Being in the outdoor environment is indeed a great thing for kids. Kids love the great outdoors, and the fresh air they feel works wonders for them. The various kinds of outdoor activities help them to remain active. Gardening offers children several interesting and fun-filled opportunities and teaches them those invaluable lessons.
When you give your kids a chance to involve in gardening, they receive a chance to learn about several plant species. They also become aware of the various seasons and weather & how they have effects on the various plant species.
This also offers a great opportunity to learn about the various colors and shapes and different kinds of insects and animals that they might usually encounter.
We will discuss the several benefits of giving your kids their little patch for gardening.
Benefits of gardening for the kids
- Sensory development – The gardening activity engages several sorts of senses, and this helps the children in developing & recognizing them without realizing it. The kids can feel the texture of the seeds, soil, petals and flowers. They thoroughly enjoy the smell of the amazing scents of the flowers and see all those colorful petals with great joy. All of these help them develop hand-eye coordination and build their physical strength to a great extent. Gardening demands quite a level of physical activity and demands the body to work harder for carrying, digging, sieving, lifting, watering etc. As the kids engage in gardening, they develop certain crucial motor skills that facilitate them in improving their academic skills like cutting, writing & typing.
- Encourages eating healthily – This is a proven fact that if you engage children in growing vegetables, they will also develop an interest in eating them. This, at times, become a real struggle to teach children healthy eating habits. When they grow vegetables, they experience a feeling of achievement and are interested in eating the food they have grown. They also learn several other things like when different vegetables and fruits grow, when is the best time for growing these, and the ideal time for harvesting the same.
- Teachers and imbibes patience & responsibility – Growing all sorts of vegetables or plants from the seedling or the bulb stage usually requires a lot of care and attention. Children usually learn a sense of responsibility because they have to water the plants and take care of them regularly to flourish. Also, the plants do not grow overnight. The children develop patience when they see the plants grow. They must continually remain engaged in taking care of these plants and then see them thriving. This develops patience in them.
- Helps with certain education topics – The gardening activity helps them with several topics which are a part of their pedagogic curriculum. The topics, including seasons, animals, life cycles and mini-beasts, can easily be understood by the kids who are engaged in gardening. They have certain practical exposure to nature, and thus they can relate to these things well.
- Develops certain social skills – Gardening is considered a sociable activity, especially in several schools. Children receive a chance to work in terms and enjoy certain discussions regarding flowers and the processes. The anticipation of waiting for these flowers to bloom usually encourages the kids to interact and engage. The gardening activity usually presents several opportunities for children to bond, help each other, and look after the flowers.
Conclusion
So, after reading through so many benefits of giving your kids their own little patch for gardening, you must be convinced about how useful gardening can be for your children. So, start engaging your children in gardening and help them develop several good habits and skills from a nascent age.
