As autumn settles in, bringing cooler mornings and softer light, our Rainbow Lorikeets children have been spending a lot of time in the garden, working with joy, energy and a growing sense of purpose. With hands in the soil, we dig, carry, spread mulch and plant seeds and seedlings, sharing in the work of the day.

This is a time of both harvesting and planting. The children are still collecting star fruits and mandarins, joyfully bringing them to our fruit basket for morning tea, and waiting for the passionfruit and oranges to ripen. We have also been planting tomatoes, potatoes, shallots, peas, beetroot, marigolds, calendula, and other herbs. The potatoes and herbs will become special ingredients for our soup, to be shared at our Winter Festival. With the help of our parent community, we planted bulbs and now the daffodils rest quietly beneath the soil, held in the warmth of Mother Earth, awaiting the right time to blossom and delight us all with their golden blooms.

As we move and work with care in the garden, the children naturally come close and join in, each in their own way. Through this shared work, they take part with purpose and growing confidence.

We care for the land together. We feed the worms, tend our compost, and return each day to see what has changed.

There is so much wonder in these moments. The children delight in discovering stick insects, grasshoppers, snails, worms and ladybirds, and in noticing the small changes around them. Sometimes they excitedly call us to come and see a spiderweb covered in tiny drops of morning dew, sparkling in the light, inviting us to share in their sense of wonder. Often, we laugh together when a wiggly worm tickles their hands. We watch seeds begin to sprout, buds slowly open, and life quietly unfolding beneath the soil.

Through these everyday experiences, the children are building a real relationship with the world around them. At this stage of life, it is essential that they come to experience the world as good and safe. What surrounds them, and what they see and take part in each day, shapes this inner experience, helping to build trust, a strong will and a healthy foundation for later life. 

Our garden has become a space where reverence, kindness and love are part of our everyday, gently supporting the children’s sense of care, connection, and belonging.

Fernanda de Falco
Rainbow Lorikeets Teacher (Little Shearwater Preschool)