Disclaimer :: Cincinnati Moms Blog received free admission in exchange for this post, however all opinions are our own and 100% genuine!
We entered the interpretive building and were met by Jenny Funk, Gorman’s Education Director, in a large, light-filled room. As the children entered, they had a puzzle, a matching game, and a magnetic farm board out for the children to choose before the stories were read. Jenny helped the boys clean up and transitioned them into stories about ants and worms.
When sitting and listening to stories wasn’t easy for our squirmy friends, Jenny handled their need for movement with kindness. I just read she was a former Montessori Teacher, but with the way she peacefully handled all of the very active boys in the room (mine is two, two were three, the quietest one was five), I could have guessed. She allowed them to become ants and collect leaf pieces to bring back to the queen ant, which we had assembled together. The children were fascinated as an ant farm was assembled, and they were each allowed to help pour water in for the ants.
We then moved on to the worm segment (oooh! invertebrate pun!) of the story time. We read portions of some books about worms, then became worms, crawling through tunnels- everyone’s favorite part, I think. We also made a worm using a pipe cleaner and were able to touch the composting worm bin and hold the worms. My little guy was not a fan of holding a worm, but he did enjoy feeding an old grape to them as we focused on what they eat. He has told his papa and me several times that ants and worms eat leaves.
I would have liked to take more photographs, but we were so busy reading, playing, and interacting with the animals, I didn’t have much of a chance! All of the activities were age-appropriate, and, although it is very hard to find books for 2-5 year olds about animals that aren’t too wordy or detailed, Jenny altered the books to fit their understanding as well as their need to move. In the description of the event, it said that the children usually have some time to go outside, but it was snowy and very cold, so, understandably, we stayed inside. I am excited to see how this series progresses, and we will definitely be back to play and learn with Miss Jenny in the future.
This series runs through February 25th, with different themes, stories, and activities every week. Registration is advised for the class and it does cost $8 per child for members and $10 per child for non-members. More information is available on the Gorman Heritage Farm website.
