Gardening with Preschoolersby amy n. beard 07.22.12

Some Benefits of Gardening• Develops small/large motor skills• Promotes growth in math and science• Provides for open-ended questions • Cultivates patience and responsibility

For more visit http://www.whitehutchinson.com/children/articles/gardening.shtml.

Garden Themes• Flower Garden• Herb Garden• Butterfly Garden• Fruit Orchard• Pizza Garden• Vegetable Garden

Fruit Garden Pizza Fun

Gardening Tips• Be patient• Be flexible with time• Garden in small groups• Give all a chance to participate• Encourage exploration & questionsFor specifics visit http://www.sunhatsandwellieboots.com/2012/04/12-top-tips-for-gardening-with-young.html.

What You Need to Garden• Plants or seeds• Soil• Small shovels• Watering cans• Containers/Area• Gardening Gloves

Gardening Activities in Class• Charting life cycles• Cooking with harvest• Painting with dirt• Learning parts of a plant• Playing with dirt & seeds sensory

table• Documenting garden creatures

Painting with Dirt• Have each child bring a

small a bag of dirt from home.• Mix dirt with water and paint

on large pieces of paper. • Hang paintings and discuss

what makes the dirt different.

Provide Books that Support

Take books like Woodsy Wonders outside to help children identify garden creatures.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jltstudioref=seller_info

Books for Gardening Units• The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss• Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert• Butterflies in the Garden by Carol

Lerner• Jack’s Garden by Henry Cole• What Lives in the Garden by J

Woodward• The Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin

References Digital Camera PhotoFruit Pizza: Used on p 4.

GraphicsStock Photo: Flowerpot 4 (used on p 6). http://www.sxc.hu/: Image ID: 673517. Stock Photo: Digging for Potatoes (used on p 3). http://www.sxc.hu/: Image ID: 1268332.Stock Photo: Brush (used on p 8). http://www.sxc.hu/: Image ID: 1013063.

Scanjlt studio (used on p 9). Woodsy Wonders, A Collector’s Journal. http://www.etsy.com/shop/jltstudio?ref=seller_info.

Books and Training Packages Stevenson, Rhonda. (2006). Grow and Learn Gardening Activities for Children. Training Package.Starbuck, S., Olthof, M., Midden, K. (2002). Hollyhocks and Honeybees: Garden Projects for Young Children (pp. 79-89). St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Web ArticlesStoecklin, Vicki. “Developmentally Appropriate Gardening for Young Children." http://www.whitehutchinson.com/children/articles/gardening.shtml. September 4, 2011. White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group. Accessed 07.30.12. (used on p 2).Catherine. “12 Top Tips for Gardening with Young Children.” Sun Hats and Wellie Boots. http://www.sunhatsandwellieboots.com/2012/04/12-top-tips-for-gardening-with-young.html. April 19, 2012. Accesed 07.30.12. (used on p 5).