An innovative collaboration between NurtureStars Punggol & NParks to engage preschoolers in meaningful physical activity while nurturing nature!
In our bid to create meaningful physical activities for our preschoolers after the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) announced that pre-school children will get at least an hour of physical activity a day, which was doubled the previous requirement of 30 minutes, based on an article published on Straits Times on 23rd February 2017, hence NurtureStars Punggol decided to collaborate with NParks.
Being located among the lush and green Punggol Waterway Park, we wanted to kickstart an initiative that will engage and educate our preschoolers to inculcate their love for their surrounding and nature. We approached NParks, did site recces, selected plots to work on, worked with NParks on possible hands-on activities which we could engage and educate our preschoolers about nature on monthly basis for starters and taa-daa!
On 11th June 2018, our active preschoolers put their hands to work as we embarked on weeding our various gardening plots guided by Ms Amanda from NParks. We learnt that weeds are unwanted plants that have to be removed from our gardening plots. Preschoolers got busy with their gloved hands, shovels and spades as Ms Amanda taught the children on how to identify a weed and the technique of weeding.
Throughout the one hour of weeding activity, teachers heard our names being called our numerous time as preschoolers plucked out a weed! They proudly posed for pictures during the activity.
Meanwhile we adults, concluded that weeding was indeed hardwork under the sweltering heat, so we asked the questions to the children, ‘Did you enjoy yourself in your very own garden? Do you look forward to the next gardening activity?’ ‘Yes! Yes!’ was the reply we got from our preschoolers whom by then smiling away with their sweaty faces and pink rosy cheeks! The children even told us that when they head to the park with their parents, they will talk to their parents about their hardwork under the sun!
We are exuberant that we have managed to inculcate the children’s love for nature and are looking forward to our upcoming monthly gardening activities such as mulching, pruning, park cleaning and last but not least gardening! 
