The Benefits of Gardening
The team at Brookfield Whiz Kidz understands the numerous benefits gardening offers for young children, both in terms of their physical and mental development, as well as their overall well-being. Some of these benefits are listed below:
Physical activity
Gardening involves physical tasks such as digging, planting, watering, and weeding, which provide children with exercise and help develop their motor skills and coordination.
Connection with nature
Gardening allows children to connect with the natural world, fostering an appreciation for plants, animals, and the environment. This can lead to a greater sense of stewardship and environmental awareness.
Sensory stimulation
Engaging with different textures, smells, colours, and tastes in the garden stimulates children’s senses and enhances their sensory development.
Learning opportunities
Gardening provides hands-on learning experiences across various subjects such as science (plant life cycles, ecosystems), math (measuring, counting), and even language arts (descriptive writing about plants and observations).
Healthy eating habits
Growing their own fruits, vegetables, and herbs encourages children to eat a wider variety of fresh, nutritious foods and helps instil healthy eating habits from a young age.
Patience and responsibility
Caring for plants teaches children patience as they observe the gradual growth process from seed to harvest. It also instils a sense of responsibility as they learn to water, weed, and tend to their garden regularly.
Emotional well-being
Gardening has been shown to have therapeutic effects, promoting relaxation, reducing stress and anxiety, and boosting mood. It provides children with a calming and grounding activity that can help improve their emotional well-being.
Sense of accomplishment
Watching their plants grow and thrive gives children a sense of achievement and pride, boosting their self-esteem and confidence.
Connection to food sources
Gardening helps children understand where food comes from and the effort involved in producing it, fostering a deeper appreciation for food and where it comes from.
Overall, gardening offers a holistic learning experience that nurtures children’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development while fostering a deeper connection to nature and the world around them.
At Whiz Kidz Brookfield, we believe in stimulating a child’s development through various activities, including gardening. It is consistent with our curriculums six domains; Learn, Move, Explore, Create, Self and Eco.
