Gardening for children - Horticultural Therapy Association of Victoria

Horticultural Therapy Association of Victoria www. horticulturaltherapy. com. au Gardening for children Children can learn new skills, have fun, play and develop self-confidence by spending time in the garden tending plants and growing their own food. Most... More

Horticultural Therapy Association of Victoria www. horticulturaltherapy. com. au Gardening for children Children can learn new skills, have fun, play and develop self-confidence by spending time in the garden tending plants and growing their own food. Most children enjoy being outdoors and love digging in the soil, getting dirty, creating things and watching plants grow. Children learn from growing things All age groups can enjoy gardening but children will have lots of fun and gain special benefits. Gardening is educational and develops new skills including: • Responsibility – from caring for and tending plants. • Understanding – as they learn about cause and effect (for example, plants die without water, weeds compete with plants etc). • Self confidence – from achieving their goals and enjoying the food they have grown. • Love of nature – a chance to learn about the outdoor environment in a safe and pleasant place. • Reasoning and discovery – as they learn about science, botan Less