On November 26th, the “Aromatherapy World” One-day Trip took place at JOY VALLEY. During the trip, children explored the herb garden, picked herbs to make roasted chicken and herbal ointment. They learned through practice; they really enjoy it.
Discovering the Secrets of Herb Plants
Hiking into the valley, the children first arrived at the herb garden. Here, the instructor introduced different types of herbs: lemongrass, Scottish mint, aromatic marigold, thyme, wormwood, and more. The children squatted down to observe, picked them with their hands, smelled them, and incorporated them into food preparation to taste the unique flavors brought by the herbs.
Throughout the entire process, the children fully engaged their senses and wholeheartedly experienced the charm of nature while learning knowledge through firsthand experience.
Made their own delicious food
The special delicacies for this event were roasted chicken and pizza!
Before roasting the chicken, the children automatically divided themselves into two groups and began their preparations. Under the guidance of the teacher, everyone collected dry hay and branches for making fire, dug soil from the ground, marinated the chicken, and wrapped the marinated chicken in banana leaves. Each person was busy but also filled with joy.
Roasting pizza was the highlight that the children had been eagerly anticipating. In the previous event, the children had personally built a pizza oven, and this time, the teacher brought them a huge surprise – the Pizza Oven Plus!
Using ingredients such as flour, tomato sauce, cheese, and bacon, the children made two large pizzas and eagerly placed them inside the oversized pizza oven, waiting for the delicious outcome.
When the pizzas were taken out from the oven, the children exclaimed “Wow!” in unison. It was truly a successful trial!
Handmade herbal ointment
After tasting the homemade delicacies, the instructor led the children in the most important activity of the day – making homemade herbal ointment.
The children followed the instructor’s instructions to formulate the recipe. The key ingredient was a wild herb called “Centipeda Minima”. It had been soaked in tea seed oil for six months in advance. The herb was then combined with beeswax, petroleum jelly, and lemongrass essential oil. The mixture was heated and stirred to form a liquid, which was then poured into containers to cool. And thus, the mosquito-repellent and itch-relieving herbal ointment was successfully made.
When the children were using modern petroleum jelly for the formulation, the instructor also introduced an ancient and unique ingredient – lard. In ancient times, people used lard for skincare. When the instructor brought out a pot of solidified lard, the children gathered around, some even picking it up to taste it, their curiosity greatly satisfied.
The moment of honor
As the course came to an end, the certificates in their hands served as a testament to the children’s dedication to learning and hard work.
Integrating nature education into everyday life allows children not only to learn while having fun but also to acquire hands-on skills and essential survival knowledge.
Immersing themselves in the entire process, this is truly the best kind of day!
