As part of their Japanese culture studies at Treehouse Montessori School, all children starting from the age of one year participated in the annual sweet potato digging field trip at a nearby farm, located on the outskirts of Yokohama.
The children went to the local farm, which they have visited for the last five years, in a bus hired by the school. The children always look forward to catching up with the bus driver, who has accompanied them for the last three years on this particular trip.
Much preparation is done with the children before the big day on what to expect: rules that must be followed on the bus, what they will be digging up at the farm, how to dig, and guidelines for digging.
The field trip was a tremendous success! Most students dug five or six potatoes each, and were thrilled to be able to take home so many for a tasty meal!
However, the highlight of the day was the picnic at a nearby park. The walk to the picnic site from the parking lot was an adventure as the group walked up and down small hills, passing tennis courts, a large baseball practice field, and a small pond in a Japanese garden before finally reaching their destination, where the children sat together and enjoyed their homemade lunch.
The day ended with a group photo at the park. The sweet potato digging field trip is one of Treehouse Montessori School’s biggest events, and is always thoroughly enjoyed by the children. Their happy faces and the mud-stained clothes they return home in accurately reflect this special day—messy, but an awful lot of fun!
— JENNY VYVIAL
