By Bisola Adeyemo
There’s this common misconception that gardening is an activity best suited for the elderly however, studies have shown that there are many benefits of introducing gardening to kids at age toddlers to preschoolers.
Through garden play, children acquire and improve crucial skills, have fun, and develop self-confidence all the while enjoying a nature-friendly childhood in the Montessori way.
A garden can be an interactive playground for kids that will engage all of their senses. It’s where they can touch and feel the fruits of their labor, fancy the brightly colored flowers, grow accustomed to natural scents, and the sound of rustling shrubs.
Gardening can benefit children of all ages as it provides a great opportunity for children to learn, and equips them with critical skills which can help them in other areas of their lives.
Below are some of the main benefits children can experience by helping out in the garden.
1. Highlights the Importance of Taking Care of the Environment.
When kids garden, they realize how important it is to take care of the Earth if they want their garden to grow and produce healthy plants. It creates the perfect opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about concepts such as pollution, pesticides, and recycling.
2. Engages All the Senses.
Kids learn best when engaging all their senses. With gardening, kids can touch and feel the dirt, seeds, and flowers, see the vibrant colors and varied sizes of the plants, hear the sound of the vegetable when it is taken from the plant, and smell the amazing scents of the flowers. Allowing all the senses to be involved helps kids understand and grasp the concept of gardening along with all the math and scientific concepts that go along with it.
3. Encourages Healthy Eating.
Eating healthy food is vital for brain and body development but it can be hard at times to get kids to eat those fruits and veggies. By having them grow their string beans, carrots, and lettuce, they will have a sense of pride in eating what they have “created.” This, in turn, will emphasize the importance of healthy eating.
4. Enhances Fine Motor Development.
Scooping up the dirt, placing the seeds in the pots, and pouring the water all take fine motor control and strength. As kids garden, they develop important motor skills that will help them improve their academic skills such as writing, cutting, and typing.
5. Introduces Kids to Scientific Concepts.
Gardening is a wonderful introduction to the world of science, especially botany, biology, and chemistry. When kids plant their first seeds they become curious about what will happen next. They make their hypothesis and monitor the progress each day. Without even realizing it, kids are learning the basic steps of the scientific process. As kids get older, they learn about the impact of sunlight and water on the growth of a plant. They learn which plants need more sunlight, which needs less water, and how long they take to grow. Gardening offers wonderful science lessons right at home.
6. Teaches Responsibility.
Gardening is a great way to teach kids about responsibility. Kids learn that they have to take care of their seeds each day for them to become healthy plants. To help, you can make a checklist that kids can use to make sure they care for their plants every day.
7. Introduction to Science & Math.
There are so many parts of gardening which introduce children to basic concepts of science and math. Math concepts can include counting seeds, measuring soil depth and counting petals/leaves. Science concepts can include the sprouting process and gaining an understanding of how plants require sunlight and water for growth.
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