Local, organically grown food is not accessible to all families. Although we have families who are migrant farmers who feed America, the foods that they grow are not necessarily foods they can afford to purchase at a store. All children and families deserve healthy choices.

We wanted to give children the chance to explore a farmers market and take what they needed. We know that children learn best through hands-on exploration, so we wanted to simply observe and have fun.

Our Nutrition Coordinator was able to get a grant to host a farmers market for our children and teachers. The exchange was paper money and the children had bags to collect the items they wanted. We had fruits and vegetables that children could purchase in exchange for one paper dollar. The children could also buy tamales, aguas, eggs, muffins, and artwork. The teachers were cautious of food allergies and helped to redirect the children. We noticed that children first recognized the tamales, a familiar food from home, and were later more comfortable exploring the rest of the food options.

The children’s farmers market integrated all the learning domains. The children were exploring new foods, counting, trading, learning new vocabulary, and immersing themselves in the process. The youngest toddlers understood that when they handed over a paper dollar, they would receive a container of blueberries. The older preschool children practiced bargaining and counting. The children filled their bags and then danced to music to celebrate our first ECE Farmers Market. In addition, the families received vouchers (provided by the same grant) to spend at the Forest Grove Farmers Market.