
The kindergarten has received a grant of $871.26 from the Mazda Foundation towards the cost of two planter boxes and soil for the children to plant herbs, vegetables and flowers.
Andersons Bay Community Kindergarten senior teacher Claire McDonald said the planter boxes had been made by Dunedin social enterprise Cargill Enterprises and the super garden mix soil was sourced from Nichol’s Garden Centre.
The edible garden project was exciting for the kindergarten’s 33 children, aged 2 to 4 years, Ms McDonald said.
"The children are into anything to do with the natural world — they love growing and picking and eating.
"We already have a little garden at the centre, but the planter boxes will allow the children to have better access.
"Through helping to set up the garden and watch the growth process, the children can touch, smell, and feel the soil, seeds, herbs and flowers.
"They will also learn all about healthy eating and why it is so important to eat fresh fruit and vegetables," Ms McDonald said.
Run by a parent management team, Andersons Bay Community Kindergarten takes every opportunity to teach children about the natural environment, and "starting them young" helped to make gardening part of everyday life.
"And this year we have seen how important it can be to have that knowledge."
Ms McDonald said Andersons Bay Community Kindergarten had been fortunate to receive a previous Mazda Foundation grant a couple of years ago, which had helped it to set up a rainwater capture system.
"The children will be able to use that water on the plants in the new edible garden," she said.
"We are very grateful to the foundation for its support."
In its second funding round
for 2020, the Mazda Foundation has distributed more than $28,000 to education, environment, arts and culture projects across New Zealand.
Since 2005, the foundation has distributed $3.7million to communities and charities.
The closing date for the next round of Mazda Foundation applications is September 30.