We are very happy to announce the official opening of Nest’s Magic Garden on 26th April. This wonderful new outdoor space has been designed specifically for the Nest children to be able to plant, care for, grow and harvest their own crops of vegetables, herbs and flowers. The staff team and children will benefit so much from this new space.But how does it help the children learn?

The Nest follows a curriculum that is drawn from the East and the West. The Wellington College China framework requires we provide children with a range of opportunities to learn about plants. 

Children at different ages need to recognise features of their outside environment, plant and grow seeds, know the life cycle of a plant, know how to care for the environment, know the life cycle of different plants, know things grow and die, understand the effect of seasons on living things, identify a range of different plants and name the parts of a plant. 

These are only some of the things our children need to learn during their time in the Nest. Having our own‘Magic Garden’supports all of these aspects from the Natural World aspect of our framework and sets a real-world context for our children to learn and understand parts of the natural world around them.

Gardening needs physical exercise to get the soil ready for planting with lots of digging and weeding. When we exercise, our brains release endorphins, which lift our mood and make us feel more productive. Sunshine can trigger the release of the hormone serotonin, which acts as a mood stabilizer and helps us to feel more positive and productive. Exposure to natural daylight can also stimulate the production of the sleep hormone melatonin which, when coupled with fresh air, can support a better night’s sleep – and we all feel better for that! 

Growing their own plants and vegetables can also be very satisfying for children – giving them a positive boost to their self-esteem. And whilst the garden can often be a place for fun, it can also provide a place for the children to have some calm and peaceful time, whilst they dig or plant. 

Being immersed in nature is good for children and adult wellbeing, so don’t be surprised if we ask for help from our families to support the children with gardening activities!

The 24 Solar Terms are the embodiment of wisdom in traditional Chinese culture. We can feel the natural changes in the 24 Solar Terms through the natural environment around us. 

In the Nest, we integrate nature education about the 24 solar terms into each topic, so that children can experience the ups and downs of nature and experience the power of nature and life. At the same time, we also integrate the content of traditional culture. As we know that knowledge from books is not enough to satisfy children's curiosity, children are always curious about whether there were such changes around us, and they wanted to have a look, go and touch, and then verify the contents of the book. 

In our Magic Garden, we will have the opportunity for children to experience life and explore nature in a real situation. It is also a process to cultivate cultural heritage and scientific spirit, experience responsibility, learn to learn and live a healthy life.