Find resources / Activities / Gardening – mahi māra Activity

• Gardening provides an opportunity for play that is both purposeful and messy.
• It’s something to enjoy outside in the fresh air.
• You can be close to nature and observe and talk about the natural world.
• There are things to find out about and observe, including how plants grow, what happens when seeds are put into the soil, how they grow, and how they are harvested.
• There’s a lot to talk about in the garden so it offers another opportunity for language development and for learning garden-related words.
• Vegetables grown in the garden can be eaten at family meals, making a practical contribution to the family.

How to do it / Te tikanga mō tēnei mahi:

• You’ll need some soil, a place in the garden or in a container with holes in the bottom (for drainage), seeds and water
• Seeds can be bought or can even be collected from plants that have gone to seed
• Ask your tamaiti what they think a seed needs to grow
• Include them in the whole process of caring for seeds – watching, noticing, watering, sheltering, protecting from pests, transplanting, harvesting and then hopefully eating!
• Notice what insects visit the garden and talk about why insects need plants and why plants need insects
• In early spring, plant a bulb in a container and leave on a sunny windowsill. Keep it watered. Ask your tamaiti what they think will happen.
• Read picture books about growth, for example, ‘Jack and the beanstalk’, ‘The Carrot Seed’ (Ruth Kraus), ‘Growing Vegetable Soup’ (Ruth Ehlert)
• Notice and talk about the life cycle of a butterfly. Read ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’