Whether following a quarantine, Stay-At-Home rule, or not venturing out to reduce risk, the pandemic upon us has returned many children to their homes. Although the schools are closed, the opportunity to educate can continue wonderfully in the garden. Recently there was a relevant story from Gardening Know How on “Teaching Kids About Gardening – It’s More Than Just Growing Plants.” It is loaded with additional pertinent references on the topic. It is filled with ideas that will prompt you to get the kids gardening in whatever the setting and whatever the age, toddlers to teens.

kids and parents in garden

The garden is a classroom that abounds with learning possibilities. There are numerous sites and sources that describe in detail how in gardening we utilize math, geometry, many aspects of science including the basics plus chemistry, botany, biology, geology, influences from weather, climate, seasonal changes, and geographical location. The educational potential for children (and parents) from a little plot of earth can be a bountiful harvest in more ways than one.

kids gardening

Whether it is a sense of obligation or qualification, after nearly 50 years of gardening and raising eight children with my amazing wife on a farm, we sense there might be some value in sharing some personal discoveries and lessons we learned.

  • Preparation: Have a good garden plan and involve the kids in the drawing and design.

 

  • Perseverance: It can seem like a long time from the day the seeds are planted before the plants emerge and even longer before the food can be harvested. When kids are kept involved routinely by weeding, watering, and other duties, they learn to stay on task and can gradually see the value in their garden journey.

 

  • Exercise: Getting the kids outside, in fresh air and sunshine, benefiting their physical and even emotional health is vital to their overall health.

 

  • Gardening is for All Ages: Start them young, develop an appreciation at an early age. Even toddlers show excitement in having their very own little tools, boots, garden hat, etc. When they grow and care for their own plants, they look forward to eating those beans, peas, and squash.

 

  • Independence: Learning self-sufficiency and the rewards of raising their own food is truly gratifying.

 

  • Ecology and Conservation: Soil amendments and fertilizer contributions can be made by composting yard wastes and specific food scraps. Collecting rainwater from house downspouts instead of water from a municipal source is a wise use of untreated water. Re-purposed wood can be utilized for constructing raised beds, fencing, or compost bins. Using mulch, grass clippings, and organic material can provide weed-control instead of herbicides.

 

  • Environmental Lessons: Not all bugs are bad, things like manure may smell bad but are good, sinking your hands and/or bare feet into the soil is actually kind of cool, gardeners dig in soil, not dirt. Dirt is what gets tracked into the house and what politicians dig up on each other.

Due to time and space, that concludes Part One of Gardening with Children. In our next post, we cite more lessons and values found in gardening and making the most out of the time we have with children at home.

-Rob McCartney, Horticulturist

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or for more info at: [email protected]


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Article Referenced:

https://blog.gardeningknowhow.com/tbt/teaching-kids-about-gardening/

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