CHILDREN at a farm-based children’s nursery in Richmondshire now also have their very own farm shop to help them develop their learning.

Part of the pre-school room at High Bank Day Nursery in Stapleton, near Darlington, has been transformed into a farm shop complete with fruit and vegetables, scales, till and pretend money.

The children are using the shop to learn everything from the difference between fruit and vegetables and which parts of the world they come from, through to how to weigh produce, set prices and give and receive change.

Pre-school room leader Minnie Javad: said: “We are using the farm shop as part of the children’s learning and development and even after only a few weeks they already have a good understanding of where the different fruit and vegetables come from.

“This compliments the outdoor learning we do, so the children have planted carrots, potatoes and beans in the garden, knowing that they will then be able to dig them up and use them in the farm shop.

“The children eat a range of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis and because they are now also using them in the farm shop, they are even more eager to try them.

“It’s also a good way of introducing maths into the children’s learning because we discuss the prices of the produce and we give them pretend money so they can buy and sell fruit and vegetables and make sure they give/receive the correct change.

“As a nursery based on a working farm, it’s a great way of introducing the children to the kinds of life experiences they will have as they get older, as well as preparing them for school.”