Maui West in the Communities January 12, 2015

Each month the Maui West team will plan a special field trip for everyone to enjoy. When we decide what type of field trip we want to participate in, we remember that our goal is to build a bridge between our families and the community. We also plan field trips that provide an extension to our monthly theme, contains fun learning experiences, and is accessible for our families to enjoy outside of Tūtū and Me.

The past months we attended field trips that fit into our criteria and they include The Maui Ocean Center, Kula Farms Pumpkin Patch, and the Lāhainā and Kihei Fire Station. These field trips exposed us to the different things on our island and what we can learn from the community.

In August, the Maui Ocean Center opened its doors to us, allowing keiki and caregivers to watch, see and explore our ocean creatures. From the large view tank and tunnel, where our keiki watched mano / sharks, stingrays and manta rays; to exploring the touch pool with starfish, wana (sea urchin) and sea cucumbers. Tūtū and Me had a chance to explore from the reef to the depths of the sea.

For the month of October, we visited the Kula Country Farms. This experience allowed the keiki and caregiver to tour the pumpkin patch and gain knowledge about its lifecycle. Families enjoyed the crisp, country air while going through the corn maze and looking at the very large rabbit and two miniature horse. Keiki searched through the pumpkin patch and were able to choose one to take home with them.

At the end of October we visited both the Lāhainā and Kihei fire stations. The firemen gave us the opportunity to learn what they do in an emergency and what they do while they are not working. Keiki got to tour around the station, walk in the trucks, shoot the fire hose, and try on a fire suit. They also educated our families on what to dial in case of emergency, what to do in a fire, and the importance of their equipment.

As we close our year, we continue to educate our families with exciting field trips such as the Maui Ocean Center, Kula Country Farms, and the Fire Station. These places are open to the public and are available to experience again and share with others as we build relationships with our community.