out & about

Why Gardening Can Be a Calming Activity

By Sandi Schwartz

Iabsolutely love it when we can pick fruits and vegetables grown in our own backyard and savor them at our dinner table. We are fortunate enough to have a lemon tree in our backyard, and we’ve enjoyed making our own lemon water, lemonade, and dishes like lemon chicken. We have also dabbled in growing our own tomatoes and peppers, which the children absolutely love doing. It’s a wonderful experience for them to pick the produce and play a role in creating a healthy meal for our family that incorporates the food we grew ourselves.

My children and I have also gotten a lot out of volunteering in a local community garden that serves a group of special needs adults in our community. During our visits, we have helped by planting seeds, weeding, and moving around vegetable plants in the garden. The best part is that the group uses what is grown in the garden to create meals that they serve in the local café that they run.

Growing fruits and vegetables together as a family can be a fun, engaging, and calming activity. In addition to the general benefits of being outside with nature, gardening offers a healthy distraction, provides a chance for some light exercise, encourages children to eat healthier, and builds community. There are also some incredible new discoveries about how soil can help improve our mood.

Let’s explore why we experience these mental health benefits of gardening a bit more deeply.

Now’s the perfect time to start planning your spring garden, April is the best time to plant most vegetable seeds after the last frost. Be sure to check your gardening zone for last frost dates.

Time Outside

The natural world offers solace and comfort unlike what we can find in any manmade environment. So, spending time in nature doing activities like gardening helps reduce our response to stress and allows us to recover from tense situations more quickly. More and more studies have been coming out that highlight the health benefits of spending time in nature. Research shows that contact with nature heals because it lets us unwind and boosts our body’s natural endorphins to relieve stress. Just 20 minutes a day can help us feel more relaxed and lift our mood!

Some research has even looked specifically at the mental health benefits of gardening. A breakthrough study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that a healing garden at a children’s hospital in California had positive effects on users—about 85 percent reported feeling more relaxed, refreshed, or better able to cope after spending only 5 minutes in the garden.

Healthy Distraction

Another reason that gardening can be so calming is that it offers a healthy distraction. One study showed that engaging with a garden distracts us from our worries and stops us from obsessing about our problems. Over 12 weeks, participants saw an improvement in their mood during and immediately after gardening, and three months later they still reported significant improvements. Another study showed that after 30 minutes of gardening, participants’ cortisol levels dropped and they felt happier after the activity.

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Besides being a distraction from our worries, gardening is similar to art in that it provides an opportunity to get lost in the moment. Whether we call it mindfulness or flow, focusing on something we love and losing track of time can dull our worries significantly.

Exercise

Gardening also provides some light exercise (and possibly some more intense exercise if you’re doing some heavy lifting). Exercise clearly helps us feel happier and calmer, and there is tons of scientific research to back that up. When we move around and sweat a bit, our body produces feel-good neurotransmitters called endorphins. These chemicals in our brain act as natural painkillers, making us feel better and less stressed, and even give us that “natural high” feeling. Exercise also reduces the level of stress hormones in our body like adrenaline and cortisol, helping us feel calmer. So, don’t be shy about giving your kids some work to do in the garden that makes them move a bit, such as digging, lifting, and bending up and down.

Healthier Food Choices

Gardening also motivates us to eat healthier foods that make us feel better. When kids are invested in growing their own fruits and vegetables, they feel more connected and want to enjoy the “fruit of their labor.” By encouraging them to eat healthier through gardening, they will hopefully choose foods that nourish them instead of junk foods filled with sugar. It’s important for children to eat less sugar for numerous health reasons, but also for their mental health. Sugary foods can increase anxiety and even cause our kids to feel gloomy.

Social Interaction

Whether it’s just you bonding with your children in the garden, sharing your produce and gardening stories with friends and neighbors, or volunteering in a community garden, that social interaction also plays a major role in making us feel happier and calmer. Experts tell us that the most important way to feel happier is through positive relationships, so gardening can provide a vehicle for our children to connect with others over a healthy hobby.

Soil

Recent research has found that the simple act of touching soil can reduce stress and improve mood. How incredible is that?! Yes, allowing our kids to play in the dirt can actually help them feel happier and calmer. This is because a type of bacteria in soil called mycobacterium vaccae has been shown to stimulate areas of the brain that produce serotonin, a hormone that makes us feel better. It thrives in soil that is enriched with organic matter like the fruits and vegetables you are growing in your garden. Researchers have found that eating trace amounts of soil on garden vegetables actually helps us manage stress and enhance brain function. When we garden, we can inhale and ingest these healthy bacteria.

How can you add gardening to your child’s life?

• Create a family garden in your backyard.

You can engage your children in gardening by buying them their own gardening tools, asking them to pick out the types of produce they want to grow, and using the produce you grow to cook meals together. • If you don’t have the room or desire to create a garden in your own backyard, collaborate with a neighbor or purchase a plot at a local community garden to tend. • If starting a garden sounds intimidating, consider starting slow by growing a few herbs on your windowsill or one vegetable at a time in a large flower pot. • Look for opportunities to volunteer in a local community garden. Community gardens increase the amount of green space, build positive community interaction, and many also provide fresh produce to those in need. Your children will enjoy planting seeds, weeding, and picking fruits and vegetables.

Sandi Schwartz, author of a new parenting book, Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer, prescribes nature-based fun to improve mental health and mood in children (and parents!) Available now from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, IndieBound.org and wherever books are sold.

Visit Kenosha

Think Spring Break in Kenosha, WI! You’ll find world-class museums to explore, and at least a half dozen places to create your own art as a family. History buffs will love The Civil War Museum and Kenosha History Center. Your crew will adore painting their own pottery or taking a guided paint class together. From Mammoths and Dinosaurs to jewelry making and splatter paint, the adventures are endless north of the border. For more info go to www.visitkenosha.com

Sonny Acres Farm

Spring has sprung at Sonny Acres! Visit the West Chicago farm beginning in May for an unmatched selection of fresh flowers and herbs, plants, soil and more just in time for planting season. Dates and hours of operation are listed at sonnyacres.com. A staple in the community for countless decades, Sonny Acres Farm offers endless opportunities for family fun, local shopping and event space for one-of-a-kind gatherings of any size. Boasting 22 acres of space, Sonny Acres is the ideal, customizable destination for weddings, corporate events, family gatherings and other special occasions. For an extra “wow factor” at your next event, treat your guests to some of the farm’s unique seasonal offerings, including access to amusement rides, petting zoo, hayrides around the property and much more. 29W310 North Ave., West Chicago, IL 60185. (630) 231-3859 [See our ad on the Back Cover.]

St. Charles Park District

Hickory Knolls Discovery Center features beautiful views and live animal displays including state-endangered Blandings’ turtles along with educational, nature-themed activities for all ages. Guests may experience up close interaction with many reptiles. Explore scenic habitats along 3+ miles of natural area trails to discover unique flora and fauna. Unique birthday parties and facility rentals available. Free admission. 3795 Campton Hills Road, St. Charles IL. stcnature.org

Forest Preserve District of Kane County Explore galore!

Need a change of scenery? Visit Creek Bend Nature Center located at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles. There’s plenty to see and do – both inside and out! Learn all about oaks. See what the Fox River could look like below the surface. View bison specimens in our prairie wild exhibit. Enjoy scavenger hunts, hikes and scheduled nature programs. At Creek Bend Nature Center, there are things to explore galore! Admission is always free.

Mark your calendar: MAPLE SUGARING

DAYS. March 5-6 from noon – 3 p.m.

Creek Bend Nature Center is open: Mon.- Thurs.: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sat. - Sun.: Noon - 4 p.m. LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles. www.kaneforest.com 630-444-3190

Spring in Naperville

Naperville in the springtime is an epicenter of fun adventures. Springtime beauty is scattered across the city in the parks, the Riverwalk, and eclectic Downtown. Go to VisitNaperville.com to find more information on upcoming spring events in the city like concerts, art fairs, and more. You can also find a full list of all our amazing parks, making it easy to enjoy nature this spring. Naperville is your next springtime destination for fun in the sun! [See our ad on the Inside Back Cover.]

Downtown Aurora Events

Enjoy springtime in downtown Aurora. See public art, visit family-friendly museums, stop by local coffee shops, and enjoy free events. Egg Hunt on the Island is a downtown-wide egg hunt from 1 to 3 p.m. on April 9. Experience art, music, and more at monthly First Fridays events with more than two dozen venues open with activities for all ages. May 6 is the annual Food Truck Festival. Follow us on Facebook at Aurora Downtown. www. auroradowntown.org [See our ad on the Inside Front Cover.]

Midwest Pond & Koi Society

The Midwest Pond & Koi Society, MPKS, are families with a common hobby: koi ponds, garden ponds, koi keeping, and plants. MPKS members range from the novice to experienced water gardener. The club has monthly meetings with topics about plants, ponds, and fish. Other activities include; auctions, road trips, and a pond tour. You do not have to be a member to attend a meeting. Visit our web site www.mpks.org for more information.

James Lumber Center

Continuing its 25th Anniversary celebration, the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts (JLC) at the College of Lake County welcomes three amazing professional touring events this spring.

The Magic of Bill Blagg LIVE!

Saturday, March 19 at 3 p.m. Experience the impossible in this interactive, family-friendly show as Blagg and his trademark off-the-cuff personality take the audience on a magical journey they’ll never forget! Tickets $12-$35.

Hiplet Ballerinas

Sunday, April 24 at 4 p.m. As seen on “America’s Got Talent,” this incredibly talented dance ensemble based out of the Chicago MultiCultural Dance Center incorporates several dance styles into their performances. Tickets $12-$35.

Eileen Ivers

Sunday, May 8 at 4 p.m. In this Mother’s Day show, the virtuosic musician and her extraordinary band explore the traditions and progressions of the Celtic fiddle, presenting music and stories that unite us all. Tickets $15-$40.

Please note that masks are required for everyone at the JLC and CLC. Seating in the Mainstage will have reduced capacity to accommodate social distancing.

Single and Group tickets are available at the JLC Box Office or by phone at (847) 543-2300. The JLC Box office is open M-F, 12-5 p.m. 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake www.clcillinois.edu/jlc