ISSofBC’s childcare students pet horses, collected colourful fall leaves, jumped in hay and took home prized pumpkins this week during two autumn field trips to Southlands Heritage Farm.
A total of 14 children from ISSofBC’s Childcare Centre at Terminal Avenue in Vancouver had the opportunity to visit the farm Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon.
“All the children were super happy. The parents said the same evening their children couldn’t stop taking about how much fun they had,” said Ana Delgado, Early Childhood Education (ECE) Supervisor for the ELSA Child Care Centre at Terminal Avenue.
The children and staff spent time exploring the area and learning about what grows on the farm and the animals that live there. Students also had the opportunity to see horses, sheep, chickens, pigs and bees.
“The focus was not only on the pumpkins but the animals, the garden, the bees and the notion that we could take two buses and visit a farm in the city,” Ana said.
In addition to touring and learning about the farm, the children and staff let loose during playtime in tent full of hay.
“When we came back the kids were still pulling hay out our their hair,” she said.
Four teachers and one volunteer helped organize and supervise the field trips including using public transit to and from the farm and ISSofBC.
Southlands Heritage Farm, located in south-west Vancouver, is a unique nature and agricultural reserve that provides educational programming to students of all ages.
ISSofBC’s childcare services are offered to ELSA students with children up to six years old at a variety of locations.
