Learning Together Joyfully:
The month of May can be a time for families and educators to focus on Spring and prepare activities to enjoy the outdoors. It is a time to encourage children to understand about regrowth whether they are helping to plant a garden or watching the birds hatching or… taking time to smell the flowers!
1. Read and Sing together 📚
Check out your school and public library or bookstore to buy or borrow the following recommended gardening books.
GARDENING BOOKS
Gardening at school or at home is an exciting and fun activity for all ages of children as they develop their respect and appreciation for the earth and nature. Spending time in the garden offers children opportunities to develop their: Physical development as they dig, rake, plant and eat healthy foods; Emotional growth as they enjoy a sense of joy and delight watching plants grow as butterflies and ladybugs share the garden; Spatial skill development as they gain an appreciation of how things grow and need space; Mathematical skills as they count, measure, compare, and see patterns; Character development as they learn patience, take responsibility, and build self-confidence. Enjoy sharing the following books with children which will hopefully inspire you to plant and grow a garden together with children.
- It Our Garden by George Ancona. This fun and inspiring season-by-season description of a school gardening project could encourage others to repeat this extraordinary experience. Want to grow what you eat and eat what you grow? Visit this lively, flourishing school-and-community garden and be inspired to cultivate your own. Part celebration, part simple how-to, this close-up look at a vibrant garden and its enthusiastic gardeners is blooming with photos that will have readers ready to roll up their sleeves and dig in.
- What’s Inside a Flower? This book effortlessly pairs together child-friendly flower facts and interesting illustrations. This gorgeous nonfiction picture book will pull children into the magical world of plants! Budding backyard scientists can start exploring their world with this stunning introduction to flowery show-stoppers – from seeds to roots to blooms. Learning how flowers grow gives children building blocks related to science and inquiry.
- Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root. This book, with rhyming words, shows children that being a gardener doesn’t mean you have to live in a special place. “For any farm, here’s all that you need: soil and sunshine, some water, a seed.” Children in the book make planting in old crates, buckets, and discarded items look completely doable. The way they turn an empty lot into a vegetable garden and neighborhood farm stand will get anyone’s green thumb twitching. As you read the story, ask children to listen and identify rhyming words.
- The Bee Book by Charlotte Milner. With their engaging tone and fascinating facts, this book raises children’s awareness about the role Bees play in our environment through a Q&A format. The perfect introduction to bee conservation. Children learn all about the world of bees, their adventure from flower to flower, how much they matter, why they are declining, and what we can do to help.
- The Magic and Mystery of Trees by Jenn Green. Did you know that trees take care of each other and that the whole forest is connected? This gorgeously illustrated book gives a new appreciation for a tree’s amazing capabilities. Discover how they communicate and warn each other of predators, how they nurture their networks, record the past, and anticipate the future to ensure their survival. There’s so much more to trees than meets the eye.
- Lessons From Mother Earth by Elaine McLeod. This gentle story demonstrates the First Nations’ tradition of taking care of Mother Earth. Tess has visited her grandmother many times without really being aware of the garden. But today they step outside the door and Tess learns that all of nature can be a garden. And if you take care of the plants that are growing, if you learn about them — understanding when they flower, when they give fruit, and when to leave them alone — you will always find something to nourish you
- A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Aston. This book has gorgeous illustrations and amazing plant facts. Learn about unique seeds and the plants they become in this informative book which also looks at the intricate, complex, and often surprising world of seeds. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, the book introduces children to a fascinating array of seed and plant facts, making it perfect reading material at home or in the classroom.
- A Seed is the Start by Melissa Stewart. Beautiful photography and lyrical text pair with comprehensive picture captions in this award-winning author’s story about the surprisingly diverse world of seeds. In this National Geographic Kids title, learn all about the plant cycle, from how seeds grow, the fascinating ways they travel, and what it takes for a seed to become a plant.
- From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons. Do you know how a seed begins? What pollination is? How flowers, fruits, and vegetables get to be the way they are? The mystery of how seeds are formed and grow into plants is revealed for young readers in this informative book.
- Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner. Follow a garden over the course of the year to see how it grows and transforms throughout the seasons! This book is part of a seasonal series that is full of green—leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, and ripening fruit. But down in the dirt there is a busy world of earthworms digging, snakes hunting, skunks burrowing, and all the other animals that make a garden their home. In this lyrical book, discover the wonders that lie hidden between stalks, under the shade of leaves…and down in the dirt.
SONGS:
- Grow, Grow, Grow a Garden!
- Making a Garden (Action Song)
- Sesame Street: Grover Talks About Plants
- Learn to Dance: Can You Plant a Bean
- Riding A Bike Song
- You Can Ride a Bike
- Learn To Ride A Bike
SPRINGTIME GARDENING: A healthy respect for nature and how things grow, and why we need to look after our environment is a positive part of gardening. The garden is a sensory wonderland where children can be involved in purposeful digging or learning more about a sense of time, patience and responsibility or participating in and understanding more about the life cycle of plants. The garden is a place for families, friends, and communities. Lessons in conservation, recycling and nurturing the planet may seem like high reaching topics, but even a small seed of knowledge and caring for the earth is never wasted on children. Whether you start with seeds in cups near a sunny window, pots outside your door, or a plot of land, your whole family or class can participate in something that is sure to cause a sense of wonder in children of any age.
2. Create together: Puzzles, Crafts, Drawing and Constructing 🧩
GARDENING
- Children can read these downloadable booklets to learn the names of common vegetables and the names of common fruits.
- Include these downloadable fruit and vegetable activities at a classroom centre or at home.
- Children can enjoy these downloadable templates about Fruits and Vegetables counting to 12.
- Create a booklet for children to read with this downloadable Fruits and Vegetables template.
- Have children watch to learn the difference between fruits and vegetables.
- Download this Garden Mini-Book for children to read and learn their colours: Page 1 and 2 (color) (B&W); Page 3 and 4 (color) (B&W); Page 5 and 6 (color) (B&W); Page 7 and 8 (color) (B&W); COVER (color) (B&W).
- Read how to raise eco-friendly kids with garden tips on plants that attract butterflies; then involve children in planting some in your garden.
- Read the book Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner where a child, with the help of her Nana, discovers the amazing world that is taking place above and below the dirt in her garden. After sharing the book, create a Garden Sensory Bin.
- Sprouting Seeds Activity: Engage children in a Science experiment and Sprout beans, corn, tomatoes and watermelon. By planting four different types of seeds, children are able to observe which seeds germinate for shorter or longer periods of time. Children plant the seeds themselves and water them as needed. They watch the growth of the plants, which encourages observation and discussion skills. Sprouting a lima bean (or any of these seeds) in a labeled zip top bag is a relatively simple science project for kids.
- This downloadable Plant Life Cycle Learning Pack includes counting activities, word cards, puzzles and games which can be great follow-up activities following the Sprouting Seeds Activity.
- If children become interested in gardening consider creating a garden shop for dramatic play.
- Before going on a Spring nature walk and to provide a focus for children, download the Nature Walk Checklist or Insect Nature Walk Checklist.
- Invite children to welcome Spring and sing the Five Green Frogs Song and then download the Five Green Frogs Song Booklet.
- Invite children to sing The Ladybug Song and then complete the Ladybug What’s Different Visual Discrimination Game.
- Engage your children in the downloadable 10 Puzzle Frame Bugs with Instructions.
- Create an Outdoor Sensory Bin and collect some of these items when you next explore the outdoors. You could also add dried seeds at the bottom, weeds and flowers.
- Along with Spring and Gardens come bugs. Create a Bug Sensory Bin.
3. Explore, Engage & Interact together 🌍
SPRING AND GARDENING
- Download some Spring Word card templates.
- Have fun and download these cards for playing Spring Bingo.
- Sing the Butterfly, Butterfly Life Cycle Song and then complete the downloadable Butterfly Matching Game.
- Invite children to learn more about the importance of Bees: Read the The Bee Book and then listen to the author Charlotte Milnew guide children in drawing a bee.
- Marigold Number Stamp Activity:
- Directions: Print the following pages: Cover Page, Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10. Have children cut the pages out; identify the number, trace the number word. Children may also enjoy creating colourful Marigolds by stamping the correct number of yellow and/or orange fingerprints on each Marigold stem. Once the paint is dry, staple them together to make a number book.
- Marigold Measurement Activity
- Engage children in a Math activity. Print, cut and laminate (if you choose) these template cards and rulers: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10. Use the ruler to measure the marigolds. Clip a clothespin on the correct number. Card 10 has more printable rulers on it.
SPRING & BABY BIRDS
- Plan a visit to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary Range:
- Their May Program is called Growth and Survival of Young Birds. May is a month of tending Mother Nature’s garden and watching young birds appear throughout the Sanctuary. Generally, by Mother’s Day, at least a few Canada Geese, Mallards and Wood Duck hens have become mothers and are escorting their young downy children from pond to pond or snoozing on the grass.
- Take this virtual field trip and then go outside and experience it first hand:
- Children may enjoy completing Five Little Owls Picture and Crossword Puzzle and follow it up with these Felt Board templates: Template 1 color or B&W and Template 2 color or B&W.
- Alphabet Bird practice – Connect the dots in alphabetical order to create the picture of a bird.
4. Healthy Living: Movement & Nutrition 👭
MOVEMENT:
- Get children moving to these fun Springtime action tunes.
- Nature Neighbourhood Walk
- Time spent in nature and being active outdoors is beneficial to children’s health and overall well being. It can also improve their resiliency, focus, attention and social skills. Enjoy Springtime by taking children on a nature walk around your neighbourhood, park or along a nature trail. Here are some fun things to do while you and your children are outside:
- Look for signs of spring together.
- Enjoy spring flowers and pick a few (when is it alright to pick flowers?).
- Dig in the dirt and collect worms.
- Jump in puddles and get wet.
- Go on a scavenger hunt.
- Time spent in nature and being active outdoors is beneficial to children’s health and overall well being. It can also improve their resiliency, focus, attention and social skills. Enjoy Springtime by taking children on a nature walk around your neighbourhood, park or along a nature trail. Here are some fun things to do while you and your children are outside:
- Practice the Garden Yoga Poses for Kids shown below.
NUTRITION:
- Prepare a hearty May Day Picnic: start with a salad in a jar; fill up a thermos with warm soup, add some sandwiches, bring along cut up fruit, veggies and cheese, and finally have some sweet freshly picked local strawberries for dessert.
- Create enticing but healthy Spring Cheese Snacks for children:
- Take a look at these recipes that show how to take the food you have grown to create some tasty meals together.
5. Reflect: Thoughts of the Day about Learning 💭
