500 new places announced for Food and Farming Day outdoor learning event for school children in East of England
Kids Country, the East of England Agricultural Society’s education initiative, is delighted to announce that it has opened up 500 new places for school children from Peterborough and across the East of England to attend the flagship Food and Farming Day, on Friday 3rd July.
The Food and Farming Day connected over 3,500 school children from Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 in 2019, and Kids Country education manager Sandra Lauridsen expects this year’s event to be the biggest yet, with over 100 industry-leading educators connecting with key aspects of the National Curriculum through real, hands-on outdoor learning experiences about all aspects of food, farming and the countryside.
Sandra said: “We are passionate about helping children to understand food, farming and the countryside in the East of England, where we are surrounded by some of the most productive farmland and producers, our local ‘farming superheroes’. These children are the consumers of the future and to understand that food comes from a farm, not the supermarket, and the process of producing that food in our countryside is essential to making better-informed decisions. We are particularly excited to be working with so many urban schools and filling them with excitement about all things food, farming and the environment.”
On the day, children will experience close contact with farm animals, how to milk a cow, and see working dogs and ponies in action, whilst interactive workshops will be running throughout the event, from sausage and pancake making to flour milling and rural crafts. School children also have the opportunity to enter this year’s Food and Farming Day competition – ‘Design and Create a Scarecrow.’
Spaces for this year’s Food and Farming Day are available so book now for just £3.60 per child, with teachers and accompanying adults going for free.
Teachers from Tydd St Mary Primary School, Wisbech, said: “There were so many activities for the children to be involved in. Our children learnt about many aspects of farming life, which surround our home environment. The Kids Country educators and staff were very helpful and the children really enjoyed the shows and getting practical with food and animals.”
A parent from Great Gidding Primary School, Cambridgeshire, also said: “I visited with my daughter and her school. We had a fantastic day of learning and exploring. We have come home with lots of yummy produce and lots of ideas on how to use them. My daughter, who has additional needs, didn’t want to leave. It was a truly great day, thank you.”
