2018

1136 Preschoolers Graduate from the Eco-programme "Pigman's Detectives"

The fourth year of the eco-programme "Pigman's Detectives" (Cūkmena detektīvi) implemented by JSC "Latvia's State Forests" (LVM) has come to an end. We all have had an exciting and educating time and participants from a total of 63 kindergartens in Latvia have received their Pigman's diplomas; in turn, 39 most active kindergartens were visited by Pigman himself.

The young and dutiful detectives started the school year 2017/2018 with an exciting book "Pigman's Detectives". The current first year curriculum, where children revealed the dirty secrets of forest and grew oxygen, has now been complemented by a second year curriculum, where children create theatre performances, go hiking, keep their forest adventure diaries, and make their own fantasy friend – a sock, which is presented with the magic of the forest. 

Teacher Inga Maga from Zilupe pre-school education institution shares her impressions about the programme: "This programme is very valuable, well thought out, with a wide range of visual and teaching materials. Children like Pigman very much. He inspires them for the entire school year! Every day, children think over what they are doing, as well as do their best to keep the environment clean and enjoyable. They form a careful and caring attitude towards nature!"

"It is very convenient that there is a special tool for teachers on the given themes and tasks. It is so easy to work this way, because all you need is creative spirit and enthusiasm. Thank you for the additional materials – games, which make classes much more interesting," says Dace Potaša, a teacher at Taurene Elementary School.

The eco-programme "Pigman's Detectives" is based on four themes; with the help of games, dance and songs, fairy tales, different types of visualisation (such as Pigman dolls and other materials) children perform certain tasks of a detective to assess the good and the bad things that happen in the forest. In the second school year, children acquire the basic principles of good behaviour in forest and go hiking to develop all the senses. Each theme is built according to the principle: See, Hear, Listen, Do, which also foresees an active involvement and participation of children in different fun-classes.

The eco-programme "Pigman's Detectives" is implemented with the support of the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund.