Gardening fosters responsibility in young children by encouraging them to use their hands to prepare the soil, apply fertilizer, sow seeds, remove competing weeds, add water and harvest the crop. These practices are necessary for a plant to grow to its full potential and produce food.
When children accept these responsibilities, we help them to become caring individuals. And when children experience the loss of plants because of neglect, they learn the tragedies of improperly caring for the plants. Through these real-life lessons in gardening, children develop an appreciation for the value of responsibility.
Scientific discovery abounds in gardens. Animals, insects, worms and other creatures are attracted to plants growing in a garden. Children learn by observing the ecosystem in a garden- bees pollinating plants; worms living in the soil and breaking down organic matter, - working in the soil to make it more fertile and plant reproduction.
***I should add that the children showed such aloha for those baby chicks who were happily feeding in our potato patch...not one child shoo'd them away or shouted at them...instead the kids laughed and shared in the joy and pride of having creating a place so special that baby chicks felt comfortable to come and eat. #LIVEALOHA #LIVEPONO #KAHANAPONO
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