Many children engage in garden activities in school, but it is also important for them to spend time in the garden at home as well. There are mental and physical health benefits to spending more time outdoors, away from screens and in the sunlight. Gardening is also an inexpensive way to entertain your children and bond as a family. Try to encourage your children to embrace their inner green thumb from an early age so they can continue this hobby throughout their life. So why is gardening so good for children?
It engages all of their senses
In a garden, children can smell the vegetables, feel the dirt, listen to the insects, taste the fruit and look at all of the different colours. Gardening enhances their fine motor development as they pick up small seeds and carry plants back and forth. This improves their hand-eye coordination, physical strength and improves academic skills like writing, cutting and typing.
It encourages them to eat healthy
Children can be reluctant to eat vegetables. However, when they grow their own food from seedlings, they are far more likely to eat it. Teach your children about how to grow fresh veggies and why it is better for the environment. Gardening can help kids to burn off excess energy and relieve any stress they may be feeling. This green hobby can help your kids to learn about the different fruits and vegetables and when it’s time to harvest them. There are so many valuable life lessons to be discovered in the garden.
It teaches them planning and organisation
Teach your children about the different seasons and how they impact the type of vegetables growing. It takes patience to grow vegetables, and small bulbs require daily attention and care to keep them healthy. Teach your children how to construct a polytunnel or build a raised vegetable bed in your back garden. Easy!
It’s a great bonding activity
Fortunately, gardening provides fun and teaching opportunities all year round. Encourage your kids to embrace the rain, sun and windy weather and adapt their gardening method around the weather. For example, try building a greenhouse around delicate plants in the windy season.
It teaches them important life lessons
Gardening can teach your children about patience, hard work and compassion. Please encourage them to be curious about the outside world and learn how to express empathy towards living things.
Photo by Filip Urban on Unsplash
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