Gardening helps a child to:
- Learn responsibility and manage a living organism
- Learn and incorporate the science behind gardening, such as photosynthesis and nutrition
- Get over the fear of bugs and working outside in the dirt
- Gain a preference of fruits and vegetables over other typical snacks
- Use specific muscles – when digging, raking, etc. you are using muscles in both your upper and lower body
- Gain and practice patience – growing and caring for a plant from its seed form will take a while and this teaches a child to have patience as they care for the plant
- Exercise initiation and organizational skills – just as with patience, the child will have to plan out when to water the plant and how to properly take care of it
- Relieve stress – “Researchers found significant decreases in cortisol (a hormone produced by stress) in participants sent out to garden after a recovery period”
- Improve focus and memory – “The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are also relieved by outdoor green space, helping children focus both while they occupy the space as well as later in the day”.
- Strengthen their immune system and overall health
Gardening helps children in endless ways beyond hands-on learning. Gardening can help a child’s mind, confidence, body, and overall well-being.
Have you been wondering how to spruce up your classroom for those bright young students? Or maybe, you have been looking for new ways to teach your children at home about growth, patience and more. Gardening may be the answer you are looking for!
You can start out small with one plant or two. Starting from the seed will further help your child understand the ideals of patience, growth, and responsibility.
Click here for a video about plant growth and necessity’s
Or read this guide on Top 10 Crops for Children
And check out these gardening kits for kids!
Whether in the classroom or at home, the practice of gardening can be just the right tool to help your children grow in their mind, body, and soul.
By: Amanda Overy, Marketing Intern