We all know that being outside brings plenty of health benefits to us all, and we know that gardening is seen as being therapeutic. Both of these are good for adults, yet gardening has benefits for kids to help them develop as well as become healthier.
You do not have to be a
green-fingered gardening genius; you
can be a complete novice. Being in the
garden with your kids can benefit the both of you.
Engaging the Senses
We all know how curious
kids are, they ask questions and run around looking and playing with things.
When gardening kids can touch and feel
the dirt as they plant seeds, they can see the many different colors of the
flowers and the vegetables. Kids can hear
sounds as they harvest the ripe vegetables. They also smell the various aromas of the vegetables and herbs that surround them.
All their senses will be used,
and they go on to learn all the different concepts that go along with
gardening. As well as these senses they can
enhance their fine motor skills as they
help. From scooping earth and placing it pots with the seeds, to watering the
pots. It all helps them develop motor skills which will help them in other
areas when they are older.
Different Concepts
Gardening is one of the best ways to introduce the concept
of science to kids if nothing else their
curiosity will be put to the test.
Gardening is not a one trick pony when it comes to the scientific concepts on
offer. It covers a full range of chemistry, biology,
and botany.
From that first seed they plant, kids will be curious about what happens to the seeds. They will eagerly monitor the progress
of the plant as the seed germinates and grows larger. This is an excellent way for
them to learn necessary steps of a
scientific process without them realizing it.
When kids become older,
they quickly determine the effects of water
on sunlight and how it affects all the seeds they have planted. Your kids will be exposed to a full science class without ever
leaving the garden.
Responsibility and
the Environment
When you are outside gardening with your kids, they start to
understand how important it is to take care of the environment. Once they want
their vegetables to become big and strong, it opens the door for a long conversation how and why pollution, recycling, and pesticides affect us all.
Once your kids have filled their pots and planted their
seeds, they now know they will have to tend to them on a regular basis. As they
check and water their plants as necessary,
they start to become more responsible for their actions.
To help them on their way, you can create a simple checklist
for them to make sure they do as they should on a regular basis.
Patience, Planning, and Organization
Regular gardeners know about planning and organizing a
garden, and they also know it can be a time-consuming process with a little artistic
license thrown in. Understanding vegetable
growing times, from planting seeds, to harvest time. It all helps kids
to become involved with their planning and problem-solving skills.
Not only will they be able to enhance their organizational
strategies from an earlier age. It will
also teach them the importance of patience. We all know that young kids seek
instant gratification and can get bored very quickly. Once they see something happening
with their vegetables, they will learn to become more patient. As they become
excited watching their vegetables grow,
kids will see not everything has to be right there and then.
Healthy Eating
This is the one thing
that all parents would be happy with when kids help with their vegetable garden
plants. All parents know how important it is for kids to eat healthily, yet
getting them to do this is somewhat more
difficult. The good news is that kids are more likely to eat something they
have grown. They no longer see cabbage and broccoli as something you are
forcing them to eat. Now they have a sense of pride and achievement for
everything they have grown or helped to produce.
Kids will have at last helped to create something, and they
will understand how important healthy eating is for their growth. All you have
to do is be prepared for the dinner table, and your kids say “can you pass the
carrots please, Mom.”
BIO: Tim Graham
is the YardandGardenGuru.com where
he writes about his passions in life getting
outdoors, gardening, yard care and his family.
Website: http://yardandgardenguru.com/
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