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Promoting healthy eating at the centre

Our kaiako believe children learn through active exploration of the environment. We promote healthy eating by encouraging children to eat their fruits and vegetables. To promote this Kaiako has involved children in every step of growing plants so children gain a sense of ownership and pride in growing healthy food.

In springtime, firstly children helped their Kaiako with the weeding of the garden area. Then they helped in planting vegetables like capsicum, lettuce, cucumber, peas, and marigold flowers. They water the plants daily and are excited to see them grow. Children have also planted seedlings in plant trays. This will help them learn the whole cycle of plant growth from seeds.

Children will be making their sandwiches for lunch using lettuce and cucumber. Through this children will taste the outcome of their hard work understanding how and where their food comes from. The value of gardening is that it provides children with a great introduction to the environment around them. It teaches them the beauty of flowers and vegetables and they can physically explore with them using all their senses.

It also helps children’s development by taking responsibility for caring for their environment.
Kaiako encourages a sense of kaitiakitanga by providing children with regular opportunities to connect with the wider natural environment and with materials drawn from nature.