At Wiedewei Gravinnelaan in Oud-Beijerland, the Butterfly Festival took place on Tuesday 10 June, a festive and educational moment where toddlers released butterflies that they had cared for themselves over the past few weeks. This concluded the Month of the Butterfly, a nature education project that was carried out at all our locations.
During the project, all 24 of our branches received butterfly breeding packages from De Vlinderstichting. The young children followed step by step how caterpillars developed into butterflies. In addition to caring for them, the theme was experienced in many different ways: with creative activities, songs, discovery games and reading picture books about the life of a butterfly.
In a specially decorated outdoor corner, the butterflies were released one by one on Tuesday, June 10. The toddlers formed a circle, sang songs, made music and waved the butterflies goodbye.
After the Butterfly Festival, Mirella explained what makes the project so valuable: “At Wiedewei, we believe it is important that children not only see nature, but really experience it,” she says. “During Butterfly Month, the children experienced up close how a caterpillar changes into a butterfly. By following what happens every day, they learn about growth, change and caring for something living in a playful way. The Butterfly Festival is a loving moment to round this off together. In this way, we build respect for nature and confidence in their own abilities.”
The Butterfly Festival is part of the broader pedagogical approach of Wiedewei, in which experiencing nature, sustainability and being outdoors play a central role.
