A VISIT TO THE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF UNIVERSITY OF MARIBOR WITH PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN

Predšolski otroci spoznavajo naravo predvsem v neposrednem stiku z njo. Botanični vrt je ena izmed možnosti, s katero jim lahko omogočimo tak stik. Poleg ogleda rastlin, sprostitve in rekreacije, nam omogoča tudi izobraževanje v obliki organiziranih vodenih ogledov in aktivnostih pripravljenih tudi za predšolske otroke. Cilj diplomske naloge je ugotoviti, kako obisk botaničnega vrta vpliva na znanje, odnos in predstave otrok o rastlinah. V raziskavo smo vključili dve skupini predšolskih otrok (32 otrok), starih od štiri do šest let, iz vrtca Pikapolonica (Osnovna šola Starše) in Vrtca Razvanje (Vrtec Jožice Flander). Z anketo smo najprej raziskali kakšno je znanje, kakšne so predstave in odnos otrok do rastlin ter kakšno je poznavanje ustanov kot je botanični vrt. Po anketiranju smo organizirali voden ogled Botaničnega vrta Univerze v Mariboru, ki je vključeval aktivnosti za predšolske otroke. Po obisku botaničnega vrta smo otroke ponovno anketirali. Odgovori otrok po obisku botaničnega vrta so pokazali, da se otroci bojijo določenih rastlin, da pa so jim všeč drugačne rastline in da so spoznali več rastlin, kar pomeni, da imajo botanični vrtovi v predšolskem obdobju pomembno vlogo.Preschool children learn about nature mainly by direct contact and a botanical garden is one of many options that can make such contact possible. Besides its display of plants and a chance for relaxation and recreation, a botanical garden also offers us educational possibilities in form of guided tours and activities for preschool children. The main purpose of my thesis is to determine what impact a visit to a botanical garden can have on the knowledge, attitude and ideas of children about plants. The research consists of two groups of preschool children (32 children altogether), aged from 4 to 6 with one visiting The kindergarten Pikapolonica (Primary school Starše) and the other visiting The kindergarten Razvanje (Kindergarten of Jožica Flander). With the help of a survey we first determined what the children’s knowledge, ideas and attitudes towards plants and institutions such as the botanical garden were. After the survey we organized a guided tour of The Botanical garden of the University of Maribor, which also included activities for preschool children. After the visit to the botanical garden we performed another survey with the children. The answers of children after the visit to the botanical garden show, that the children were afraid of some plants but they did like some other plantsthey also knew more plants after the visits, which indicates, that botanical gardens play an important role in the education of preschool children