Over the warm summer months, our curious toddlers became gardeners and embarked on a special journey, growing their very own potatoes!
It all began one sunny morning when we introduced the children to a small, wrinkled rotten potato. With excitement, the toddlers helped fill large soil bags with rich, dark compost soil. With tiny hands, they gently placed the old potato into the soil, covering it like a treasure being tucked away.
Over the weeks, the toddlers took on the role of potato caretakers. Every few days, they helped water the bags, carefully pouring the water and checking if the soil was still damp. As green shoots began to peek through, the excitement grew. “They’re waking up!” Theo exclaimed. The toddlers loved checking on their potato plants, often crouching low to peer at the leaves and gently patting the soil.
We talked about what plants need in order to grow: sunshine, water, and time. The children made connections between the potatoes and other plants in the garden. Some even noticed that the potato leaves looked different from others.
Then, finally, as summer began to wind down, it was time to harvest! The soil bags were tipped and the digging began. With small shovels and even smaller hands, the toddlers unearthed the hidden treasure beneath the soil. “One!” Nihal exclaimed excitedly and proudly as he dug up and found the first potato. There were squeals of joy as each potato was discovered, some tiny and round, others big and knobbly.
We gave the potatoes a good wash and talked about how we could eat them. “Mash them?” “Boil them?” “Chips?” After a group vote, the children helped cut them (using toddler-safe knives and with adult support). Then we seasoned them for a bit of taste and enjoyed our harvested potato slices.
