Hampshire House

Exploring Patterns, Fractals, and Food Transformations

This term, our children in the Margaret White room have been exploring the fascinating world of patterns and fractals through everyday fruits and vegetables. Together, they observed the natural designs hidden inside foods, from the spirals of a broccoli floret, the symmetry of a sliced apple, and the repeated patterns of citrus segments. The children were curious about how these intricate patterns are part of the natural world, sparking conversations about shapes, repetition, and design in nature.

Our investigation didn’t stop there. The children experimented with how food can be transformed. They watched the fresh fruits and vegetables change as they dried, shrank, and deepened in colour and texture. The children enjoyed using the dehydrator and watching in awe as the foods changed and transformed as the water evaporated.

A key part of this learning has been hands-on food preparation. Using child-safe cutting boards and utensils, the children practised cutting up fruit, preparing salads, and even blending smoothies. Involving children in these everyday kitchen tasks builds fine motor skills, confidence, and an understanding of healthy eating from an early age. More importantly, it fosters independence, teamwork, and respect for the process of preparing and sharing food together.

The children also worked collaboratively to combine single ingredients into vibrant salads, learning how individual pieces can come together to create something entirely new. Through these explorations, the children engaged deeply in scientific thinking, creative problem solving, and sensory discovery, building a joyful connection between food, nature, and learning.

Our children also had a wonderful time experimenting with chopsticks during their food exploration. They practised picking up pieces of fruit and vegetables, concentrating on controlling the sticks and coordinating their movements. Using chopsticks helped develop their fine motor skills, hand–eye coordination, and patience, all while introducing them to a different cultural way of eating. The activity was both fun and challenging, sparking lots of laughter, problem-solving, and a sense of pride as the children became more confident in their new skills. What clever children we have at Hampshire House!

Ms Maribel Militante

Co-educator, The Margaret White Room