Preschoolers take to the farm to learn life lessons
<p>Parents, volunteers and preschoolers gathered at Dave Williams' ranch on Wednesday for a field trip where they played with baby pigs, released a newly hatched butterfly and planted bean seeds. The field trip gave the kids a chance to learn about life cycles.</p>
PLAINS – The preschoolers in the Head Start program hit the farm on Wednesday to learn about life cycles.
Dave Williams opened up his farm to the kids, where the preschoolers were able to plant beans, play with the piglets and even release a newly hatched butterfly.
The Head Start program has been out to Williams’ farm for a couple of years now. According to teacher Jesse Butcher, it’s a great learning experience for the kids.
“It’s a fun experience. It also (teaches the kids) a little bit about knowing where things come from,” said Butcher.
As the kids entered a corral with two piglets it in, laughs could be heard from the children. The loud squeal from the piglet surprised many but once the piglets calmed down, the kids slowly came up to each of them and showed them some love - even planting some kisses on the animal.
After getting to know the piglets, the kids headed to release a butterfly that had just recently hatched. After raising the butterfly in the classroom, the kids observed as the insect spread its wings and prepared for flight.
It took every bit of self-control for some of the five kids present not to reach out and touch the brittle wings, which dried off in the pounding sun.
After quite the wait, the butterfly took flight although short lived and landed at the observer’s feet, waiting to get strength for another try.
The kids waited as patiently as they could, many of them losing interest before the butterfly took a second go at it.
With string cheese and refreshments waiting, the kids ran off to fill up on snacks.
Overall, the fieldtrip turned out to be a success teaching the kids a little bit about the cycle of life.