I went to school

[allotmentlady]

Yesterday was my first day of being the gardening teacher to the children at my daughters primary school. I was sooooo nervous, we planted broad beans, peas and mung beans. I was so surprised how many children thought compost was the most dirtiest thing ever! I managed to persuade them not to wear gloves and they all seemed to enjoy it. The potatoes that we got from the potato council are huge and the children enjoy learning.
I am going every wednesday until the break in July.

Now can anyone help me with ideas for them? I have some of my own but I know the fantastic peeps on here will have some fab ideas.

[Capsid]

Scratching your name on young pumpkins/marrows and watching them grow is always fun.

Try and get them to eat the Brussels sprouts!?

[allotmentlady]

Try and get them to eat the Brussels sprouts!?

LOL I aint a miracle worker

[Hans Mum]

see who can grow the tallest sunflower? then leave them over the summer for the birds to feed on in the autumn

[di]

Excellent Mo!I've been going in to the kiddies school also...they all really enjoy it!
I'm going to plant some beetroot next & then hope it's big enough to try & make some of Hughs Beetroot ice lollies....how popular will I be with the other mums???...I have told the teachers it may be an idea for the kiddies to bring in an old T.shirt for the day of making them!
We've also got broadies,pots & peas growing & need to get some carrots & lettuces sown.
It's really hard to think of stuff that A)will be ready before they break up and B)doesn't need too much preparation to eat.

[OverWyreGrower]

What about some lovely fragrant herbs (basil, parsley, rosemary?)- they can take the pots home for their kitchen windowsills?

[Flummery]

Nasturtiums are quick growers and you can eat the flowers (and leaves) - that might appeal!

[JimmerG]

Fruit! - all kiddies love fruit, but I guess that's a bit of a long term thing really. A row of raspberries would go down a treat year after year!

Pumkins for carving at Halloween has to be a winner, maybe grow an Atlantic giant!!

If they thought compost was yucky, wait 'till they hear about Horse Poo!

[jackie j]

I used to love helping in the primary school. I didnt do gardening though, but I did go in and talk about growing up by the seaside as I did and took in cockles, winkles etc to show them. I also talked about spending my holidays at my nans in southend-on sea, and got the information centre to send me a load of stuff about the pier.
Could you get a local garden centre invoved and maybe the school could organise a trip to the gc.

[Hilary B]

If there is a suitable fence (chain link is excellent), let them start runner beans (or climbing french beans) with the 'blotting paper and jam jar' method, NOW. In a couple of weeks time they can be planted out alongside the fence, to see whose grows tallest/first to top of fence/most beans etc. If you want to be adventurous, choose a few varieties with different coloured flowers and let them choose who has which colour......Sweetcorn is another one that may appeal, if it can be tended over the summer break (ready to harvest on return or soon after).

[Pumpkin Becki]

Nasturtiums are quick growers and you can eat the flowers (and leaves) - that might appeal!

...and that introduces the concepts of bio diversity and companion planting, nice idea Flum.

I think its a great thing you're doing AL. I remember being 'shown' our Junior School veg patch once, and we never went back again...how cruel is that!

[teakdesk]

Get lots of A4 sheets of good quality blotting paper, fold each in half once, then once again.

Get the kids to write their name on a sheet.

Open out this last fold and "prit-stick" a dried pea close to the top edge.

Re-fold.

Soak the blotting paper in water and place them all together upright in a bowl.

Each morning the kids can open the blotting paper to see roots growing before putting back into the bowl with a little more water.



I know I did something like this at school although my "prit-stick" suggestion is because I can't remember how we secured the pea!!

[janeyo]

Sounds like a cool idea AL.
I bet the kids and you will get loads of out it

[Alice]

Good for you Allotmentlady. Hope you really enjoy.
I put a Pak Choi stump and a celery stump on a dish of water and they sprouted leaves very quckly. Carrot tops will grow leaves too. Some reliable child could have the job of putting a little water in the dish everyday.
Pea shoots are quick and easy. A few peas in a pot and eat the shoots. They taste like fresh peas. They can be cut 2 or 3 times before they give in.
Have fun.

[Two_Sheds]

i took a class to my lotty last year. the most favourite thing was fresh peas out of the pod.