Wild Strawberry (Fragaria glauca)(otahimin, means heart berry, Cree) Wild strawberries are widespread in Canada and are

commonly eaten by indigenous people in many areas of Canada. Strawberries are eaten fresh or preserved or crushed and added to drinks. The leaves may be added to tea for flavoring. The leaves, roots and runners have been used as medicine for a variety of diseases. Strawberry roots have been mixed with other plants, such as yarrow, to make medicines. The berries were also used a stain removers on the teeth and to whiten sunburned skin. The root was sometimes chewed to clean the teeth. Uses: In addition to eating the berries fresh, the children may preserve the berries through jam making. Wild Mint (Mentha arvensis) (amisko wehkuskwa, good tasting beaver plant, Cree) Mint was one of the top ten plants used for medicine by indigenous people in North America, with 115 recorded medicinal uses. Uses: Wild mint could be incorporated into cultural teachings with children by making tea with it. Crush approximately two tablespoons of fresh, or two teaspoons dried, leaves and steep the leaves for around ten minutes in boiling water. To dry mint leaves, simply spread them out in a warm, well ventilated place for several days. Store in an airtight container.

Wild Grape (Vitis riparia) (jomonga wunji, Ojibwa). The Ojibwa, Iroquois and Malecite people ate the grapes fresh or preserved and the Iroquois also ate the young shoots. The Ojibwa and Iroquois used the roots, vines and sap to make a variety of medicinal teas. Uses: In my experience wild grapes makes an excellent juice; simply have the children mash the grapes, then strain the mash. Sugar may be added to taste. Jams or jellies may also be made with the grapes. Another option is to squish the grapes and use them as a dye or for painting crafts.

Canada Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides) (inimena, person berry, Cree). Blueberries are harvested and eaten by a number of indigenous groups in; the berries would be eaten fresh or preserved for later. The Cree eat blueberries with fish or bannock. In the past, some First Nations people mixed the berries with fat for pemmican, but this is not commonly practiced today. Blueberry tea can be made from the dried leaves and berries. The Cree and Ojibwa used various parts of the blueberry plant as a medicine. Blueberries were also used to dye porcupine quills. Uses: The children will be able to pick and eat the berries as a part of their play time, once the berries are ripe. In addition to eating the berries fresh, the berries could be preserved by drying them, if there are enough. Spread the berries out on a cookie sheet and dry them using a low heat in the oven. Try steeping a handful of dried blueberries for ten minutes to make a pleasant fragrant tea.

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)(apiscanakaskisik, cow pleasant tasting plant, Cree) Wild Bergamot was used to make teas and had medicinal uses. Uses: The blooms will attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. These creatures can be observed by the children. The plant can be used for making tea with the children. When the children make the tea they will enhance their cognitive, linguistic and fine motor skills. To make bergamot tea, add a handful of fresh or dried leaves to a teapot, add boiling water and steep for five minutes. Sweet Grass (Hierochloe odorata) (wekus, Cree) Used for ceremonies, such as smudging, by many First Nations groups, particularly those living on the prairies. Sweet grass could be chewed on during times of fasting to increase endurance. It was also used in sachets due to its sweet smell. Sweet grass was widely used as a medicine. Boiled sweet grass braids were used to facilitate childbirth during difficult labor. The fact that four braids were used in the decoction may mean that the medicine was also ritualistic in use. Uses: Sweet grass has a lovely scent and the children could use it to make sachets with. The children will be able to touch the long sweet grass and compare it to the short grass on the lawn and experience how the two grasses feel and smell different. An Elder could be invited to harvest the sweet grass and use the sweet grass in smudging ceremonies. Learning to make braids of sweet grass will enhance childrens fine motor skills. Braiding will become a sensory experience as the children feel, see and smell the sweet grass while they braid. When the children braid sweet grass they will see that an individual blade of grass is weak, but together they are strong.

Developmental Benefits of Plants in the Playground

Pasture Sage (Artemisia frigida) (mostosowehkuskwa, good tasting cow plant, Cree). The dried or fresh sage leaves of the pasture sagewort were used in a tea or added to roasting meats and commonly used as a medicine or in ceremonies. Sage was sometimes added to trap lures by Cree hunters. Some indigenous groups in the northern United States have used the seeds as food. However, many sages contain volatile oils that are poisonous, and EXTREME caution should be exercised in use. For this reason it is important to obtain sage from a reputable source.

Prairie Sage (Artemisia ludoviciana)(mostosowehkuskwa, good tasting cow plant, Cree) The cultural information for prairie sage would be the same as for pasture sage (see above). Uses: Once the sage is ready, an Elder could be invited to harvest and dry the sage with the children. The sage may then be used by the Elder in a smudging ceremony. Alternatively, sachets could be made using the sage.

Physical development: Regular play in natural environments enhances motor fitness, including coordination, balance and agility. Children are sick less often when they play outside. During planting children use fine motor skills when crumbling clods of earth, holding the plants, patting down the earth and when gently holding the worms they find. During planting children use gross motor skills when they carry the plant to the correct spot, transfer the plant from the container to the ground and when they water the plants.

While the First Nations people in Manitoba were primarily hunting societies they also depended on plants for a variety of purposes; these plants played an important role in culture.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge may be transferred in a childrens garden.

Language and Literacy Skills Play is more imaginative and creative in natural environments; this fosters language use and development. During planting children learned new words in context: night crawler, roots, stem, transplant, trowel. Children had the opportunity to learn the names of plants in more than one language. Children could discuss the uses of plants and have meaningful conversations with others. Emergent Literacy: signs were created to remind the person mowing the lawn not to mow the plants. Children will continue to learn new vocabulary related to plant care, science, math and other topics in a concrete rather than abstract way. Pre-reading and pre-writing skills are fostered; visual discrimination and strengthening small muscles that will be used in writing.

Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) (kuskwasonapiskos, thimble plant, Cree) The Cree and Ojibwa used the roots for a variety of medicines. Uses: Use the harebell as an art object rather than as a medicine in an early years education and care setting. It could also occasionally be used for flower bouquets on the lunch table. Because Harebells transplant so well, once the plant is well established, the children could be taught how to transplant.

Three Flower Avens (Geum triflorum) (nebaneyanekweaga, Ojibwa). Three flowered avens are also known as prairie smoke due to their distinctive flowers that resemble low lying smoke when a group is blooming together. Ojibwa used the root either alone or in conjunction with alumroot as a medicine. Uses: Use as part of a sensory program; children can compare how the avens bloom and seeds feel in comparison to other flowers blooms and seeds. The feathery seed heads could also be used as paintbrushes in an art activity along with other plant materials such as dandelions, pines needles, spruce cones and other flowers.

Ostrich Ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) (niteli tsu choghe, Ojibwa) Young ferns, or fiddleheads are eaten by a number of First Nations people and are also enjoyed by other people as well. Ostrich ferns were also used as a medicine. Uses: In a childrens garden the purpose of growing plants is not usually to provide food for the childrens survival but to use the plant as a teaching aid. However, ostrich ferns would make excellent plants for playing hide and seek with or as a dramatic play area involving dinosaurs. Wild Flax (Linium lewisii) Wild Flax was used medicinally by many people. The seeds were gathered by First Nations people in the Missouri area and added to their cooking. Uses: In a childrens garden the seeds could be used to attract birds, and the plant itself could be used to study flowering cycles of plants as flowers bloom briefly while the seeds appear quickly. The fallen petals may be picked up by the children to use in crafts. This will enhance their fine motor skills.

Wood Lilies (Lilium philadelphicum) (wapayoominusk, Cree). The flowers, seeds, and bulbs were all used as food; Cree and other First Nations people would eat the bulb fresh or dried. The bulbs were usually prepared by boiling them with other foods. The roots and flowers were used medicinally by First Nations people living within the plants range, including the Ojibwa, Algonquin and Malecite. Medicinal teas were made from the root and used to treat coughs and other ailments. Uses: Due to the fact that the plant will die if it is picked or eaten, it would be best to enjoy the beauty of the flower. The children could use the art supplies outdoors to draw the lilies.

Social & Emotional Skills: Children who play in natural environments experience less stress. Antisocial behaviours (violence, bullying) are reduced when children play in natural environments. Nature helps children by instilling a sense of peace; when children feel sad they can know they will be happy again, just like the sun always comes out after a storm. Nature play leads to children having more positive feelings towards others. Natural environments stimulate social interactions; no child was left out or neglected by the others. In one instance a child who had never willingly joined the group participated fully for the entire activity under her own initiative. Children develop independence and autonomy when they play in natural settings. Children shared; information on how to break up clumps of dirt, worms with each other. Children needed to communicate, negotiate jobs, cooperate and take turns when working with the plants; Older children ensured that younger children had a chance to water the plants first. Empathy was practiced when caring for the worms. Children will have the opportunity to practice responsibility as they engage in plant care. Group problem solving; decided what to do when some of the plants came right out of the soil as transplanting occurred. Children will have the opportunity to harvest berries and other items together.

Cognitive Skills: Children who have regular contact with nature are better able to concentrate and have more self discipline. Greater imagination skills are developed through contact with nature. There is a positive link between nature exposure and the development of a sense of wonder; this can lead to motivation for life long learning. Awareness, reasoning and observational skills can be improved by exposure to nature. Creativity increases with positive nature experiences. Children learned the steps involved in planting. Map reading skills were utilized. All five senses were used. The children will be able to learn about science, math, health and nutrition through interactions and observation in the outdoor play space. Children learned all the parts of the plants Children learned how to care for the plants.

Gaillardia (Gaillardia aristata) Gaillardia was used as a medicine and the flowers were put into soups. Flowers were also rubbed on rawhide bags to waterproof them. Uses: The Gift of The Sacred Dog could be read to the children while they sit by the flowers. This would give them an opportunity to notice that the flowers in the book are like the ones in the garden. This would be both a literacy and a cognitive experience.

Wild Rose/Prickly Rose (Rosa acicularis) (kaminakuse, thorn plant, Cree). Most parts of the rose plant may be eaten with the rose hips being particularly healthy due to their high vitamin content. Rose petals and hips are eaten raw or cooked; there are a variety of methods by which they may be processed. Both hips and petals are used for making tea. The young green shoots may be peeled and eaten raw or cooked as a pot herb. While some First Nations people ate parts of the Wild Rose as a regular part of their diet, others looked upon it as a starvation food. Roots and stems were used to make medicine, the inner bark was a tobacco. Ojibwa and other indigenous people used green rose hips to make toy pipes for children and sometimes the firm, ripe rose hips were strung together to make a necklace. Uses: Make some tea for a tea party! When making tea from rose hips it is important to split the seed open and scrape out the inside hairs before drying as the small hairs can irritate the digestive tract. The dried hips may then be powdered and used in tea. One tablespoon of the powder added to a cup of water will make a nice tea. The rose petals may also be used in tea, use about one cup of rose petals for every one to two cups of boiling water. Due to the large number of petals needed to make rose petal tea it would make more sense to use the petals in a sachet craft, or as a jam.

Giant Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) (Ka-wikipakahk, Cree) Giant Hyssop is commonly used to make teas or flavour food. Cree people add the leaves to store bought tea to improve the flavour of the store bought tea; the leaves were also used as a medicinal tea. The flowers were often included in the medicine bundles of Cree people. The flower head could be chewed as a breath freshener. Uses: Dry some leaves to make tea, or simply enjoy watching the wildlife these flowers attract.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) (wi-nawizi, jealous woman, Dakota). Licorice root and leaves were used as a medicine and for tea. It is reported that in the northern United State the roots of Wild Licorice were roasted then pounded to create a food reminiscent of sweet potato. Cheyenne people ate the young, tender shoots raw. Uses: Due to the fact that the root needs to be dug up in order to make tea it would make more sense to buy licorice tea for the children to taste. While they drink the tea, a discussion could be held regarding where licorice tea comes from and that it is a traditional tea. True black licorice, such as Panda Brand licorice from Finland, could be eaten in order to taste the licorice flavour. The burrs make interesting rattles in the fall and can also be used in science activities. The prickles teach children to touch gently.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) (wapunewusk, white flower, Cree) The use of Yarrow is widespread among indigenous people in North America, with 366 different uses for it, 355 of which are medicines. Yarrow smoke was used to purify rooms, as a hair rinse, to take the itch away from mosquito bites and sometimes to clean the gums of teething babies. Cree people also used yarrow leaves and flowers as bait in lynx traps. Some people drink a tea made with the leaves but others feel the leaves are poisonous. Health Canada considers Yarrow to be safe for human consumption. Uses: Yarrow may be appreciated for its aesthetic and sensory value. Yarrow flowers could be added to the water table; this will provide an additional sensory experience. Children may observe different insects that are attracted to it. Tea may be made by steeping one or two teaspoons of crushed dried yarrow in one cup of water, then adding honey to taste; I would not recommend this in a daycare setting.

Tall Meadow Rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum) Blackfoot and other First Nations groups used Tall Meadow Rue as a love medicine in order to attract others or to end quarrels between lovers. The seeds and roots were also used for making medicinal teas and poultices to relieve a variety of ills. Children made toy flutes from the hollow stems. The ripe seeds have a pleasant fragrance, they were rubbed then scattered over clothing to impart a pleasing smell. Uses: Because Meadow Rue was used to end quarrels the children could sit by the plant to discuss problems they are having and find solutions. This practice would enhance the childrens social skills, and teach them acceptable ways of conflict resolution. Children made toy flutes from the hollow stems in times past and they could try this in the fall at daycare.

Big Bluestem Grass (Andropogon gerardi) (muckodekanes, Ojibwa) Ojibwa people used the roots alone or in conjunction with other plants to make medicine for stomach pain, urine stoppage and as a female remedy. Uses: Talk with the children about how this grass once covered much of the prairies and provided an important food for the buffalo. The children can observe its growth and compare it to other grasses.

Created by Sheila Grieve copyright 2009 grieves@assiniboine.net or prairiegirl_13@hotmail.com