On a Monday morning a group of toddlers went on an adventure to buy some pumpkins for the child care. We brought along a wagon because the children wanted to buy many to share with the other classrooms.
When the children arrived at the store there was a security guard out at the in front. He asked the children what they were up to today. “Buy pumpkins!” one child responded.
When they were inside they saw all the different fruits and vegetates and one child shouted, ” look, strawberries, yummy!”
The pumpkins were displayed outside the store where the children could hand-pick which pumpkin they wanted. Once they chose all the pumpkins they placed them into the wagon. “Too heavy” one child said after lifting it into the wagon. One child noticed a box of the big pumpkins and immediately went over and told the educator, “BIG PUMPKIN!”
The children picked a few extra pumpkins so they could share them with the other classrooms. The group went inside the store to pay for all the pumpkins.
We travelled back to the child care with all the pumpkins in the wagon. Once we arrived back at the centre, the children went around the playground and distributed the pumpkins to the other children. They were very excited to show everyone what they had brought back.
What Can We Do With The Pumpkins?
“For Halloween”
“Cut open with scissors to take the skin off”
“At the store”
“Play with pumpkins”
“Pick pumpkins, lets go!”
“Open them”
“Decorate them!”
“Break it open and see what’s inside”
“Paint it”
“Take turns with pumpkin”
“Write his name on it”
“Take pictures”
The Community
Early years settings can play a key role in promoting the visibility, inclusion and active participation of young children in society. Opportunities to engage with people, places and the natural world in the local environment help children, families, educators, and communities build connections, learn, and discover, and make contributions to the world around them. (HDLH, 2014. Pg. 19).
Belonging refers to a sense of connectedness to others, an individual’s experiences of being valued, of forming relationships with others, and making contributions as part of a group, a community, the natural world. (HDLH, 2014. Pg. 7).
