Lessons in Gardening

annflancan
annflancan Posts: 84 ✭✭✭

With so many kids at home schooling, now is a great time to teach children and young people the lessons of the garden. I am not talking about crop rotation or pest control I am talking about teaching them a love for nature, hard work, patience. Teaching how to bring a seed to life, feed their family, and that a tomato taste sweet and juicy. Teaching that throwing yard and kitchen waste in a pile not only breeds life but will give life and nutrition to what they are growing. Teaching them self reliance during this time of uncertainty can give them a sense of calm and security during a time where they might be feeling anxiety about their future. The garden is not only a class room but it is therapy and a place for healing. Let's teach our children something that they typically do not learn at school as well as life lessons in the garden.

Comments

  • Wendy
    Wendy Posts: 138 ✭✭✭

    The day care center had a small garden this summer. Since I do not work summer months, I first saw it in September when I returned to the playground. It was flourishing because one teacher took great care of it. The children were not allowed in, only able to look from the outside. Yes, the teacher picked cherry tomatoes, green beans, and herbs to share with the children, but it wasn't an ideal learning space.

    I am working on an indoor window garden that can grow throughout the cold season, be tended by the children, and be shared during meal times.

  • Tave
    Tave Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My landlord's children are now schooled at home and the youngest child loves plants and animals. I share my seeds with him and sometimes I help him plant them. Not only do children learn to appreciate nature by learning to grow a garden, they are more apt to eat the healthy food they grew themselves.

  • Grounded
    Grounded Posts: 153 ✭✭✭

    We have a small child care center where part of the curriculum is where food comes from and we teach them about seeds and the stages of growth. Tomato plants are part of each Father's Day gifts started at the center. This was the first year that a container garden was not grown for the day care, due to being closed down by the state from March to the beginning of July. Other years we have grown tomatoes, melons, peppers and usually some flowers. The kids usually help plant, water and harvest.

    There is a non-profit in our area that donates raised beds to local needy and also several schools. At the school closest to us, they started a garden club with five raised beds. The harvest is donated to local food pantries.

  • annflancan
    annflancan Posts: 84 ✭✭✭

    The window garden is a great idea and will teach the kids that gardening can be done both in door and out door.

  • annflancan
    annflancan Posts: 84 ✭✭✭

    It is fabulous to get the kids involved with understanding where their food comes from but even better.....sharing.

  • annflancan
    annflancan Posts: 84 ✭✭✭

    This is exactly how my children learned to love eating fresh food from the garden as well as a love for getting their hands and feet dirty.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Wendy What plants and veggies were you considering for your window garden?

  • annflancan
    annflancan Posts: 84 ✭✭✭

    A window garden is a beautiful thing. Nothing like having fresh herbs just and arms length away.