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Exploring the local community – An excursion to the Rose Gardens
Community excursions are not only an exciting change of scenery for children, but they also provide a whole host of benefits. One recent excursion was to our local gardens for a picnic morning tea. What a wonderful morning we had. Our youngest tamariki sat happily in the pram, and older tamariki walked holding a teacher’s hand. Kaiako talked about road safety while walking to the park, tamariki learnt about the importance of listening to their kaiako in public spaces and respecting those around them.
These excursions are an important part of our program as children can learn various concepts in everyday, relatable environments. A child’s main influences are their home life, their childcare centre, and their local community. Through excursions, these are brought together to build a strong learning platform. BestStart believes that children should have a respected voice in the world and shouldn’t be invisible in our community - and they’re certainly not invisible when on an excursion!
By getting out and exploring, children get to know different spaces in their local community and can experience the natural environment outside their centre. Excursions also give children time and space to move their bodies. We have been discussing the potential to make park visits an ongoing experience in smaller groups throughout the year as it provides so many peaceful learning opportunities.