Farm To Table

Discover where your food comes from in this interactive farm-to-table experience! Young farmers explore the complete food cycle by gathering fresh produce, collecting eggs from the chicken coop, visiting the pollinator station to learn about bees and honey, picking fruit from trees, and even milking the cow. This hands-on exhibit makes abstract concepts like agriculture, nutrition, and food systems tangible and fun. 

Children practice sorting and categorizing by color, size, and type using realistic baskets, crates, and transport tools to move their harvest. Matching games and measurement activities build early math skills while children learn the biological origins of everyday foods. The dining table provides a space to share findings and discuss where each item came from. 

Whether roleplaying as a farmer gathering the day's harvest or a market shopper making selections, this exhibit builds appreciation for agriculture, healthy eating, and the community systems that bring food to our tables. 

    • The Harvest Field: Interactive areas for gathering produce, eggs, and honey 

    • Sorting Stations: Tools for matching and categorizing items by color, size, and type 

    • Market Supplies: Baskets, crates, and transport tools for moving the harvest 

    • Agricultural Tools: Realistic farm-themed manipulatives that teach the physical steps of food production 

    • Science: Learn the biological origins of produce, eggs, and honey 

    • Math: Practice counting, sorting patterns, and measurement 

    • Society: Understand the roles of farmers and how food systems support a community 

    • STEAM Skills: Focuses on Science and Math 

    • Tangible World: Manipulating and rearranging objects to develop fine motor skills 

    • Creative: Roleplaying as a farmer or market shopper to develop unique stories 

    • Observation: Identifying colors and sizes to match and categorize items 

Explore More 

This exhibit is located in Gilbert House. Also explore: Science Lab | Gilbert Grill 

  • A young girl with light brown hair reaching to her shoulders is playing a wooden arcade game with plastic vegetables, including red peppers, in a room with green and gray walls.
  • A man in a green jacket and black cap is pointing at a toddler boy holding a yellow cup and a red object, in a room with other children. The table has bowls, a pitcher, a sandwich, and a water bottle with a Spiderman logo.
  • A young boy hugging a large black and white cow statue at a farm or dairy exhibit.
  • A young girl in green striped pajamas holding a small white ball stands in front of a shelf with stuffed animals, including plush dolls and chickens.
  • A young child with light hair, wearing a green and black jacket, gray pants, and white socks, standing next to a yellow game or display case filled with colorful felt balls, in a room with light green walls and dark gray carpet.
  • A young girl sitting at a table filled with toy food items, including apples, crackers, and a bottle, in a playroom with a yellow and black honeycomb decoration in the background. She is looking down at the toy apples in front of her.