BY JANEEN LEWIS
PARENTING
DIG INTO THE GARDEN
M
It’s smart, it’s healthy and it’s meant to be a shared experience. Go ahead and start that garden.
ost of us want our kids to get outside and away from phones, TV and video games (at least part of the time!), and gardening is a great way to achieve that. Recent research compiled by the National Science
Teaching Association show 10 gardening benefits for kids:
1. KIDS WHO GARDEN SCORE HIGHER ON SCIENCE TESTS. 2. GARDENING IS FULL OF SCIENCE. 3. KIDS WHO GROW THE FOOD, EAT THE FOOD.
As a teacher, I’ve taught STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and have served as a Junior Master Garden club leader. In these roles I saw the “if they grow it, they will eat it” phenomenon. Students love to dig up what they have grown, and then curiosity gets the better of them — they want to taste it. Master Gardener Beth Tovi volunteered to mentor students in the garden for eight (turn the page)
nashvilleparent.com
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