W E L L B E I N G
HOW GARDENING NURTURES CHILDREN In this article, we look at how and why gardening helps children to get an appreciation for nature at the earliest possible age.
WHAT YOUR CHILD CAN LEARN Gardening gives everybody joy but is particularly important for children. They will have fun doing it and develop lots of important new skills, in a way that feels playful. Some of these are: ü Responsibility - they will be tasked with growing and tending to plants ü Consequences - gardening is a great way to learn about consequences, such as plants dying without water or weeds taking nourishment away from plants ü Confidence - keeping their plant healthy from seed to flower, or eating any food they produce is great for their confidence levels 18 | FEBRUARY 2022 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD
ü Bonding with nature - gardening is a great opportunity to connect with the outdoors in a safe way ü Logic and exploration - gardening involves understanding some basic science to do with plants, animals, weather, the environment, nutrition and living things ü Staying active - all while spending time at something they enjoy ü Working together - this could include teamwork and sharing time and resources ü Innovation - the ups and downs of maintaining plants or food will require some creative problem solving along the way ü Nutrition - gardening can be a chance to understand where food comes from
