In November 2015, Warrandyte Kindergarten became members of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Classroom and were one of the first kindergartens in the state to do so.
The aim of the Kitchen Garden Classroom program is to pleasurably engage and educate young children in the growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing of delicious and healthy food.
Thanks to fundraising, as well as funding support from Manningham Council, the Warrandyte Kindergarten committee has invested in the construction and creation of a purpose-built beautiful kitchen garden space to facilitate this program, which benefits our kindergarten children immensely.
The construction of our kitchen garden generated much interest and support from the local community. We are the very grateful recipients of a generous donation from the Warrandyte Lion’s Club who has “sponsored” our garden beds.
Our kindergarten children have planted seasonal vegetables and a range of herbs which are both practical and also represent special meanings; sage for wisdom, chives for usefulness, marjoram for joy and happiness, chamomile for patience, basil for good wishes, bay for glory and rosemary for remembrance.
Each week, as part of their kindergarten curriculum, children from both the three- and four-year-old kindergarten groups spend time in our extensive fruit and vegetable garden that they actively help to plant and maintain.
In their kitchen garden, the kindergarten children learn seasons, plant varieties, seed saving, water management, composting and sustainability. They spend time each week preparing and sharing a variety of dishes created from their produce.
By involving our kindergarten children in pleasurable food education in our lovely kitchen garden, it will help them to develop life-long joyful and healthy eating habits.
