Thursday, 14 November 2024

 Paul HAMER (Box Hill) (10:09): I was delighted to recently visit Guardian Childcare & Education in Blackburn North, which is one of the 150 kindergartens across Victoria to have received a state government grant of $6000 to offer a bush kinder program. Teachers and educators are currently extending children’s awareness of nature, including cooking techniques. It was great to see the free play in their secret garden with the mud kitchen, the rocks, the sticks and the twigs and everything that a three- or four-year-old could want. The children have also been learning about the growth and harvesting of seasonal vegetables in their garden. I want to thank centre manager Natalie Cross and her team for not only showing me around but giving me some of the homegrown lemons, myrtle and carrots and some home-baked lemon myrtle biscuits.