23/10/2026
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Our children were very excited to harvest the beetroot they had helped grow in our vegetable patch. During our first week back, educators and children noticed our beetroot had begun pushing itself out of the ground. With careful hands, that required a lot of strength to pull out, they gently pulled the beetroot from the soil.
This learning began when we moved our veggie patch from the back space to a new area in 2025. This year’s children were involved in the process of preparing the garden from the ground up.
As part of setting up the garden, the children helped make our own compost in the layers below, collecting used paper towel, shredder paper from the office, and food scraps. Educators and children discussed what food scraps were compostable and what were not (citrus such as lemons, oranges, and mandarins are not compostable). When the worms 🪱 came into season at Bunnings, we reached out to connect with them, seeking a donation. Adding worms to the garden sparked a lot of interest, with children learning that worms are important helpers in keeping soil healthy. Discussions around safe hands 🙌🏼 , how to handle worms, their anatomy, the lifecycle, and how to care for worms were discussed.
Then the soil arrived! Once the soil was added to the beds, we connected with Bunnings, who supported our gardening project by providing seedlings 🌱 , engaging in conversations with children regarding the environment, and helping to plant the seedlings.
After harvesting the beetroot, the children had another special opportunity to extend their learning. Once the beetroot was cleaned and cooked, they tasted it at snack time. Some children were in awe of the deep colour left on their fingers, stained bright from the beetroot. Others showed great courage by trying a vegetable that was outside of their comfort zone. It was wonderful to see the children exploring the food they had grown themselves, using all of their senses and showing openness to new experiences.
Harvesting and tasting the beetroot gave the children a hands-on understanding of where food comes from, how long it takes for food to grow, and an appreciation of our environment. It encouraged conversations about healthy eating, sustainability, and the life cycle of plants. The children showed persistence, cooperation, and pride as they worked together and shared in the excitement of pulling the beetroot from the garden and then tasting the results of their efforts.
We are excited to see what we harvest next from our garden!
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