Yesterday I was lucky enough to join my son's field trip to a local farm park. I thought it might be crazy to have 22 first graders in a barn with a bunch of farm animals, but the kids behaved very well. They were really excited to learn what they could. We visited the blacksmith shop and watched a horseshoe being made. The children "ooh and ahhhed" as the glowing steel was taken out of the fire.
We saw horses, chickens, goats, rabbits, pigs and a turkey. The kids loved petting the soft pink piglets and noticed that the mama's hair was much more rough.
An official farmer taught us about the different varieties of sheep. (Honestly I thought sheep were pretty much all the same, but I was wrong.) Then the kids were able to see all the baby lambs, some were only two days old! So cute. Next we traveled by tractor carriage (a tractor pulling an enclosed wagon), to the greenhouse. Here we learned how bees make honey. They pass it back and forth to each other multiple times through their straw like tongues. All the kids let out a big "EWWWW!" "Honey is bee spit!" But they quickly forgot by the time the free honey samples were handed out. Finally we made it to the dairy. This was the best part. Every child got a chance to milk the cow. My son thought this was so cool he asked if he could milk the cow a second time. All the children left the dairy with a cheek to cheek smile on their faces.
I was happy that I could share in their joy.
The kids' comments and questions were great too.
Some of my favorite were:
"Wow that mama pig has 8 belly buttons!"
"Why is it so smelly in here?"
"Why do bees want to sting us? Should I not pour water on them?"
"Bees make flowers for us."
Kathy
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| 2 day old lamb |
An official farmer taught us about the different varieties of sheep. (Honestly I thought sheep were pretty much all the same, but I was wrong.) Then the kids were able to see all the baby lambs, some were only two days old! So cute. Next we traveled by tractor carriage (a tractor pulling an enclosed wagon), to the greenhouse. Here we learned how bees make honey. They pass it back and forth to each other multiple times through their straw like tongues. All the kids let out a big "EWWWW!" "Honey is bee spit!" But they quickly forgot by the time the free honey samples were handed out. Finally we made it to the dairy. This was the best part. Every child got a chance to milk the cow. My son thought this was so cool he asked if he could milk the cow a second time. All the children left the dairy with a cheek to cheek smile on their faces.
I was happy that I could share in their joy.
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| My son milking the cow |
The kids' comments and questions were great too.
Some of my favorite were:
"Wow that mama pig has 8 belly buttons!"
"Why is it so smelly in here?"
"Why do bees want to sting us? Should I not pour water on them?"
"Bees make flowers for us."
Kathy
 |
| Hot horseshoe coming out of oven |
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