[Past Event] Sapling School, Waring Season 2021

Presented by Convent Kids

Join an outdoor expedition for curious kids and their adults led by Play Specialist, Catherine Sewell and Abbotsford Convent’s Gardener Malcolm Jackson. With singing, storytelling and hands-on activities, kids will learn about Waring (Wombat) Season in the Kulin Nation’s calendar, discover how to plant seeds, and more!

Explore the Convent’s sprawling heritage gardens, get those hands dirty, and rediscover the great outdoors through play. Children will have the opportunity to go on a guided walk, learn more about the plants and animals that live in the area, and sow seasonal vegetables in seedling trays which will then be rehomed in Lentil as Anything’s Edible Garden. The vegetables will be harvested by the Lentil’s team for use in delicious vegan dishes at their pay-as-you feel restaurant based at the Convent. Children will also create a magic nature wand and be given some seeds to plant at home.  

Tailored for children aged 3-5 years, Sapling School is specifically designed to introduce sustainability education at an early age, to encourage environmentally-conscious habits and to support children’s connection to their community and the land.

This is a rare opportunity for children to explore a fun, hands-on environment at the Convent, an inner-city green oasis bounded by the Birrarung (Yarra River).

Please be aware egg cartons are used.

Facilitators

Catherine Sewell, Play Specialist
Cat works in play as an artist, facilitator and educator. Cat currently works as a Play Specialist with local council, primary schools, playgroups and kindergartens, as well as producing theatrical work and installations for children and families.

Mal Jackson, Convent Gardener
Mal brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Convent’s gardens, having spent the past 30 years in the horticultural industry in the UK and Australia, including 18 years at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. As Convent Gardener, Mal is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Convent ‘s Heritage Gardens. He is proud to provide a space that all members of the community can enjoy and appreciate. His favourite part of his role is spending time out in the gardens and seeing the community enjoy the open space the Convent provides. Outside of work, Mal enjoys cycling, swimming , playing football (soccer), walking the dog and learning Spanish.

Access

• Participants will meet at the Rotunda and walk to different locations in the Convent’s gardens and grounds.
• The ground coverage will be varied, including bitumen, lawn, dirt/gravel, and uneven surfaces.
• The event location is outdoors and open to the public and there may be some background noise from other events happening at the Convent.

If you use a wheelchair or mobility device and would like to attend Sapling School, please contact us in advance at programming@abbotsfordconvent.com.au.

Your Safety is our priority

We take your safety seriously and have put in place the following COVID safety measures to ensure you are able to feel free and have fun:

• Numbers have been reduced so there is enough distance between household groups. 
• There will be some shared resources, santised between use.
• If you have your own gardening gloves, please bring along.

View the Convent’s COVID Safe plans here.

Supported by

Abbotsford Convent Foundation would like to acknowledge the Hamer Sprout Fund—part of the Hamer Family Fund and sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation.

Thank you to the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation for the use of Woi Wurrung language used in the educational resource material and in the workshop. 

We would also like to acknowledge the City of Yarra for supporting the Convent Kids program.