October is the season of crisp mornings, falling leaves, and colorful harvests. In the early childhood setting, this is a wonderful time to connect children to the rhythms of the farm. Pumpkins, sweet potatoes, apples, and leafy greens are filling gardens and farmers markets, giving teachers and caregivers endless opportunities to spark curiosity and learning.
Few summer activities create as many memories as a family trip to the farmers market. September is the season of abundance, and markets are brimming with peaches, melons, peppers, okra, freshly baked breads, and jars of local honey. For children, a visit to the farmers market is an adventure filled with colors, smells, and friendly faces.
In early childhood classrooms, September is a month filled with wonder. Gardens that children planted in spring or early summer are now bursting with produce, colors, and textures that spark curiosity. For young learners, this is the moment when they see that their care such as watering, weeding, and observing truly makes a difference.
Little Angels Home Daycare in Atmore, Alabama, originally participated in the Farm to ECE Learning Collaborative in 2021 and has received Farm to ECE Sustainability Funding to continue their activities since 2022. Amber Harrison of Little Angels Home Daycare recently shared their spring garden journey with us!
The Alabama Foods from A to Z Toolkit can be used in various early childhood settings, including child care centers, family child care homes, Head Start programs, Pre-K classrooms, and more. This toolkit is a collection of resources and information for providing food and farming education to young children.
A visit to the farmers market is full of excitement, colors, smells, and people bustling about. For young children, it’s more than a field trip, it’s a lesson in community, food, and culture.
August gardens are awash in color: deep reds of tomatoes, golden kernels of corn, and the dark green of okra pods. In the ECE classroom, we can harness that bounty to spark curiosity, fine-motor skills, and early science exploration.
In Alabama, we’re blessed with rich farmland, hardworking growers, and a strong sense of community. Connecting early learners with this agricultural heritage through Farm to Early Care and Education (Farm to ECE) programs not only promotes healthy eating, it plants the seeds of curiosity, empathy, and environmental awareness.
Summer is a time of growth and abundance, and even if you can’t visit a farm or market, you can bring the harvest experience into the childcare classroom!
July is the perfect time to bring little ones to the farmer’s market! The colorful booths are overflowing with fresh summer fruits and vegetables, and there’s no better place for early learners to connect with where their food comes from.
