Little green thumbs take root at Y Ashdale Early Learning Centre

Children at the Y Ashdale Early Learning Centre (ELC) have rolled up their sleeves and dug into hands-on learning, taking part in a vibrant planting day in collaboration with their local Bunnings store, marking the first time the centre has partnered with the retailer.

The exciting initiative saw children plant a variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers including lettuce, strawberries, capsicum, silver beet, carrots, parsley and marigold flowers, transforming their outdoor space into a thriving garden.

Y Ashdale ELC Director Denise McCrory said the experience was about much more than just planting seeds. “This has been a wonderful opportunity for our children to connect with nature and begin to understand the full cycle of growing food, from planting and caring for seedlings, right through to harvesting and eventually enjoying what they’ve grown.” 

“We’re incredibly grateful to Bunnings for their generosity and support in making this experience possible for our children.”

The collaboration was sparked by Early Childhood Teacher Rebecca Hudson, who first reached out to Bunnings last year. While sessions were fully booked at the time, the team acted quickly at the start of this year to secure a place.

On the day, Bunnings team members Ash and Eliza guided the children through the process. The group was split in two, with each group collecting their own gardening kits before getting to work in the garden beds. Children carefully dug holes, planted their seedlings, packed the soil, and watered their plants, complete with what they excitedly called “magic growing liquid.” The session wrapped up with labelling each plant and adding decorative garden stakes.

Importantly, the initiative came at no cost to the centre, with Bunnings supplying all seedlings, soil, gardening kits and decorations.

The planting day is part of a broader focus on sustainability and hands-on learning at the centre. Children have already begun re-sprouting vegetable scraps from the kitchen, which are nearly ready to be planted, further reinforcing their understanding of sustainable practices.

All age groups at the centre are involved in caring for the garden, with children taking pride in watering the plants and sharing responsibilities.

Ms McCrory said the enthusiasm from the children has been inspiring. “The children absolutely love taking ownership of the garden. Watching their excitement and sense of responsibility grow alongside the plants has been incredibly rewarding.”

The centre hopes this will be the first of many collaborations with Bunnings, as they continue to nurture a love of nature, sustainability and healthy eating in their young learners.