From slicing fruit to digging in the dirt, our Year 1s are discovering independence and life skills through joyful, hands-on adventures in the kitchen and garden.
Our eager Year 1 students have been given the chance to explore two new spaces – the kitchen and the garden! With sleeves rolled up and big smiles, they’ve jumped straight into hands-on learning, not minding if they ended up sticky, messy, or sometimes both.
In the kitchen, the focus has been on building simple but important food preparation skills in a safe and supportive way. Believe it or not, the children have even been learning how to use a knife! Don’t worry – we started with cutlery knives, plenty of guidance, and lots of practise. To build their confidence, the students first practised different cutting techniques using playdough before moving on to the real thing.
After several lessons of playdough chopping, it was finally time to try out those new skills on real fruit. The excitement was clear as the children carefully sliced bananas, strawberries, apples, and pears. With safety always front of mind, they concentrated on holding the knife correctly, using the right technique, and keeping their fingers safe.
What really shone through was the pride they felt in preparing their own food. Suddenly, fruit became extra appealing once it was cut by their own hands! These sessions not only boosted their confidence in the kitchen but also encouraged healthy eating in a fun, hands-on way.
Meanwhile, the garden is also keeping our Year 1s busy – but we’ll save that story for another week.
These kitchen and garden lesson aren’t just about cooking or planting – they’re about independence, responsibility, and learning skills they’ll carry with them for life.
