When I decided to write a blog post about the benefits of getting children involved in gardening the first thing I did was turn to the world wide web. There I easily found lots of information and statistics to support the multitude of physical and emotional benefits for children of all ages when they get off of screens and get their little butts outside and involved in growing their own flowers or veggies. As I read through the endless sources of information confirming these facts I realized that just listing off facts and benefits does not, in my opinion, truly encompass everything that is above and beyond that information.
The other night as I was laying in bed, I couldn’t sleep but it was comfy, so I spent some time thinking about how I would best communicate what I wanted to say about including our kids in the gardening and the strong foundation lessons and memories it creates. As I laid there I found myself floating through memories of my own childhood working in the garden with my parents when I was very small. For quite some time I floated someplace between sleep and awake remembering all those little details of spending time outside working in the garden and how, for me, the garden and gardening with my parents, siblings and grandmother was for me a place of wonder and learning. Spending time with my family and helping in my own way no matter how old I was.
In my earliest memories my job was to put 3 seeds in each hole my dad poked into the soil with the handle of his shovel along a string of twine tied between two pegs. The rows were straight and marked with the seed packages on pegs at the end of each row to identify what was planted.
My father was reluctant to use pesticides so my sister and I were paid 2 cents per potato bug we pulled off the potato plants and brought to my mother in my little sand box bucket. We thought we were the richest kids around with our bug picking! Not all jobs were fun, often my mother would break off a tomato leaf that had one of those big tomato worms (Hornworm) on it for me to step on and kill it. I still get the hibbey jibbies when I think about how they squished under my little foot.
As I continued to float in my clear beautiful memories, I remembered helping my grandmother in her garden as well. I remember her gardening shoes, tiny little blue canvas sneakers with holes in them, and her collection of sun hats that she was always happy to share with me. The pure childhood joy of selecting a hat from the collection and tying the ribbons under my chin.
Her garden wasn't close to the farm house, so we had to walk through the cow pasture first, past a huge maple tree, through the gate into her garden. I think the most magical thing about her garden (aside from all you could eat raspberries) was the majestic row of sunflowers she planted at the far side of the garden, literally there for the sole purpose of giving the birds something to eat!! But I think Grandma just loved them boarding her garden, feeding the birds was just a bonus.
As the years moved along those idyllic childhood moments moved into chaos and challenges. For myself and my siblings, the garden became a peaceful oasis away from difficult and chaotic challenges we faced at home. My sister and I would seek out the peace of the garden every afternoon during our summer vacations as teens. We would wear our swimsuits as we worked so we got our summer tans while we worked listening to country music on the ghetto blaster.
The garden was our safe space and sensory experience. We didn’t know what those things were in the eighties but we were naturally drawn to the garden. Therefore it was no surprise to me when I read about the proven benefits for kids in gardening and the many anti anxiety and sensory benefits to spending time out in the garden.
One of my greatest pleasures working at Windermere garden center is interacting with little future gardeners that come in with their parents. Younger children are wide eyed in wonder at the colourful beauty, flowers and bugs as they explore. They have great questions and curiosity about what we do and all the flowers and pants around them.
As a mother I know the eternal struggle that is the task of trying to get your kids off of tech and outside, especially now more than ever since my kids are now teenagers. I love seeing them experiencing first hand appreciation for the vegetables that we grow for ourselves in our little yard, the value of fresh flowers, and the sense of accomplishment in our home. They still jump at the chance of picking out the flowers for the front planters and I love to see how they work together and put thought into their yearly choices.
Aside from getting our kids outside some of the other many, many benefits of getting our kids out and involved includes:
Mental benefits of improving focus, removing extra stimuli and reducing the cognitive and sensory overload. Fostering better concentration overall.
It is hands-on learning that reinforces science, math, and ecology. Giving them an opportunity to develop problem solving skills while making it feel like play!
Since plants don’t grow overnight, it gives children a chance to wait, observe and experience adapting when things don’t go as planned (plant dies, or seed just didn’t come up).
Physically gardening is great for developing those fine motor skills by digging and carrying soil and water. It strengthens movement and coordination. This is great for building confidence.
Improved immune function exposing kids to beneficial microbes that help to train and strengthen the immune system.
Encouraging healthy eating habits. I know for myself I remember something fresh out of the garden tasted so much better than from the store.
Emotionally spending time outside is a sensory experience that helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Nature has a calming effect and gardening has been known to reduce cortisol and help kids to self regulate.
It creates a sense of pride watching something that was planted grow because of their care. This is great to build self confidence and self worth.
The garden is a quiet safe space that allows kids to process their emotions because often gardening can be soothing and rhythmic.
Caring for living things: plants, and insects helps to develop compassion and a sense of responsibility.
I recently drove past my grandparents' old farm. Sadly the old farmhouse burned down years ago and the barn was burned to the ground this past summer due to people squatting and starting fires. As I pulled over, no house, no barn, but I could still see the outline of the fence that once enclosed my grandma’s garden and the stump of the once mighty and majestic maple tree that was beside the gate. All these years later these core memories are still so clear and strong. I still think of my grandmother when I smell fresh vegetables and berries. The sunburns we got as wild feral children working in the dirt for hours every afternoon and the pride we felt helping out.
Except for Tomato Worms, those things still to this day make me do the ‘Hibbie Jibbie’ dance.
Written by WGC Employee Elaine K.
