BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) – The Jackson County Childcare Network has a new resource aiming to teach children in the area more about agriculture.
Through a grant from Compeer Financial, The Jackson County Childcare Network created the Farm to Early Childhood Education Mobile Learning Lab. By traveling to various child care providers in the county, the mobile lab aims to teach children about farming in new and engaging ways.
“It’s just like a great way for them to get involved and understand the topics and know where certain things come from, like milk or cheese or anything like that,” Kaylei Sutton, facilitator of the mobile learning lab, said. “Even our fruits and vegetables, like a local garden, and they don’t come from a store.”
The mobile lab started being used in July. It goes to child care centers where a high school student will then spend some time showing the kids some of the interactive tools. Then, the child care centers can use those tools on their own for some time.
Beth Bue owns the Teddy Bear Family Child Care Center in Black River Falls and used the mobile lab herself.
“They made animals out of paper, paper plates, and stickers, and then there was a game in there as well. So, we were able to play a memory game with farm animals,” Bue said. “I thought it went really well. The kiddos like it when the toys change up. We rotate monthly here but even anything new is fun for them as well.”
The mobile lab also tries to relieve some pressure on child care providers. Marianne Torkelson is the chair of the Jackson County Childcare Network and said the group is trying to help where they can.
“We’re facing a child care desert here and that means for every one regulated child care slot, there are at least three children that need that,” Torkelson said. “So, we’re really working to improve quality programming to thank those providers that we have.”
So, from learning about volcanoes with baking soda and vinegar to learning how to make ice cream, the mobile lab teaches kids about the resources around them.
“It’s just a good way for them to have these resources and get involved with things like this,” Sutton said. “You never know, maybe one of these kids will grow up and be a farmer whether they grew up in it or not.”
Torkelson said she hopes the mobile lab can host additional opportunities in the future, like having lessons in music or physical education.
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