healthy living
Connecting naturally
Kids learn so much from digging in the garden LEA HANSON
brightly colored flowers and vegetables that grow quickly. Maura Paxton, Youth Programs worker at The Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins says starting with a theme is exciting for most kids, especially younger ones. “Kids want to lead the process but choosing from infinite options can be too much for them, and perhaps unrealistic,” she says. “Consider an herb garden which only grows things that can be made into teas, or a vegetable garden in which you grow ingredients for salsa.”
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eople of all ages can enjoy gardening, but children in particular will have lots of fun and gain special benefits. From toddlers to teenagers, children have varying expectations and learn different things from the gardening experience. Younger children require careful supervision during activities and suitable tasks might be limited to planning, planting seeds, watering plants, and harvesting. Older children are physically capable of handling a greater variety of activities, which might include digging, carrying, planting, mulching, and pruning. What all kids have in common, however, is their ability to learn an array of skills from participating in gardening. Gardening develops new skills in kids including:
• Responsibility – ongoing care for plants • Understanding – learning about cause and effect (e.g., plants die without water) • Self-confidence – achieving goals and enjoying the food they have grown • Love of nature – learning about the outdoor environment in a safe and pleasant place
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• Reasoning and discovery – learning about the science of plants, animals, weather, the environment, nutrition, and simple construction • P hysical activity – doing hard work while having fun and being productive • Cooperation – participating in teamwork •C reativity – finding new and exciting ways to grow food •N utrition – understanding where food comes from
ALLOW YOUR CHILD TO LEAD Kids are more interested and committed to gardening if they are a leader in the process. They can generate ideas for what will be planted, helping with construction and planting, and having responsibility in the garden’s maintenance. Grown-ups need to educate and assist where kids aren’t yet capable, but challenge yourself to avoid doing everything and let your kid(s) take the lead. ASSIST WITH PLANT SELECTION They are more interested in planting items they personally choose. Younger children tend to be drawn to large,
KEEP IT FUN Gardening is a lot of fun in and of itself, but there are lots of ways to make it even more so. Paxton suggests creating visuals for kids so they can anticipate plant growth. She says, “Paste photos of the plants on a calendar as they will actually look three, five, ten days after being planted. That way, kids have an easier time waiting for something to happen and as the plant gets bigger, they can compare their own plant’s development to the photos.” Fun, kid-sized equipment (watering cans, spades, trowels) is exciting for kids as well as creates ownership. Creating teams and weekly duties can be a fun way to offer family competitions that are tied to rewards. And, for most kids, the simple opportunity to spend time outside in nature is something that is fun and exciting. Sadly, children have fewer and fewer chances to interact with the natural world, and the connection to nature is essential to kids’ development. Children who develop regard and concern for the natural world come to be good stewards of the land and its resources. Being responsible for tending a garden fosters their sense of nurturing and helps them learn to care for other living things.