Turning Kids on to Gardening

Get children into the garden so they have an idea where food comes from.

Gardening provides a wonderful opportunity for children to connect with the earth, with their community, and with themselves. Gardener's Supply has long been an active supporter of school gardening programs. We believe cultivating the next generation of gardeners yields big rewards!

1. Growing plants from seed to harvest nurtures fragile feelings of confidence, self-esteem, and pride. Children become empowered and motivated when they experience the satisfying results of hard work and patience.

2. In the garden, kids can have a hands-on experience of how the natural world works and begin to appreciate the interdependence of people, plants, and our environment. These experiences lay the groundwork for making responsible environmental choices as adults.

3. Many children have no idea where their food comes from. A school garden opens up the opportunity for a greater understanding about our country's food distribution system, agriculture technology, land resources, hunger, and other social and environmental issues.

4. In working together to make a garden, children transform a piece of their world into a beautiful and productive community asset. Involving members of the community in their gardening project increases local pride while gathering support for the school and the gardening program.

5. Participating in a school gardening program is fun! Children who learn to dig the soil, sow seeds and tend plants get a whole new set of skills that they can build upon as they grow up.

To learn more about gardening programs for children, visit the National Gardening Association web site. You'll find information about the Youth Garden Grants program, and can read articles about school gardening programs, sign up for a free newsletter, and find links to other web sites. The American Horticultural Society is also actively involved in promoting youth gardening. They hold a national Childran and Yough Gardening Symposium each year. For more information, visit the American Horticultural Society web site.

For more articles on improving the world through gardening, see the Garden Activist archive page.