What an amazing facility this place is. OK so schooling while travelling is absolutely fantastic, you have an endless supply of curriculum. Arts, crafts, culture, history, mathematics, science, reading, writing, the list goes on and on. These Botanical Gardens have given our children days of education, they have free educational resources that the kids can use. The books take the children on a journey through the gardens learning about flora and fauna in a super fun and interactive way.
In the centre of the gardens is a gorgeous manicured area, like a piece of artwork opening up the rest of the garden. So much detail into the shape of the bushes right down to the paving on the ground.
Can you stretch a tall as a tree? One of the questions in the work books, teaching the kids about measurements and heights.
Stepping stones into the lake. One particular day we went there were lots of dead and sick fish, the kids went up to the gardeners and asked them why, the gardener told us that some vandals turned the valve to the outlet pipe on and the water in the lake dropped too much, too quickly, but he also said that it was a good thing, in away, as the fish were pests and not good for the waterway, it only affected that type of fish. The turtles, eels, and smaller fish were happy and well still.
School is so much better outdoors where a stump becomes your chair.
Board walks become your desk.
Waterways become your visual resting point.
While the boys were busy filling in their work books a retired mathematics teacher came up to us, not only did he take the time to teach the boys a few things, but also gave me some tricks and tips for teaching and some very encouraging words! It's people like him that restore your faith in humanity😊
And a steam train becomes recess!
And you can have family come to visit and enjoy your learning with you, untraditional schooling really is an amazing way to learn and explore life.
These free gardens are also home to the Hinkler Hall of Aviation and museum. More about that later!