We got this book out from the library and it quickly became a favourite. We used it as the basis for a whole load of learning about where vegetables come from and who eats them!

WHY BRING A BOOK TO LIFE?
Books are amazing for teaching children about lots of things they perhaps haven't experienced. Have they seen a real caterpillar like the one from the very hungry caterpillar? Have they been on a boat like the llama in how to charm a llama? The pictures only go so far to support their understanding of a concept - experiencing it in person is so powerful!

HOW WE DID IT
August is interested in plants and picking fruit and eating vegetables and shopping for them but we realised he'd never planted anything! So we got some propagation trays, soil and seeds and went to town. We referenced this book often and talked about what we might do with the vegetables when they grew - would we eat them raw? Chop them? Cook them? Feed them to other animals? Which animals eat lettuce?! What is the difference between lettuce and rocket? There was so much to talk about.

There was also plenty stuff I'd forgotten about that I had to google - who remembers the process of germination from school?!?! August and I learned together!!

LANGUAGE RICH INTERACTION
This activity was so rich in language, and because we're still watering the shoots, the conversation is ongoing! We know that repetition really helps children to learn, understand and use more words - so a long-term activity like this can do amazing things for your little one's language.

Who's little one has gotten into gardening? Green thumbs?? Let me know - I need lots of tips to not kill these off!!