Barrel Pumps in the Outdoor Classroom

We recently added this beautiful barrel pump to our Outdoor Classroom. It was a simple addition, yet it has added a wealth of engagement in our OC. Our garden has been an integral part of our yard, however, we have always needed a staff member present to fill our little ones' watering cans with the hose. This old-fashioned barrel pump was the perfect solution. Not only do the children flock to the pump to fill their canisters for watering their class gardens, but the pump offers unique lessons on water flow, cause and effect, and the new gross motor movement of pumping the handle up and down. In fact, our three year olds were so intrigued with the pumping action, they didn't even venture into filling containers until after a few days!

The pump was built by one of our handy parents. We simply purchased a large wine barrel and an "old fashioned pitcher pump" at our local hardware store. Click HERE to find the model we used. The entire system cost approximately $70! Our handy parent then caulked the barrel, installed the metal platform, and then bolted on the pump.

Simple and SIMPLY WONDERFUL!

Please Don't Touch the Rotting Pumpkins!

As the Outdoor Coordinator at our school, I try to keep our garden looking fresh and green. The teachers are responsible for planning the garden curriculum with their students. As a class, they discuss the types of seeds they will plant each season, then they plant and watch their gardens throughout the year. I simply put in the finishing touches...the things that busy teachers may not have time to do such as weeding and evenly watering it daily (the students also "help" water {ahem...drown!} the plants with their pint sized watering cans). I also put in the garden labels, set up garden cages and poles, and I tie up the running plants such as beans and peas. We also have a compost that I help maintain. I also tend to uproot anything that begins to look straggly....and so....

The three's teacher came to me the other day and asked that I PLEASE don't remove the rotting pumpkins that he placed in the back of the garden.

I must have given him the, "but that will look REALLY bad" look, because he went on to explain that it is part of their curriculum. You see, each year his class plants pumpkin seeds, observes as the seeds sprout and transform into green vines to brilliant yellow flowers, and then hopefully, grow into glorious orange pumpkins (no such luck this year, though).

In the Autumn, the parents donate numerous pumpkins for the children to handle, observe, cut open, squash seeds, bake seeds, cook a pumpkin dessert, and then finally, place the rotting pumpkins into the garden to decompose. 

And so, I didn't touch the rotting pumpkins that slowly decomposed in the back of the garden. And this week, so my surprise, the life cycle began again. Now THAT'S learning...OUTDOORS! ;-).

Take note of the SPROUT rising out of the pumpkin!

This little pile is from our bugs and worms sensory bin. When we had finished with the activity, the teacher plopped the dirt in the back of the garden. I had added a few beans into the bugs and worms bin just to see if the children would notice the little roots that began to form. As you can see, our little beans have began to sprout!