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Wisconsin's Youngest Gardeners
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Much like literacy and math skills, learning about healthy eating and how food gets to our plates begins at a young age. The opportunity to help grow (and taste!) fresh fruits and vegetables helps students try new foods and connect the garden to the table long before they enter Kindergarten. Wisconsin's youngest students are enthusiastic gardeners, learning quickly with all their senses.
Gardens at Early Care and Education (ECE) centers need not be large or costly to have a large impact on students. In this month's garden success story, one ECE center began their garden in an abandoned two-foot-wide hedgerow near their playground - there, they found plenty of room for zucchini, climbing beans, and cherry tomatoes. These easy-to-snack-on vegetables soon became favorites on the playground and in the lunchroom. Research has evidence to back up stories like this one, with studies showing that young students who are given the chance to plant and tend gardens are more likely to try the produce they grow.
Another Wisconsin ECE center told us that their kids "were so excited about caring for the garden that there were tears when it rained because they couldn't water it."
Gardens at ECE centers are also wonderful settings for adults and children to explore and learn together. Research shows that young children look to adults for cues about what to eat and how to interact with their environment. A few minutes spent together happily crunching on snap peas, tasting and smelling herbs, or digging for (and admiring) earthworms can begin habits and spark interests that carry on for a lifetime!
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Gardens for Infants and Toddlers
“Me too!” This familiar toddler phrase can serve as a helpful reminder that everyone has a place in a garden. Careful attention to the garden design and materials used will help ensure an inspiring and safe space for even the youngest learners. This brief outlines the most important aspects to consider when designing garden spaces for infants and toddlers. Also check out our Early Childhood Garden to Table Brief
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Farm to Childcare Curriculum Package In this curriculum package from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, you will find activity ideas and resources for implementing Farm to Childcare at your early care and education 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 children to locally grown food items and concepts.
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Outdoor Classrooms for Young Learners
Imagine a classroom with hills to climb, insects to observe, and special places to gather and reflect. Where does such a place exist? Outside! Outdoor classrooms teach children about the world around them. This brief outlines the benefits of nature play, suggests elements to include in an outdoor classroom, and highlights two Wisconsin schools combining nature, learning, and fun.
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Blooming with Books
This Story Sampler for preschool and Kindergarten-aged children contains five garden-related books, along with activities, questions, and ways to involve family and community in the stories. Also check out the Growing Good Kids book awardees for an extensive list of garden-related books for all ages!
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Active Early and Healthy Bites
These two guides offer tips for increasing physical activity and improving nutrition at ECE sites! From the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
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Early Childhood Garden to Table A garden at your early care and education center will not only grow delicious fruits and vegetables, but it will also grow healthier children! Youth gardens offer early childhood sites access to fresh produce and offer children opportunities to plant, care for, and taste a variety of fruits and vegetables. With this document, learn the benefits of youth gardens and the measures to take to keep your students and your garden healthy and growing!
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Grow It, Try It, Like It
This garden-themed nutrition education kit for child care center staff introduces children to: three fruits - peaches, strawberries, and cantaloupe, and three vegetables - spinach, sweet potatoes, and crookneck squash. The kit includes seven booklets featuring fruits and vegetables with fun activities through the imaginary garden at Tasty Acres Farm!
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