The Benefits of Gardening for Children

Gardening is a terrific way to get children involved with nature. It has the power to teach children about the beauty of flowers and vegetables, whilst also teaching them valuable life lessons like patience and self-confidence.

Gardening provides a great introduction to the environment around them. Children can learn about many different flowers, fruits and vegetables, can physically feel them in their own hands, and can even smell them. This sensory introduction is concrete and solid, and will leave them feeling good.

Gardening also introduces children to the world that lives below the soil: the one inhabited by worms, bugs and other insects. They can see spiders and bugs for themselves, and can also learn about the many different ecosystems which co-exist on Earth.

When you are planting and growing an edible garden, you are teaching your child about the importance of healthy eating in a fantastic, hands-on way. Studies support this view, saying that when children garden and grow their own fruits and vegetables, they are more likely to snack on fruits and vegetables when they grow older.

Often, when we think of exercise, we think of going to the gym. This is nowhere near as engaging or rewarding as gardening can be for children. When we garden, we engage in an active activity that also stimulates our brains and teach our children that physical exercise should be an everyday part of life, and can be achieved in many different ways.

Gardening can also help our children develop important life skills.

The very essence of gardening involves teaching patience. After all, when we plant a strawberry plant, it doesn’t immediately produce strawberries. We have to wait for it to flower, and then wait for the strawberries to ripen.

All this waiting teaches our children patience.

Gardening also teaches our children responsibility. If we don’t water our plants, they will die. Our children must take note of that, and factor in the weather so that they can water the plants accordingly.

Gardening is also a commitment. Our children must water their strawberry bush more than once for it to grow. If they don’t, it will die, resulting in a very firm lesson about responsibility.

Yet ultimately, when everything is water and grown, our children will have an incredible feeling of self-confidence and empowerment. They can look at the fruits and vegetables that they grow and see that their hard work and effort paid off.

Gardening is a fantastic way to get your child involved in their environment, whilst also learning many valuable lessons. Keiki Early Learning incorporates carefully designed outdoor play areas, where your child can learn all about gardening, animals and the world.

If you have any questions about this article, or if you have any questions about our programs, feel free to contact us.