An outdoor farmers market, like the Union County Farmers Market at Wilson Park, is a wonderful place for a family outing. It should be fun for everyone and a fabulous learning experience for your children. The variety of sights, sounds and smells at the market automatically engage your child’s senses and are a fun way to foster curiosity, teach important skills and encourage them to think about where their food comes from. A few ideas to help you get started on a family outing to the market follow.

Encourage your children to talk to the farmers. They are very responsive to children and their questions. Where is their farm? How do they farm? Why are they growing… (blueberries or squash – whatever!)? Why is that (apple, tomato…) not perfectly round? Speaking to adults is always a good skill and you can also teach them about friendships. The next time they visit the market, they may have a farmer friend. It’s always great to make new friends – especially if they are doing something as important as growing your food.

Talk with your children about seasonal produce. Why don’t we have strawberries at the market in July? They are at the grocery store. Or, when will the apples be ready? You may want to make a chart of (5) fresh foods your child likes checking off every week they are available at the market. Perhaps list one item not yet at the market and anticipate it’s return to the market. Foster that sense of seasonal wonder and excitement when you can only get your favorite food when it is in season.

Include your children in product selection, meal planning and cooking. Encourage responses, give them choices. What should we do with all these peaches? Make salsa? Jam? Cobbler? Ice cream? Or, how do I know if this is ripe? Basic cooking skills will open up many more choices later in life and hopefully prevent the reliance upon ready-made, highly processed foods.

Include your children in the payment process. If a farmer is weighing the produce, ask your child to estimate the cost based on the weight. Have them count out and make cash payments. Is there a budget today? How much money is left to be spent?

Participate in farmers market activities. The Union County Farmers Market has children’s activities every Saturday and on the 2nd Saturday of each month you’ll find StoryThyme for the pre-school set at 11:15am and Ashley Moore Concrete Finishing sponsors POPP Club at 11:30am. Children ages 5-12 attending will be involved in a fun program about the Power of Protein and Produce (POPP), perhaps creating a craft and trying a farm fresh product. At the conclusion of the program, participants will receive $3 of Farm Market Bucks to be spent on protein or produce at the market.

There are so many lessons that can be taught at a market; from nutrition and health to the importance of supporting local and caring for our land. Most of all, we want you to have fun exploring the market, visiting craft vendors and food trucks as well as farmers, exploring Wilson Park or just sitting back and enjoying a family game of cards, scrabble or hopscotch.

Remember, weekly trips to the farmers market should not be a chore, they are a great way to spend quality family time. Get your kids to unplug and bring them to the market.