This month, the Toddler 1 program at RisingOaks Early Learning | St. Patrick, experienced a special moment during outdoor play when they discovered a nest of baby bunnies huddled together under the mulch. The children were filled with excitement and wonder, greeting the bunnies with cheerful cries of "Hi, bunnies!” Together, we learned the importance of observing animals from a safe distance so they would not feel disturbed. When asked why we needed to move away, the children began to understand that the baby bunnies needed rest and quiet.

The children’s interest in the bunnies continued through creative experiences. At the chalkboard, they used water paintbrushes to create their own bunny pictures. Cassidy shared, “I’m painting my baby bunny,” while Hélène proudly said, “My bunny!”, pointing at her creations. Cassidy added that her bunny was saying, “Hop! Hop!” Others explored the activity in their own ways, with Nellie closely watching water drip down the board and Andi painting “bunny ears”. These moments supported imagination, communication, creativity, and scientific curiosity.

Back inside the classroom, the children would often look out the window where the bunnies were resting. They showed care and understanding when reminded to use quiet voices so the babies could continue resting peacefully.

To extend this growing interest, we invited the children to share their ideas about what bunnies like to eat. Some children suggested, “They just eat breakfast!” while others named foods such as pancakes and crackers. They also shared that bunnies do not eat carrots, cucumbers, or pizza! The following day, we introduced a “Feed the Bunny” activity using a laminated bunny and pictures of vegetables and greens that bunnies may enjoy, including carrots, lettuce, sweet peppers, celery, broccoli, and cabbage. 

The children happily fed the bunny while practicing nurturing behaviours, fine motor skills, and imaginative play. These experiences encouraged wonder, empathy, and respect for living things while supporting language development, creativity, and meaningful connections with nature.