P.E.A.C.E. Projects 2022
The P.E.A.C.E. Projects is an initiative to sponsor and mentor Early Childhood Educators, in promoting Peace Education for young children in the classroom.
Creating a Mud Kitchen
Granted to Gioia Kendy and Cheryl Sosa at the Orange Unified School District, CA
Who is ready for a mud pie? The Child Development Center (CDC) is cooking up some delicious creations in our new mud kitchen. During the 2021/22 school year our parent group, Friends of the CDC, had a vision to create an outdoor play area for our students that would promote student well-being while teaching critical social and emotional skills, foster teamwork, and strengthen STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education.
To make that vision a reality the CDC applied for and were awarded funding from P.E.A.C.E. (Peace Educators Allied for Children Everywhere), received a donation check from SA Recycling and our parent group raised additional funds through fundraisers and collected donations of old pots, pans, and utensils to build the new play area.
On September 12, 2022, the mud kitchen opened for business. The students got right to work measuring out mud to fill cupcake tins, worked together to operate the pump faucet, and shared materials throughout the process.
Although the students think they are just “playing” outside they are really gaining so many important skills. They are strengthening their fine motor skills by picking up items with tongs or kneading the mud into pies. They are learning how to work together, take turns and share materials. The teachers are modeling social skills when a problem arises. This area is allowing our teachers to bring the classroom outside and it’s giving our students more of an opportunity to be in the great outdoors.
Here is what our students are saying about the mud kitchen:
“I like the mud kitchen because there is a real sink. I like to make cakes.” -Rhett
“I like to play in the mud kitchen with my friends and make cupcakes.” -Mia
“I like to play in the sink and make it go up and down.” – Kyle
Thank you so much for your generous gift. Without the funding from P.E.A.C.E. this never would have been possible. We are excited to watch this area grow and see what wonderful things our students create.
