Green growing practices
Seeding sustainability through child care
May 6, 2011
Only feed rotten fruit and vegetables is a Wormville municipal bylaw. Developed by the Interurban preschoolers in Camosun's Child Care Services, the list of bylaws hangs above a lushly active compost bin.
Following the directions of a Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre educator, the red-riggler worms are fed compost once a week in a carefully dug hole. "The children know they shouldn't feed the worms potato peels because this gives too much carbohydrate, or orange peels because they are too acidic," says Leona Barnett, Senior Educator in the Preschool Centre.
As the weather warms, the children will use the fertile soil to add to a small garden plot where they will grow, weed, and water flowers and vegetables, potentially eating the produce as snacks and taking home gift packages.
Facilitating stewardship and sustainability in the young
"These are people of a very impressionable age," says Lisa Stekelenburg, Operations Manager of Child Care Services, managed by the college for the children of Camosun students, staff and faculty. "Children are easy to influence and we take the responsibility seriously. Using developmentally appropriate ways, we encourage children to be responsible and respectful members of our society,"
At Interurban's Child Care Services, the children are stewards of natural systems found right outside their building. Under the direction of the "Frog Momma" Juanita Olson, Infant and Toddler Educator as well as naturalist within the centre, egg sacs of the pacific tree frog are carefully gathered for child care facilities at both campuses, where they are carefully nurtured through to frogs.
"The children are shown the importance of caring for something as it grows and see the full life cycle, from egg to creature," says Stekelenburg. "They are full of so many interesting questions."
By teaching children the importance of sustainability and how everything on this earth is interrelated, they can feel empowered, seeing how their behaviours and actions can affect the environment.
Childlike enthusiasm
"We have 79 tadpoles," says four-year-old Ryan. "They grow and grow and grow!"
The children are entirely devoted to their tadpoles, explaining how dandelion leaves, the favourite tadpole food, needs to be softened in hot water first. They observe the full lifecycle closely, drawing tadpole pictures, reading simple science books, relishing the peculiar movements of half-formed two- or three-legged frogs. Eventually each child releases a fully formed frog into the neighbouring conservancy land.
Cadence Greenway and Simon Chen with frogs.
"The tadpoles turn into tree frogs. They go to the ditch to sunbathe," says four-year-old Anqi.
In a similar initiative, Child Care Services purchases monarch butterfly larvae so the young environmentalists can observe the full life cycle. The resulting butterflies are released in each centre's play yard.
The team of educators at both Lansdowne and Interurban child care facilities look for opportunities to promote sustainability. "We have banned juice cartons, instead promoting reusable containers for liquids," says Stekelenburg. "We also talk about waste and options." During snack and lunch times at Lansdowne's Child Care Services, the children identify and separate anything recyclable or compostable into bins.
The children's enthusiasm for environmental stewardship is contagious, their connection to the natural world an inspiration to those around them. Let's hope so. We need them – they are our best hope for the future.
Comments: 4. Page 1 of 1.
Ann-Mari Ruffer says:
18-May-2011 11:40am
We should have been so lucky as to have knowledgable and caring Child Care workers in our day or even our children's day . It is so wonderfull to see our grandchildren be able to make an impact on THEIR world thanks to the caring and time put in by the childcare services staff.
Judy Smith says:
14-May-2011 2:09pm
How I remember tadpoles in my old goldfish bowl on the back porch. Feeding them, watching them grow, and the mixed feelings of sadness and accomplishment when they escaped out into the back wooded area. I also learned not to have the window open next to the bowl that went into kitchen. After 50 years it is still a strong memory. What they are learning now will stay with them for a long, long time. Keep it up!
Deirdre Stekelenburg says:
12-May-2011 11:03am
How fortunate the children of Child Care Services are - they have such caring & knowledgeable staff who, within their environs, create & nurture our "future resources". The program of the three R's seems to be a big hit with the children (& staff alike) - so too, will it impact their families/friends.
GOOD JOB!
Trinity says:
06-Aug-2011 11:41am
Geez, that's unbelieavble. Kudos and such.