The Many Benefits of a Gardening Program at Your Child’s Preschool

As a parent, you want your child to thrive in their preschool environment. One offering to look for is a hands-on gardening program. Interacting with a garden provides multi-faceted learning experiences that support development. When touring the best preschools, check if they offer gardening initiatives. Here’s a look at some of the benefits a preschool gardening program can provide.

1. Learning Science Through Gardening

A preschool garden is the perfect place for your child to engage in foundational science concepts. They’ll learn firsthand how seeds sprout into vegetables and flowers. Observing the plants’ growth teaches valuable lessons about nature. Your child will also gain an understanding of basic needs like water, sunlight, and healthy soil. Getting their hands muddy cultivating plants provides interactive science learning that appeals to preschoolers’ innate curiosity.

2. Developing Responsibility and Teamwork

Caring for a garden promotes responsibility in young children. Your child will take pride in doing their part to tend to the plants through weeding, watering, digging, and more. Shared garden spaces also encourage teamwork and collaboration to reach collective goals. Through gardening experiences at one of the best preschools, your child can build character and interpersonal abilities.

3. Gains in Fine and Gross Motor Skills

The hands-on nature of gardening also does wonders for developing your child’s motor skills. Actions like digging holes, raking soil, planting seeds, and watering provide great fine motor practice. The garden setting also helps your child strengthen gross motor skills like balance and coordination as they walk, kneel, reach, and carry. Look for robust gardening initiatives when touring preschools.

4. Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits

A preschool garden gets children excited about fresh fruits and vegetables by involving them in the growing process. Your child will find carrots, tomatoes, and peas much more appealing after planting the seeds themselves! Gardening helps promote nutritious eating habits to last a lifetime by teaching where produce originates. Let your child reap these healthy benefits through an engaging preschool gardening program.

When evaluating the best preschools, look for ones offering ample gardening activities. According to Kids Gardening, a review of 12 studies examining the benefits of school gardens found that all the studies show that participation in a school garden leads to an increased score on science achievement tests. The sensory-rich experience of growing flowers, herbs, and vegetables boosts learning across science, character, motor skills, and nutrition. An active garden program fosters development and curiosity, which is perfect for the preschool years. Check for gardening initiatives as you find the right preschool fit for your little one. Reach out to Key Point Academy Doral today.