We'll run a full growing season's worth of sessions for adults to bring their little one to these community farms to see and get involved in local food growing.
Young kids can have a go at:
- Planting seeds
- Harvesting veg
- Weeding or digging
- Visiting animals (Oakbrook)
Sessions will be held at Common Soil or Oakbrook community farm, depending on time of year and activity. They'll run on a Friday 10am - 12pm, March to Nov 2025. Aimed at children under 5, but any aged child/sibling welcome.
Children have the chance to see an agroecological farm in action, see where food comes from, feel they're getting involved in a wider community project and try out some tasks in an age-appropriate way. Or just watch and see what's happening or expend energy outdoors. They will have a dedicated growing area to be able to take their own crops through from seed to harvest.
Parents or carers can connect with each other over tea/coffee and explore the outdoors with their little one.
What we'll deliver:
- 24 x 2 hour adult and young child sessions between March and Nov 2025
Why it's a great idea:
We've trialled having young child suitable activities at the farm in short blocks and had lots of interest. We'd now like to be able to offer a longer commitment so that kids really get stuck into farm life over the longer term and see seasonal changes.
The sessions will have immediate benefits in terms of young children being active together outdoors, learning about food growing and seeing where food comes from.
Adults attending sessions will get connection to each other, being able to participate in physical activity outdoors with their child and increasing their own learning about food growing. We also know that if kids are enjoying themselves at the farm it facilitates the adult being able to get involved in this community project.
If children grow up connected to where their food comes from and to the local land then they're more likely to understand the importance of caring for our land. Growing food in an environmentally sensitive way will be a part of their world.
Steps to get it done:
- Planning for sessions and promoting to parents - January to March 2025
- First session held end of March 2025
- Sessions run until December 2025 with breaks for school holidays
Sessions will be held on a Friday morning from 10am to 12pm and will be hosted and facilitated by a member of the farm team at Common Soil or Oakbrook. Sessions won't run in the school holidays or stormy. weather. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Most sessions will be outdoors but Common Soil has a canvas shelter and Oakbrook has a barn for sessions in winter or rainy weather.
These sessions are moving from 'being' on the farm to 'doing' and the kids will be given their own growing area at Common Soil to care for and see their crops come to fruition.
