ProAgria and Fun Academy are bringing a unique and engaging experience to the Farmari Agricultural Show with the launch of the "Önni Möö" project. This initiative combines fun, play, and agriculture, offering children an immersive way to learn about farm life and sustainability. The Kip Crew, featuring our familiar astronauts who fly in from planet Kipinoi ;) Maco, Soca, Waaba, and Tuka, are excited to introduce their new friends, Önni Möö and Peruna, to all the kids visiting the event.
Exploring the Farm with Önni Möö and Peruna
Children will have the opportunity to follow a path designed by Önni Möö, a worm dedicated to maintaining soil health on the farm. Alongside Önni Möö is Peruna, a potato who shares fascinating insights about how food grows in the soil. Luckily Soca speaks the language of flora and fauna, thus being able to communicate with these new friends they make on the Finnish farm.
The önni Möö path includes several interactive stations, each offering hands-on learning experiences about different aspects of farm life, making the journey both educational and fun. Together, the Kip Crew, Önni Möö, and Peruna guide children through various farm activities, helping them understand agricultural professions, food production, and to become aware of the diverse ecosystem of a farm.
Cornhole and Other Fun Activities
One of the highlights of the event is the classic game of cornhole, which Önni Möö has brought along for everyone to enjoy. This bean bag toss game is perfect for all ages, teaching younger children the skill of underhand throwing and the importance of following game rules. The Kip Crew story ties cornhole to the mix by explaining how winter fodder is harvested on Kipinoi...
Continuing the Adventure in Early Childhood Education
After the Farmari event, the adventures of Önni Möö and Peruna will continue in early childhood education settings. This fall, they will introduce children to the yearly farming cycle and various farm activities through playful learning methods. Developed in collaboration with early childhood education professionals and industry experts, these play ideas will be available for free to early childhood education units. This initiative encourages kids to explore topics like technology, the annual farming cycle, cooperation, and community, all through play.
These materials emphasize cooperative play and natural curiosity, offering also families and grandparents tips for extending the fun and learning at home. Önni Möö hopes to engage as many children as possible and plans to translate the materials into multiple languages to reach an even wider audience. Let us know if you might want to see these resources in your language, too (Finnish and Swedish will be first out.)
Raising Awareness About Agriculture and Farming
ProAgria aims to make farm operations and sustainable food production more familiar to children. "Many children have become disconnected from understanding how food is responsibly produced and what happens on farms," says Suvi Anttila, ProAgria’s Director of Public Relations and Sustainability.
Through this project, they hope to offer engaging games, materials, and invitations to play that respect the value of teamwork and children’s natural curiosity. Sanna Lukander, founder of Fun Academy, highlights that children are naturally curious explorers, and the themes of farming provide an endless treasure trove for diverse activities and play. These themes align so nicely with the transversal skills and learning objectives of the national curricular objectives of early childhood education and care in Finland, and give concrete context to the concepts.
Partnerships to Bring Experts Closer to the Children
This is a great continuation of the growing selection of Kip Crew projects, which have previously introduced children to technology skills, digital safety, cybersecurity, and emotional management resources, among others. This comprehensive farm ecosystem program further expands the Kip Crew's mission of helping children understand how the world works. It provides access to expert information, fosters a culture of child participation, and enhances self-efficacy for all children whose teachers incorporate these free resources into their curriculum and lesson plans. Explore the other readily available free Kip Crew resources here.