Dumfries and Galloway Council joined forces with the Royal HighlandEducational Trust (RHET) to launch the pilot, which could gonationwide.
Ten gingham bags that include puppets, toy farmyard animals, CDs, booksand DVDs were created at a cost of 150 each, and made availableon loan for all day nurseries, pre-schools, childminding clusters andout-of-school clubs in Dumfries and Galloway.
Creator of the bags Eileen Wilson, a project co-ordinator at RHET, said,'There are tabards and masks of cows, chickens, horses and sheep. Onelarge hand puppet is the farmer and there are finger puppets of animals.The children can feel and touch real farming products as we include bagsfilled with straw, wheat, wool and barley.
'It's not a toy box - it's a project box so it can be used for all sortsof topics. It's a resource for nursery workers and a great startingpoint for ideas.'
Margaret Clark, countryside initiative developer for RHET, said, 'A lotof rural children don't have any an idea about how their food isproduced, just like urban children. The project means they learn toappreciate and recognise the countryside around them and go throughschool remembering and knowing what's going on in the countryside.'
The project has proved so popular that it is being expanded across thecountry, with more bags planned by Fife and Fallow Valley CountrysideInitiatives and in Edinburgh.
For details see www.rhet. org.uk or call 0131 335 6227.
