During recent visits to the garden, Mrs. Hayden’s kindergartners volunteered to present fun garden facts to their fellow classmates, in order to introduce them to the garden ambassador or “tour guide” program here at TMA. As a fun way to reinforce the facts they had heard from their fellow classmates, everyone participated in the “Do You Know Our Garden” game after the presentations. The game was an energetic way to get all the kids involved.
“How does water get into the big tanks used to water the garden?” Over a dozen kindergartners shout at once, “Rain from the roof!”
“About how many seeds should you place in each hole in the soil to grow radishes and beets?” Again, over half the class enthusiastically yells “2!”
Throughout the year, the kindergartners have rotated through the regular garden jobs of planting, maintaining, and exploring. Our class crops of radishes and beets each produced plentiful harvests, allowing us to contribute to the weekly TMA produce sales as well as allowing for yummy class tastings along the way – fresh radishes, beet chips and the very popular beet smoothies. We also produced several new radish and beet lovers! Students have gained hands-on experience with garden maintenance, including raking, collecting leaves for composting, picking up trash, and weeding. In addition, they were led to explore the garden beyond our class bed, including the touch and smell garden, the butterfly garden, and the worm composting bins…which brings us back to our game.
In true kindergarten fashion, the question that got as many giggles as correct replies, “What are worm castings?” Let’s just say they all shared the correct answer…and a lot of laughs.
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