Benefits of Gardening

"It takes a garden to grow a child."

Children love the opportunity to garden. Children tickle the earth with their garden tools. Through gardening, the child develops an affection for the earth.

Most children abuse Nature because they don't know any better. Gardening develops an aesthetic appreciation of the natural world and a caring concern for nature.

Children deal with insects and birds in the garden. They learn which ones are beneficial and which are harmful. They can carry tools, water, dig and mix soil, plant, weed, identify and observe. They can experiment with insects, learning what plants insects eat at which stage of development. They learn to share the garden with ants, grasshoppers and earthworms. Gardening introduces the cycle of life and death to the child. Gardening introduces success and failure. Gardening with children is the study of biology and botany. Gardening also brings the opportunity to study the weather.

Children enjoy eating the plants and fruits right out of the garden, munching on carrots, strawberries, grapes, broccoli, lettuces, basils, beans, peas, corn, cucumbers, melons, tomatoes and wonderful Herbs. This way the children can learn healthy nutrition and learn better eating habits.

Children also enjoy growing gourds and sponges and ornamental plants. They like plant-supporting teepees and growing vine plants vertically.

They learn the language of gardening, names of plants and the differences between double-digging and square foot gardening as well as growing in water. They learn about the different soil amendments and composting.

Actually, the benefits are endless! Garden with your child at home. Children will always remember their childhood garden. Gardening — growing your own organic food — is a very valuable lesson and worthy of every child.