Children can learn valuable life lessons by gardening. They can use these skills throughout their childhood and into their adult lives. Let’s learn what these life lessons are.
Photo by Nicole Cagle
Life Cycle
In my beliefs, I think that if you give a child a plant of their own they will learn how delicate life is. They will take care of it by watering it and nurturing it. Often, they see plants grow into beautiful, healthy-to-eat vegetables that they can provide for their family. However sometimes due to weather, poor soil conditions, or neglect they will die.
This death will be heartbreaking, but it will teach them about death in the least heartbreaking way possible. Some time in their lives, they will have a family member pass away. Watching their plant shrivel away and die will prepare them for when they lose someone extremely close to them. It will help lessen their pain a little bit because they will understand that lives cannot go on forever. I believe that by gardening small children will learn about the grief process.
Responsibility
When they garden children learn responsibility. They realize that they provide their family with food if the plant fully develops. They also are responsible for checking it every day. If they neglect it, they will notice it being droopy and starting to die. They can fix their mistake by watering it as soon as they notice their error.
They will be responsible for homework, money, and even possibly a family when they grow up. Gardening allows them to gain a sense of responsibility beforehand. Even a small child can care for a plant and can begin around the age of three with a parent’s assistance. This is a great way for any child to learn responsibility.
Food Source
Many small children, living in an urban environments, don’t know where their food comes from, or have access to healthy fruits and vegetables. This is a devastating fact, which could lead to them to develop an unhealthy diet that could lead to obesity, diabetes, or even heart disease.
By gardening, they can learn that food is grown from a seed in a garden. They will want to taste the veggies that they have grown. This will lead to a healthy diet, full of enough nutrients to grow into healthy adults.
The future of children’s health depends on knowing where their food comes from. If they know where their food is coming from, children will want to choose healthy food sources. They might enjoy the crisp of peppers and the sweetness of strawberries. Each child has their own favorite fruits and pepper and you can assist them in discovering their favorites.
You may not think it is much, but gardening is one of the best things you can teach your children. They can learn how to overcome grief, learn responsibility, and provide healthy food for their family. They may even develop healthy eating habits. If you are a parent, please consider teaching your children how to grow a garden.
