when they are full.

Garden- children who have access to picking fresh veggies from a garden (especially one they help plant and care for) will eat foods they have never tried. Their excitement about harvesting and connecting in the garden opens up their food palate like no other trick I know!

Compost- teach children where our trash, recycling, and compost go after we are done with a meal. Our food scraps, if composted, can be turned back into soil and the cycle begins again. Though the broccoli is still better off in your tummy then in the compost bin! J

“Outside Food” – the food struggle is real and parents will want to bring in food from the fast food joint they pass on the way to your program or extra snacks or special treats because it’s Tuesday. Picture the scenario from the parent’s point of view. They are running late and need to grab a cup of coffee before work, so they negotiate with their slow poke three year old that if they hurry up and get into the car they can have a treat. Been there, done that as a parent. The path of least resistance involves a munchkin from Dunkin or a breakfast sandwich from the drive through. If you do not want to allow ‘outside food’ into your program my suggestions is to have a clear written policy in your handbook that you consistently reinforce.

 “Two Bite Club” is an educational storybook published through the USDA. It is now available in English and in Spanish, was introduces “MyPlate” to young children. The cartoon characters model trying foods from every food group by eating just two bites, and there is a certificate at the back of the book for kids who take on the challenge as well. This book is now available as an eBook, can be downloaded as PDF, or ordered for FREE from this link https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/two-bite-club-english-and-spanish

 

 

Don’t just take my word for it…for further reading:

“Creating the Nutritionally Purposeful Classroom” (2014) https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/ycyoungchildren.69.5.8.pdf?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

“Autonomy at mealtime: Building healthy food preference and eating behaviors in young children” from the Early Childhood Education Journal (1996) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02430547

Check out the amazing resources published by VT FEED – Vermont Food Education Every Day and its parent organizations Shelburne Farms and NOFA-VT  https://vtfeed.org/feed-resource-library

 

Farm to School & Early Ed Resources

On By aprilzajkoIn Early Childhood Education, Farm to School, Food Education, Reference for Teachers1 Comment

 

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Growing Minds Preschool Toolkit

http://growing-minds.org/farm-preschool-toolkit/

“All of our farm to preschool resources are compiled into our new Farm to Preschool Toolkit. The toolkit contains all of our preK lesson plans, “This Week in the Garden” activity guides, and “Farm to School Goes Home” weekly newsletters. It also includes sourcing guidance, tips for cooking with young children, and more!” Note: I sent mine to Staples to be printed since it is 210 pages and it cost me $16.

 

Multicultural Collection of Farm to ECE Books –

http://www.pareadysetgrow.org/book-list/?ct=t(Ready_Set_Grow11_28_2017)&mc_cid=93d78583de&mc_eid=b7c5f86429

“The Food Trust’s multicultural collection of farm to ECE books highlights children’s books that feature characters from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, many of which are authored by writers of color. The list also includes a number of books that are either bilingual or written exclusively in Spanish. These books cover a wide variety of farm to ECE related topics including gardening, farms, cooking, family meals, farmers markets, shopping for food and more.”

 

Farm to Childcare Curriculum Package

https://www.iatp.org/files/2014_07_16_F2CC_Curriculum_f.pdf

“Inside this curriculum package, you will find activity ideas and resources for implementing Farm to Childcare at your childcare center. Many of these resources are ready to use, while some are examples that offer opportunities for you to customize to your own context. Lesson planning charts are provided to help you introduce the children at your center to locally grown food items and concepts.” Note: I sent mine to Staples to be printed since it is 176 pages and it cost me $15.

 

Cultivating Joy and Wonder: Educating for Sustainability in Early Childhood through Nature, Food, and Community

https://shelburnefarms.org/our-work/resources/cultivatingjoyandwonder

“Engaging activities, essays, and resources that encourage children to explore and engage in the world around them. The book is the fruit of Shelburne Farms’ years of experience in early childhood education and sustainability, both on the Farm and with partners at the Sustainability Academy and King Street Center in Burlington, Vermont”

 

My First Garden

http://rodaleinstitute.org/myfirstgarden/assets/pdf/rodale-hshs-program.pdf

“Rodale Institute, the birthplace of the organic movement, has put together this resource “My First Garden,” to help teachers integrate school gardens into their classroom curriculum. This curriculum is designed for preschool or kindergarten children, but could be adapted to suit early elementary school needs.”

 

A Roadmap for Farm to Early Care and Education: A Guide to Understanding Farm to School Opportunities in Early Care and Education Settings

http://www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/Roadmap_FarmtoECE.pdf

 

 

National Farm to School Network – Database of hundreds of resources

http://www.farmtoschool.org/resources

 

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Farm to School

http://www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/ESSA_Toolkit.pdf

“In 2015, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and it includes many new opportunities for the integration of farm to school and ECE activities in educational settings. This toolkit is designed for educators, advocates, parents, and farm to school and ECE stakeholders to understand and act upon the opportunities ESSA provides.”

 

Farm to Preschool: Farm Field Trips (By EcoTrust)

http://www.farmtopreschool.org/pdf/states/or/State_OR_Howtohostapre-kfarmfieldtrip_v2.pdf

“Short guide to planning a preschool field trip to a farm, includes information on finding a farmer, example trip schedule, and supply list.”

 

Benefits of Farm to School (Fact Sheet)

http://www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/BenefitsFactSheet.pdf

“Farm to school programs provide a variety of benefits to students, parents, schools, communities and farmers. This fact sheet offers a research-based overview of the benefits of farm to school and a list of sources. (Updated April 2017)”

 

Growing Healthy Kids through Farm to Child Care

http://www.publichealthlawcenter.org/sites/default/files/phlc%20fs%20Growing%20Healthy%20Kids%20through%20F2CC%20Oct%202014.pdf

“Next to parents, child care providers can be some of the most influential people in helping children get a strong, healthy start in life. The Public Health Law Center has developed a series of resources designed to inform and support efforts to cultivate child care settings that promote healthy eating, active play opportunities, reduced screen time, and tobacco-free environments. This fact sheet explains the Farm to Child Care movement and provides tips for child care providers about how to incorporate fresh, local food and healthy food education into their programs”

 

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