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Goddard School Discusses Spring Gardening With Children

Teaching your child how to garden is a fun, hands-on learning experience that encourages patience, imagination and environmental awareness.

Teaching your child how to garden is a fun, hands-on learning experience that encourages patience, imagination and environmental awareness.  The best part about learning to garden is that it’s something your family can enjoy together, indoors or out.

Before you begin, talk with your child about the whole gardening process to pique his or her interest and help him or her become excited about the experience. You also can pick up a children’s book from the or South County’s Borders about gardening. Great books include: "Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots" by Sharon Lovejoy; "Green Thumbs" by Laurie Carlson; "Jack's Garden" by Henry Cole; and "The Children's Kitchen Garden: A Book of Gardening, Cooking and Learning" by Georgeann Brennan. 

When you’re ready to start, gather a few supplies and child-appropriate tools—soil, seed cups, watering cans, etc. Take a trip to together to pick out your supplies and seeds or seedlings for planting. Some great plants for children to start their gardening experience with include sunflowers, snow peas, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes and strawberries. Read seed packets and plant tags—anything with easy care and a short growing season are perfect for little ones to plant.

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The preschool classrooms at the harvested 56 sweet potatoes last fall, and worked together to make sweet potato pies, french fries and other delicious treats.

Be sure to acknowledge that some non-edible plants can be poisonous. Check the National Capital Poison Center website for a list of some poisonous plants and always supervise your child while gardening.

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Now that it’s time to plant, choose your location. If you have a large garden, section off an area or, if you don’t, use an old sandbox filled with soil as your child’s own special garden. Encourage your child to care for his or her plants throughout the entire process—from seed, to seedling, to mature plant, to harvest. How exciting it will be when the whole family is enjoying the fruits and vegetables they raised all on their own!

 

 

 

 

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