First Lady Michelle Obama has long been a strong supporter of getting kids into the garden so that they can learn about healthy habits, but did you know that gardening can also help develop the same six areas of the brain that we work on in Kindermusik? Well, the weather is getting warmer, so it's time to start thinking about planting. Think you don't have room for a garden? Try container gardening, a window box, or a Topsy-Turvy planter. Even the smallest gardens can provide opportunities to work on these skills:
Cognitive: Gerdening inspires many opportunities to practice counting and simple math. Count the seeds you are planting. If you are planting in rows, you can begin to introduce concepts like addition and multiplication. Leftover seeds can be sorted by size and color. Gardening also provides a great opportunity to talk about what plants need to grow: light, water, proper soil, and the right climate.
Language: So many opportunities! Reading the information on the seed packets peaks children's own curiosity about reading, reminding them that reading is the key to getting information. Practice reading the names of the plants on the seed packets, and practice saying the more difficult words, breaking them into small sounds (phonemes) for younger children. Flower names can provide a wealth of unfamiliar words, sounds and letter combinations.
Physical: First of all, gardening is obviously a great way to get children out into the fresh air to play. But there are many motions involved that provide children with opportunities to develop muscle and muscle control. Handling tiny seeds requires children to practice the pincer grip--the act of pinching small objects between the index finger and thumb. Poking holes in the ground with one finger and pulling weeds also work the muscles of the hand. Digging in the ground makes the child use muscles in a way they may not be used to. And working close to the ground gives the child a different sense of spatial awareness than working at a table or easel.
Social: Most gardens produce so much produce, it's far too much for one family to consume. This provides a great opportunity to talk about sharing and community. Why not create veggie baskets to bring to the neighbors? Or check with local food pantries and shelters to see if they accept donations of fresh produce, and contribute to people in the community you've never met? It's a great way to teach your child that when they are in abundance of something, they can find joy in sharing with others.
Emotional: Gardening with a grown-up shows children how much they are loved. When an adult sets aside time to spend with a child, they show the child how valued they are. The fact that the project is ongoing shows a commitment to spending time with the child in the future. All of these contribute to a child's sense of emotional safety.
Musical: Use the time you spend in the garden thinking up songs about what you are doing. Old MacDonald Had a Farm is a great choice, of course. The Farmer in the Dell can be easily adapted to what you are doing. Think of verses like "the farmer plants the carrots" or "the farmer digs the holes." Or try this simple rhyme found in Kindermusik's ABC Music & Me curriculum:
I planted little corn seeds,
They were very, very small.
But day by day, they grew and grew,
And grew to be this tall!
You can substitute the name of the seeds you are planting, and talk about the characteristics of the plant that you expect to sprout from them.
With this many benefits to planting a garden, why not put your green thumb to the test this spring? For more information about gardening with children, check out these websites:
-Posted by Stacie Lopeman (a.k.a. "Miss Stacie")
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