Preschool Pumpkin Patch Trip

One of the moms in our preschool group heard that one of the local pumpkin patches did a little preschool experience for groups that signed up and it sounded like the perfect thing for our kiddos so we used Monday as our first field trip day to go to G & M Farms.  Of course Clara and Rose got to wear their Halloween outfits for the first time, which Clara was pretty excited about (everything is from Janie & Jack in case anybody was wondering).  That girl and clothes - seriously, already it is out of control how obsessed she is with dressing up.  This may be my favorite picture ever of our two little punkins'.

 

We got to go on a hay ride around the corn field where we were pulled by a big tractor and listened to fun fiddle versions of preschool songs. This is our whole group.

Part of the preschool field trip experience (it cost $8 for everything which included the hay ride, a large pumpkin, a mini pumpkin, and an ear of indian corn) included a lesson in the cornfield classroom about the farm itself (G & M is a working farm) and the life cycle of a pumpkin.  We had to walk into the corn a little way where they have created a small open space set up with three rows of hay bales and a table in front to form a unique little "classroom".  Then one of the workers had examples of pumpkin seeds, pumpkin blossoms on the vine, and budding green pumpkin knobs in early growth stages that she took around to show each of the kids.  It actually was a great little lesson totally appropriate to their ages and the kids were super engaged.

Rose enjoyed eating some puffs and looking at the corn from the comfort of her stroller.

Clara and two of her little buds, Molly and Dax.

This is the best shot I got of Clara's preschool class.  Clara is the oldest by 5 months and Molly (on the far left) is the youngest (she just turned three this week). 

After the lesson and class picture, the kids got to play in the hay maze.

And then they got a chance in the cornbox (after a much bigger preschool group moved on and it wasn't as crowded).  It's like a giant sandbox except with corn instead of sand and Clara told me afterwards that it was her favorite part of the day.  She absolutely loved it.

And then finally it was time to pick her pumpkin that came with the preschool package.  She was adamant about the pumpkin she chose and carried it down the field to put it into our wagon, then pulled the wagon all the way back to the car on her own.

 

We are looking forward to another trip to a pumpkin patch this season on a night when Paul can come too and then we will get our bigger, Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins.