Little Green Thumbs

Look at our little gardeners hard at work!

Over the past couple of months, every child at Kids House Lynbrook has been actively caring for the garden patch, planting seeds, and watering them to watch them grow!

After weeks of enthusiastically watching the seeds grow into healthy greens, the little green thumbs took delight in finally harvesting the lettuce with the help of their educators.  The resident Cook spent time having conversations with the children and answering all their questions. Even the babies were involved in the process as they enjoyed playing out in the garden amongst the yummy homegrown lettuce.

The lettuce was then thoroughly washed and prepared into a salad dish to go with lunch which sparked much excitement in the children.  It means so much more to eat what you grow. 

Gardening is the perfect activity to encourage children to get outside and play in nature while learning about the world and there are so many reasons to introduce gardening to children from a very young age. 

Healthy eating – It’s so satisfying to eat what you grow because you’ve taken the time to nurture and care for the produce yourself.  Organically grown fruits and veggies typically taste better and what a great way to introduce new fruit, vegetables, or herbs into your child’s diet than by growing it with their help. Gardening is a great way to teach children where fresh food comes from and the importance of healthy eating.

Exercise – Let’s face it, gardening can be back-breaking work sometimes.  Digging holes, spreading mulch, and raking leaves use lots of different muscle groups and really gets those gross motor skills working.  There are many things to do in the garden for all age groups; toddlers can help to water the garden with a small watering can or push seeds into the dirt while older children can dig holes with shovels, rake leaves and push a small wheelbarrow. 

Social Skills – Gardening together improves language and communication by talking and sharing ideas or helping younger children follow directions. Children can learn about taking turns and sharing and working together as a team. Children are taught to be patient and dedicated towards a common goal. 

Discovery – Gardening can be the backdrop for children to learn about plants, animals, weather, sustainability, and nutrition.  It allows children to be creative, resourceful, and messy. 

Gardening can be fascinating for young children and provide opportunities for learning and to improve overall health and wellbeing. Whether it’s a plot of land on the side of your house or pots on a balcony, there’s no space too big or too small to start gardening.

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For information regarding our childcare and kindergarten service  go to: Kids House Early Learning Lynbrook