Play the Berry Garden game with your child. Can you use fences and nets to design a solution that will block the bunnies from getting into the strawberry patches?
5–15 minutes
Get Ready
Materials you will need:
- Berry Garden digital game on an iPad
Things to do before the activity:
- Play Berry Garden on your own before playing with your child. Notice that the game gets more challenging as you go through the 12 levels.
- In Levels 1–4, use fences to protect two to three berry plants.
- In levels 5–8, use fences and nets to protect two to three berry plants.
- In Levels 9–12, use fences and nets to protect four to six berry plants.
A character with a speech bubble and rabbit with a thought bubble.
The strawberries need to be protected.
Let's see how we can keep the bunnies away!
Explore!
Step 1.
Before you play the game, talk about places you have seen plants growing outdoors. Point out what plants need to grow, like sun, air, soil, space, and water. Mention how sometimes people need to help outdoor plants grow, such as by protecting them from being eaten by animals.
Step 2.
Play the game. Tap the green play button. Listen to Nico introduce the game. Talk about the problem you will be solving in the game. Notice how Nico drags a fence over to the strawberry patch. Talk about how each fence can protect one side of the strawberry patch. Beginning in Level 5, also mention how a net can protect the whole strawberry patch from the bunnies.
Step 3.
Discuss available materials. Look at the available materials in the purple box. What materials do we have available to help us protect the strawberries? Together, count the number of strawberry patches in the garden. Take turns pointing out how the bunnies will be able to get into the strawberry patches.
Step 4.
Create a solution. Choose a material and drag it to the garden. How many sides of the strawberry patch does this material protect? Continue to place fences or nets in the garden until you think you have a solution that blocks all the bunnies from getting to the berries.
Step 5.
Test your solution. Are all the strawberry patches protected? Press the blue “bunny” button. If the bunnies start eating the strawberries, try another design! Notice how the bunnies got into the strawberry patch. Talk about how you can change your design. Consider moving materials around, adding different materials, or taking away other materials. Test your new design.
Step 6.
Harvest the strawberries. When your design solves the problem and the strawberries are all protected—it is time to harvest the berries! Together, count the strawberries and put them in the basket.
Helpful Tips
- With your child, explore how people help protect and care for outdoor plants. For example: Point out fences people built to keep animals out, a garden hose that neighbors use to water the grass, nets covering berry plants to keep birds from eating the berries, and plant support structures that keep plants from bending over.
- With your child, explore how outdoor environments provide things plants need to grow. For example: Point out how plants get water when it rains, how plants get light from the sun, how trees at the playground grow in the soil, and how plants in a garden are spaced out so roots and plants have room to grow.
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