Through the generous donation from The Jenkins Foundation, Garden to Table has been able to develop and implement The Garden to Table Early Years Programme. This includes a bespoke range of training and resources for our youngest learners and is now being successfully implemented in ECE centres and kindergartens across Aotearoa, New Zealand from Kerikeri in the far north to Christchurch in the South Island.
The hands-on resources developed to support kaiako (teachers) in helping young learners grow vegetables and fruit in their gardens—and cook and share them with friends and whānau—have proven to be an effective way to make these essential lifelong skills accessible to preschoolers. Tamariki (children) have been making compost to help feed their garden soil and using gadgets to prepare delicious kai.
“When we began Garden to Table, we had some children that were limited in what vegetables they would try and eat. Now we have 38 out of 40 children eating and enjoying the kai we make from the garden.”
Kindergarten kaiako in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.
A comprehensive training programme has been developed and implemented with ECEs joining Garden to Table. This includes online learning and also an in-person session at individual centres with whole staff learning about the kaupapa and how they can be involved in the programme with their tamariki.
“Taste explorers was a highlight and something I would surely like to take away from the training. Not always just focusing solely on the cooking/preparing part. But the lead up and the importance of planting, nurturing and harvesting for us to be able to prepare and cook. The language and attitudes we have around types of foods and fuelling our bodies with stuff that will keep us happy and energised.”
Kindergarten kaiako in Northland.
“I loved that we got up and out in the garden, that we ran through a cooking session and got to eat it too. The 5 senses highlighted for taste explorers were brilliant and the 3 rules, you don’t have to like it, you don’t have the eat it and don’t yuck my yum.”
Kindergarten kaiako in Wellington.
The community of learners – each term Garden to Table hosts hui ā – irpurangi (online meetings) with ECE kaiako from around the country. This has been exceptionally well attended by kaiako from across the motu (island). Centres have shared their learning journeys and supported each other with ideas and problem solving. These hui have also been a wonderful way for the Garden to Table team to share new resources and events with member kindergartens.
The addition of the Garden to Table Early Years to our programme has been so positive and has provided the ability to bring kindergartens and ECE centres on the journey with Whanake (Grow), Hauhake (Harvest), Whakarite (Prepare) and Whāngai (Share). Tamariki now have the opportunity to begin learning essential life long skills from the youngest ages right through to the end of their intermediate years of school. This is giving them the opportunity for better health outcomes through connection to whenua (land) and kai (food).