Six litres of grape juice, some big smiles and purple hands and feet were the result of a special grape stomping day held at Goodstart Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley, South Australia recently.
The children at the centre learned more about their local industry and history of the grape growing process throughout the special day.
With around 40 per cent of families at the centre connected to the local vineyards or other crop farms, centre director Karen Hale said the centre’s children grape stomping event was a great way to connect with the local community.
“The wineries and other crop farms are a big part of our families’ lives with many parents either working at or owning wineries or helping with grape picking so this was a great way to bring in a connection to our community,” she said.
Families donated grapes to the centre and educators set up the experience, which will be added to the centre’s calendar as an annual event.
“As well as the children loving the experience, our parents really enjoyed that we were able to provide a connection to what they do,” Karen said.
The day started with a special reading of the book My Dad Has Purple Hands, by local farming families Wayne Dutschke and Paul Cassidy.
Then the children were invited to get up-close and personal with the grapes.
“The babies absolutely loved the sensory side and were able to sit in the grapes and feel them squish between their fingers,” Karen said.
“The older children enjoyed balancing on and walking through the grapes and we had some of our parents on hand to help them do that.”
Seeing that six litres of grape juice had been produced by the end of the day was a highlight for all of the children, Karen said.
“They are very excited to learn more about what we can do with the liquid that was produced so we are busy planning all kinds of science experiments for the kindergarten children,” Karen said.
The children at the centre learned more about their local industry and history of the grape growing process throughout the special day.
With around 40 per cent of families at the centre connected to the local vineyards or other crop farms, centre director Karen Hale said the centre’s children grape stomping event was a great way to connect with the local community.
“The wineries and other crop farms are a big part of our families’ lives with many parents either working at or owning wineries or helping with grape picking so this was a great way to bring in a connection to our community,” she said.
Families donated grapes to the centre and educators set up the experience, which will be added to the centre’s calendar as an annual event.
“As well as the children loving the experience, our parents really enjoyed that we were able to provide a connection to what they do,” Karen said.
The day started with a special reading of the book My Dad Has Purple Hands, by local farming families Wayne Dutschke and Paul Cassidy.
Then the children were invited to get up-close and personal with the grapes.
“The babies absolutely loved the sensory side and were able to sit in the grapes and feel them squish between their fingers,” Karen said.
“The older children enjoyed balancing on and walking through the grapes and we had some of our parents on hand to help them do that.”
Seeing that six litres of grape juice had been produced by the end of the day was a highlight for all of the children, Karen said.
“They are very excited to learn more about what we can do with the liquid that was produced so we are busy planning all kinds of science experiments for the kindergarten children,” Karen said.