In School-age 1 at RisingOaks Early Learning | John Sweeney we have been getting out for community walks more frequently. One afternoon during our walk the children became very interested on the dandelions growing along the sidewalks and grassy areas. What started as a simple walk quickly turned into an opportunity for exploration and discovery as the children literally were stopping to smell the flowers.
We found a large spacious area and stopped to allow the children to freely explore, pick and collect some flowers. We took some photos of the children with their dandelions and even used those photos to add to our Mother’s Day gifts.
During our walk many of the children noticed that when the flowers touched their skin it turned yellow. We discussed how the yellow is the pollen on the flowers. We then began talking about pollen and the benefits of it to us and of course to the bees and pollinators,
We decided to continue learning about dandelions as the days continued. We gathered as many as we could and had discussion about the life cycle of the flower. We look forward to seeing what else we can create and learn about dandelions as the weeks go on.
When thinking about the ‘How Does Learning Happen’ document we saw many connections. The children built a sense of Belonging by exploring together, sharing ideas, and helping one another during the walk and investigation. The outdoor walk supported Well-Being through movement, fresh air, and connecting with nature. Their curiosity, questions, and hands-on exploration showed strong Engagement, while their conversations, observations, and storytelling supported Expression as they shared their thoughts and theories with others.
