The Rewards of Gardening with Your Children
(ARA) – William Wordsworth once said, “Let nature be your
teacher.” He was just one of the many scholars who believed that
nature was therapeutic for the soul and provided an abundance of
lessons – especially for children. One of the best (and most fun)
ways for children to experience the outdoors is through gardening.
Gardening has been prevalent in our culture for thousands of
years. However, it is only recently that people started to realize
the benefits of gardening for children.
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“Gardening offers children multiple advantages,” says Dr. Susan
H. Turben, a nationally recognized child development specialist.
“Aside from the obvious health benefits of being outside and active
in the fresh air, gardening adds a sense of calm and tranquility to
their lives, which can sometimes be hard to find in today’s world.”
From family time to learning time, the benefits of gardening for
children are numerous. Consider everything gardening has to offer:
Nature Appreciation
Through the eyes of a child, the world is a place full of magic
and opportunities. As we grow older, some people lose or take for
granted the beauty of their outdoor surroundings. Getting your child
involved in a hobby like gardening at a young age sets the stage for
a lifetime of respect and appreciation for nature and the
environment. Think of it also as a science lesson taken outdoors.
Through gardening, children will learn about how a seed transforms
itself into a flower or how water makes a garden grow. The science
lessons that can be found in the garden are endless.
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Family Fun
In an age where video games, the Internet and cable TV bombard
children daily, gardening is an activity that brings families
together. A quiet and peaceful hobby, gardening is free of the
distractions often found inside the home. It provides the
opportunity for parent and child to be alone, talk and listen to one
another – an occasion that just can’t happen often enough. Gardening
is also a means for grandparents to bond with their grandchildren as
they share a lifetime’s worth of knowledge, not just about
gardening, but about life in general.
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Responsibility
Gardens are like anything else in the world in that they need
nutrients and water to grow. Through gardening, children will learn
one of life’s most important lessons – responsibility. They will see
first hand that if they are not there to nourish and water their
garden, it won’t grow.
“It’s important that children be taught responsibility at an
early age, whether it’s being assigned a household chore or being
responsible for a living thing,” says Dr. Turben. “This provides the
foundation for becoming a responsible adult.”
Sense of Accomplishment
Parents can help ensure a positive gardening experience for their
children by making available the proper tools. Children like to
mimic the actions of adults, so give them tools that are durable
enough for actual digging and planting. A new line of children’s
tools from Troy-Bilt, marketed under the name of The Budding
Gardeners, are sized for small hands, but feature real wood handles
and steel implements so they won’t break, even in the toughest soil.
The complete gardening kit includes a wheelbarrow, watering can,
three hand tools, gloves, easy-growing seeds and an instruction
manual – everything young gardeners need to get off to the right
start. There are also a variety of long-handle tools and even an
apron to make kids feel right at home in the garden.
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Patience
It’s important to learn that good things come to those who wait.
Gardening does not produce instantaneous results. Therefore, your
children must learn to be patient and tolerant if they wish to see
the results of their work. Once they do, however, they will feel
great satisfaction as they watch their garden grow and change. They
will learn that the steps involved in creating a garden – planning
the garden, preparing the soil, and planting and nourishing the
plants, are worth the effort.
For more ideas on how to make gardening an important part of your
child’s life, visit www.thebuddinggardeners.com. There you’ll also
find a variety of games, contests and other activities that can help
make gardening a year-round hobby. Courtesy of ARA Content
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