farm

Science pollination lesson at the Strawberry Farm

There’s nothing more yummy than a fresh, warm strawberry straight from the farmer’s field. Taking a trip to the farm during strawberry season is always a fun (and educational!) trip for kids. The berries are low for easy picking, there’s instant satisfaction for youngsters who frustrate easily and it can be darn delicious!

 


6 top reasons to visit a farm with your children:


1.    Fantastic opportunity to visit a working farm to see tractors move in real life!


2.    Real understanding of how much work it takes to pick a berry and to gain respect for our local growers.


3.    Chance to learn about the plant cycle and how things grow. A trip to a farm is a huge conversation starter for young and old with infinite teachable moments.


4.    Play time! Usually pick-your-own farms have fun play areas like hay bales or a sand pit for mini farmers to burn off energy playing.


5.    Fresh produce! A full fridge without having to wrangle kids to the grocery store - divine!


Many of our momstown chapters are taking advantage of both the berry season and momstown’s June educational curriculum theme of the Farm, to visit their local strawberry patches. Such a fabulous field trip!


Recently my son’s kindergarten class went on a berry picking field trip and I went on for the fun which included a little lesson about the growth cycle of the strawberry.  I learned a TON about how the strawberry comes to be and I was impressed with a little science experiment about bees and pollen. Such an easy way to explain the pollination and how the pollen is carried by bees from one plant to the next.


To demonstrate this to children (or anyone) all you need is yellow cornstarch (it’s grainy) and  a black fuzzy pipe cleaners (bent in half to form two ‘legs’ of the bee).

 

bee in pollen
Bees need to visit the white strawberry flower when in bloom to get the pollen and carry it to the next flower to fertilize it (official pollination details here!). The question most kids have is HOW? How does the bee move the pollen?


This experiment shows them HOW.

 

Imagine the pipe cleaners are legs and the cornstarch is pollen. Dip the ‘legs’ into the yellow ‘pollen’ and watch how the pollen sticks to the ridges and fuzz of the pipe cleaner. Then the bee flies to the next flower and the pollen shakes off and is deposited.


Easy way to how pollination works and science is FUN!


Thanks so much to Stonehaven Farms for the fabulous tour and great science idea that I simply had to share!

Posted by momstown mama on 06/25/2012 - 23:22
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Farm Animal Crafts - Handprint Chicks

Each month, momstown has a new education theme that we base our programming on.  This month, we are learning all about things on the farm.  momstown Calgary made these paper plate and handprint chicks at their Easter party earlier this year, but they are also a perfect farm themed craft:

 

 

To make your own paper plate and handprint chick craft, here's what you need to do:

  1. Paint a paper plate yellow.
  2. While you wait for the paint to dry, trace your hands (or your child's hands) onto orange construction paper, and cut out.  Cut a diamond shaped beak out of orange construction paper scraps. 
  3. Once paint is dry, glue hands onto the plate around it's middle to form the chick's wings. 
  4. Fold beak in half, and glue it on.  Glue on googlie eyes above beak, and glue hair tuft to the backside of the plate, so that it peaks over the top. 
Posted by momstown Teach on 06/06/2012 - 21:52
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Farm animal sensory bin - water and bubbles and animals for toddler play

Exploring farm animals took on a whole new focus as one of our momstown toddlers got into a sensory bucket - and brought her animals along!

 

farm animal sensory

 

You can use sensory bins and buckets for any theme - this was a great way to incorporate our farm animals into the play!

What you need:

  • Small laundry tub(s)
  • Water
  • Bubbles or dish soap
  • Plastic toy animals (or whatever comes along!)

 

farm animal sensorySensory play is meant to be unstructured. Give the kids the tools and let 'em at it!

 

We had a shiny bead tub going along with the farm animal 'wash station' - she went from one to the other.

 

 

sensory bins

 

 

Look for variation when making sensory bins. Texture, appearance (shiny!), size, etc. all lets little hands explore and learn.

 

Try some of our other sensory bin ideas like Flower bins, Pasta bins, and Cloud dough bins.

Posted by Teacher Mom on 05/24/2012 - 16:27
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Make a farm using shapes - a great craft activity for preschoolers

momstown's getting down on the farm and used a great shape-sorting exercise to build this three-dimensional farm with doors that open to reveal the farm animals!

 

farm scene shapes

 

farm scene shapes

What you need:

  • Construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Precut shapes (for younger children) - as shown
  • Note the bottom rectangle has foldable doors

 

farm scene shapes

Start by gluing a rectangular piece of green construction paper onto the bottom of a blue sheet. This is an easy way to form the sky and ground.

 

 

 

Then, have your child assemble the farm house by gluing the base and roof onto the construction paper.

 

Combine two triangles to make the silo (see, we're learning all about shapes here!) and top off with a semicircle.

 

 

farm scene shapes

Build the windows by gluing the white strips into square outlines and x's across the front.

 

Have your little crafter add a sheep, cow or any farm animal to the inside of the farm - the doors will open and close to reveal the animal!

 

Looking for more farm-themed crafts?

Try a footprint tractor, a paper plate cow, or a muddy pig!

Posted by Teacher Mom on 05/24/2012 - 14:05
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Footprint tractor - a great farm animal craft for toddlers and preschoolers

momstown's turned a footprint into a tractor in our latest craft activity that's all about the farm!

 

tractor footprint

 

tractor footprint

What you need:

  • Paint
  • Construction paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors

 

Paint your child's foot and then have them stamp down on the paper to press their footprint in. This forms the tractor.

 

Cut and paste a seat, wheels, and steering wheel.

 

tractor footprint

 

Add whatever other details you like, cornfields, sun, grass - to complete the farm scene!

 

 

 

Cut and paste crafts are great for creativity and fine motor. Let your child decide how he or she wants their farm to look!

Posted by Teacher Mom on 05/24/2012 - 14:00
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Paper plate holstein cow craft - a fun farm animal to make with your preschooler

Imagine the delight in the momstown craft room, when we got to recycle soccer-themed paper plates into a farm animal craft!

 

paper plate cow

 

Originally planning to add holstein cow 'spots' with construction paper, we stumbled upon soccer-themed paper plates left over from a birthday party and used them instead!

 

paper plate cowWhat you need:

  • Two paper plates (one small, one larger)
  • Construction paper in pink and black
  • Scissors
  • Gluestick
  • Stapler
  • Pipe cleaner for tail
  • Black marker or crayon

 

Flip the smaller paper plate over, and attach to the bottom of the larger plate with glue or stapler.

 

paper plate cowCut out pink ears and mouth and glue onto the cow's face. If you are using a plain white paper plate for the 'body', cut out black construction paper in rounded shapes and glue on to make the jersey prints.

 

 

paper plate cowTwist pipe cleaner to make a twirly tail, and staple onto the back side of the paper plate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

paper plate cowComplete the cow by adding eyes, mouth and nose! Paper plates make a great puppet if you add a popsicle stick in behind.

 

 

 

Try making some other animals with paper plates:

Black cat

Snake spiral

Elephant mask

Posted by Teacher Mom on 05/21/2012 - 20:54
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