The children care for our herb and vegetable garden
In our Gardening Program, all children at Enrich learn about herbs and vegetables, discovering how plants grow and spotting the insects that live among them. Exploring the natural world through gardening fosters a love for nature while helping children develop essential life skills such as coordination, gross motor skills and learning how to care for plants.
Interactive Gardening Program
In this blog, you’ll get a sneak peek in what our Gardening Program looks like for our Pre-Prep students. While our garden is outdoors, the gardening classes often start in the classroom. The children selected and read a book about the wonders of nature, the different parts of plants and insects that live in the garden and the environment. A beautiful way to engage their curiosity and expand their vocabulary.
Next up were the flashcards featuring pictures of various garden bugs, and the children guessed the bugs. The children excitedly got up to imitate the bugs, marching like flies, wiggling like worms, and spinning like spiders.
Teaching responsibility and routines through gardening activities
A key part of our Gardening Program is helping children learn routines, responsibility and simple instructions they can follow at their own pace.
Caring for the plants and herbs in our garden is a wonderful way to do that. From learning what plants need to grow to taking turns watering them, children practise responsibility. They also develop fine and gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination while picking mint leaves to bring back for delicious orange and mint ‘iced tea.’ It’s also an engaging way to practice social skills as they talk about what they’re doing.
How gardening builds confidence and self-esteem in children
As they care for the plants, children start to notice how their actions make a difference, helping them feel proud and confident. By gently handling plants and using child-safe gardening tools, children build responsibility. This helps them develop self-confidence and self-esteem as they learn how they play a big part in helping the garden grow and blossem.
Hands-on learning: Tasting vegetables and herbs
After their hard work, children enjoy tasting the edible plants and herbs from the garden. When asked which was their favourite, one child said, ‘The mint and lettuce are yummy!’ It’s a fun, interactive way to introduce healthy eating and new food
How gardening supports Early Years Learning Outcomes
The gardening classes are part of the complimentary Activity Program that all children enrolled at Enrich Early Education enjoy. It also supports the Early Years Learning Framework outcomes, helping children grow in confidence, curiosity, and connection with the world:
- Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity
- Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world.
- Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of well-being.
- Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners.
- Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators.