Green Leaves centres awarded Junior Landcare Grant to develop their sustainability projects
Three Green Leaves Early Learning centres have recently been awarded the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant to support their sustainability projects. Participating alongside 2,000 schools, early learning centres and youth groups, Green Leaves Albany Creek (QLD), Newton (SA) and North Shore (QLD) have some exciting activities planned to inspire the next generation of land carers.
As part of their learning journey, the children at Green Leaves are taught to cherish and protect their natural world. The curriculum at Green Leaves has a strong focus on sustainability and developing an environmental awareness helping to instill an appreciation and respect for natural resources.
In the Early Years Learning Framework, sustainability practices help demonstrate to children the way they’re connected with and contribute to their world. These foundational learnings are carried through to adulthood.
The Landcare sustainability projects at these three Green Leaves centres are led by their Educators, who are incorporating many wonderful and age-appropriate activities into the centre’s daily programming.
Edible gardens are the heart of outdoor play, and they thrive through the children’s interest and care for them. As part of their Junior Landcare projects, the children at Green Leaves North Shore and Green Leaves Newton will expand their knowledge about growth cycles and seasonal eating through developing a garden care plan and maintaining their edible gardens. The children will be involved in all aspects of planting, making observations, composting, and the most rewarding part of all – harvesting their crop to create delicious meals with the help of our in-house chefs.
During culinary lessons, the children learn about where their food comes from, and the importance of minimising food waste. One of the children’s favourite activities is feeding and checking on their worms when they compost food scraps. This gives the children an opportunity to witness an entire cycle of growing food. Naturally, this fosters an appreciation and understanding of where their fresh fruit and vegetables come from, and the time and energy that goes into it.
Meanwhile, the Junior Landcarers at Green Leaves Albany Creek will expand their knowledge and understanding of recycling and its impact on the environment through a variety of projects. These activities have sparked discussions around what household items can be recycled. Empowered with their newfound knowledge, children can incorporate these habits into day-to-day living.
The impact of embedding sustainable practices into early childhood education is a powerful way to equip children with the understanding and knowledge to help them cherish and preserve our natural world for future generations.