Gardening....an excuse for socialization!

28.9.10

28-9-10

A group of children aged between 18months and 3 ¾ years  showed much interest and enthusiasm when teacher A asked them if they wanted to help plant strawberry plants. They gathered at the garden site before being asked to go find tools they could use to weed and turn the dirt in preparation. The children came back with digging tools from the sandpit and got down to digging and pulling out bits of weed, grass, old roots and vegetable leaves etc. C had brought an empty bucket back and explained how we could put the weeds in it and then feed it to the guninea pigs or put into the worm farm also at our centre. G and B were asked to go with student teacher S, to each get a strawberry plant. When they got back we dug holes with our hands and carefully planted the strawberry plants. I discussed how the liquid fertilizer (organic) provided the plants with healthy nutrients, and alikened it to ‘how nutrients in fruit and vegetables make us healthy and strong’. C carefully poured a cup of the liquid onto each of the plants. D then placed markers identifying the plants alongside. The children worked well together and can’t wait to taste the juicy sweet berries anticipted!

The children were attentive and focused throughout the entirety of this interaction which lasted 30-35minutes. I know some of the children have had similar enjoyable gardening experiences here before and, it’s possible this contributed to the interest and re-participation of children wanting to take part this time round. McNaughton and Williams (2004) suggest, and I agree, children are more likely to recall and want to re-enact previous experiences that held their interest when first experienced and experiences that were also enjoyed. These “recalling abilities help children solve problems and is central to their ability to process information”, (Read et al, 1993) cited in (MacNaughton and Williams, 2004). The children showed good listening skills reflecting their attentiveness and interest of what was happening throughout the process and to follow and carry out instructions with little adult help. These skills can inherently provide valuable social skill development foundations that are needed to enable children “to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.9). (Parten, 1932) cited in (MacNaughton and Williams, 2004) suggests “children become increasingly social with age” (p.138) and describes a variety of social stages of play including onlooker, parallel, associative and cooperative play which was evident in the actions of the children involved. All actions performed at these varied stages contribute to the valuable process of increasing levels of social interaction and cooperation and reflects a growing social awareness (Parten, 1932) cited in (MacNaughton and Williams, 2004).