Life lessons for kids in the garden

With their naturally inquisitive minds and active imagination, everything children hear, feel and see in the garden opens a whole new world of learning. Let your children learn in the garden over the summer holidays.

13/12/2017

The summer holidays are in full swing and parents are going to be looking for ways to keep young children occupied. Spending time in the garden is a wonderful, educational way for parents and children to get outside in the fresh air, and positively direct pent-up energy into something meaningful and constructive.

With their naturally inquisitive minds and active imagination, everything they hear, feel and see in the garden opens a whole new world of learning. Let your children learn in the garden over the summer holidays with simple projects such as creating a herb garden, planting colourful annuals, or building a bird house or bug box.

Here are some valuable life lessons for children to get involved with over the summer holidays:

Life Experience

When children are exposed to natural elements like a garden, whether its observing flowers, watching insects, or learning about herbs and vegetables, they get to know and understand more about nature in detail. Even a small garden can provide  children with a practical yet enriching hands-on experience that cannot be otherwise learned in a classroom. Encourage them to become involved in small garden projects, where you can inspire them with a passion for gardening that can last a lifetime.

Creative Thinking

Research shows that gardening increases a child's concentration levels and encourages children to think on their feet, solving problems as they go along. Simple tasks such as measuring out for a herb garden or flower bed, or helping create and build small projects can help children better understand the practical implications.

Healthy Foods

Growing a selection of fruits and vegetables in the garden reinforces a positive change in healthy eating habits in children. It's an excellent idea to give children their own veggie garden to grow their own selection of fresh vegetables, and is a perfect way to get kids on the path to a healthy diet. And they will almost certainly enjoy eating their own produce too!

Healthy Lifestyle

Not only is gardening a way to instill healthy eating habits, children’s young bodies are stretched and worked out in ways they may not be aware, even with basic gardening tasks. The simple act of pulling weeds, digging soil, carrying watering cans, and building garden projects increases physical activity whilst encouraging muscle and bone growth.

Respect Their Environment

In a garden, children can learn about sustainability and their responsibility to the environment  - a love and respect which should last to adulthood and encourage a new generation of garden enthusiasts.

Positive Outlook

Any form of gardening helps children experience valuable life lessons and emotions at a young age. Patience, responsibility, and even loss when flowers die, is a valuable and important lesson that is learnt in a light-hearted way through gardening.

Self-Confidence

A child's self-confidence can be so easily be developed if you set them goal when gardening, such as being able to plant  successfully grow a plant or build a bug hotel. It also gives them a sense of pride in their accomplishment.

Fun Activity

Getting involved in gardening can be a wonderful project for the entire family. It's filled with adventure, experimentation and learning; and children love to learn when they’re having fun!

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