Children learn to love and respect all lives at “Fruit & Vegetable Planet”
The Fruit and Vegetable Planet Project is here again! Children at Tzu Chi Great Love PreSchool put on their animal costumes and brought with them their Fruit & Vegetable passports and took off to the Fruit & Vegetable Planet in their rocket. Through a creative activity like this, the love for animals are instilled in the hearts of little children.
“Parrot” and “Lion” are happily communicating in sign language. Crowded with so many different “animals”, preschool children are now at the Fruit and Vegetable Planet.
Tzu Chi Great Love PreSchool has launched a vegetarian programme at the school. Teachers and children designed rockets, vegetarian menu and decorated their classroom over a period of three weeks.
Gan Wen Shan, PreSchool teacher: This is to let them experience “flying” to another earth that belongs to their imagination. How do we keep this place beautiful? I must eat more vegetables and fruits and I want to be with the animals. I have to know how to protect this planet earth.
Teacher: Congrats, you may go to veggie planet. Bring your passport with you, wear your helmet
After much anticipation, the day for departure finally arrived. All equipment is in place, but there is one last requirement to meet before they can go to the planet.
Children: Only vegetarians (can go), those who eat meat cannot go
Children: Lion also must eat veggie on the veggie planet
Children: If we eat animals, the little animals will lose their mother
Soh Ser Yean, PreSchool teacher: Before departing to the Fruit & Vegetable Planet, the children must go meatless for 30 days before they could become friends with the other “animals”. Part of the merit bank book is to encourage children to adopt a vegetarian diet. They will draw a heart shape for me if they eat vegetables and fruits. It will motivate them to participate in this activity.
Landing on the Fruit and Vegetable Planet is just one of the many chapters in their journey towards vegetarianism. Children will continue to show their compassion and determination to protect animals in their food choices.
