Glen Education Oakleigh South
Building Connections with Community and Caring for Our Environment: The Hermit Crab Inquiry Project
At Glen Oakleigh South Kindergarten, children’s learning is enriched through meaningful community connections and inquiry-based experiences that emerge from their interests and curiosities. Recently, our learning community had the wonderful opportunity to welcome Mandy, Annabelle and Chloe’s mum, who shared their pet hermit crabs with the children. This hands-on experience sparked an evolving inquiry project focused on sea life, environmental responsibility, and caring for living things.
The purpose of this project was to build children’s understanding of hermit crabs and marine environments while supporting our curriculum goals of strengthening community connections and empowering children to care for the environment. Through observation, discussion, research, and shared experiences, the children actively constructed knowledge and developed empathy for living creatures.
The children were highly engaged and demonstrated deep curiosity during the visit. They asked thoughtful questions such as:
- “When do hermit crabs sleep?”
- “What do they eat?”
- “Why do they change shells?”
To extend this interest, educators facilitated group discussions, viewed short educational videos about hermit crabs, and created provocations related to sea life and ocean conservation. Children explored the physical characteristics, habitats, and behaviours of hermit crabs while also making connections to caring for the ocean and protecting marine life.
Children’s voices were central to the inquiry:
Annabelle: “They keep changing shells.”
Chloe: “They have different colours and they have 10 legs.”
Liam T: “If you leave rubbish in the ocean they might die.”
Advaith: “We need to put rubbish in a bin, not on the beach.”
As the project evolved, children began engaging in deeper conversations about sustainability, including the importance of proper waste disposal, recycling, reusing materials, and limiting the use of plastic to help protect oceans and animals. Their discussions demonstrated growing awareness of how human actions impact the environment and reflected their emerging identities as active and responsible citizens.
This inquiry strongly connects to our kindergarten goals around community engagement and caring for the environment. Mandy’s participation strengthened partnerships between families and the kindergarten, highlighting the important role families play in enriching the curriculum and learning program.
The project has continued to evolve through children’s ongoing interest in animals and caring for living things. Inspired by the hermit crab experience, more children have been eager to share their pets and experiences from home with their peers. Thomas brought chickens to kindergarten, creating opportunities for children to discuss how animals are cared for and what living things need to survive. Liliana also shared her pet poodle “Sabo” with the children, showing them, her pets eating habits and explaining how she helps care for her pet by giving baths and having regular haircuts. These experiences further extended conversations about responsibility, empathy, and caring for living things.
As educators, we have critically reflected on how authentic, child-led experiences create meaningful learning opportunities and strengthen children’s confidence in expressing ideas, asking questions, and making connections with the wider world. We have observed that children are most engaged when learning emerges from real experiences, family participation, and their own interests.
This inquiry project remains ongoing, and we are excited to see where the children’s curiosity leads next. Possible future experiences may include visits to a veterinarian, investigations into recycling and waste management systems, or further sustainability projects connected to protecting our environment and caring for living things.
Through this evolving inquiry, children are developing knowledge, empathy, environmental awareness, and a strong sense of connection to their community and the natural world.