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Return to Lesson Plan page

Taste and Tales
various books will work well with this lesson

Children learn about vegetables and fruits through children's literature and taste tests.

August

Melon Exploration One Watermelon Seed
Children learn about different types of melons (cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew) grown in WNC, become familiar with tasting new foods, and practice using their senses to explore environments.

September

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Return to Lesson Plan page Classroom Activity Accompanying Books Description Suggested Month Colorful Plate Spinners Rah Rah Radishes! Students learn to identify new fruits and vegetables. Students associate vegetables and fruits with a positive experience making a fun art project. [...]

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Rooted is a great website for help. I also went through and they came out to my program last year to help me set it up and I received a grant for the garden which is great!

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Rooted is committed to collaborations rooted in food, land, and learning. Rooted merges the strengths of Center for Resilient Cities and Community GroundWorks and is committed to enabling people to grow and thrive in healthy, equitable, and sustainable neighborhoods.

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This is a wonderful resource/educational centre close to where I work. We take the children here and utilize the space often to better educate ourselves on how to support our class' growth and understanding of nature and gardening.

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We are a non-profit organization with charitable status providing composting and ecological gardening education to residents of the Capital Regional District (CRD) and Greater Victoria, British Columbia. Our core funding is generously provided by the CRD and the City of Victoria.

Factsheets: Curious about hot composting or worm composting? Want to learn more about the Green Cone Digester or Earth Machine backyard composter? We've put together a factsheet for each of these composting queries as well as many more!

School Programs: Our environmentally focused and interactive programs serve children and youth in elementary, middle and high schools, preschools, clubs and summer groups in the Capital Regional District.

Adult Workshops: We are pleased to offer a broad range of workshops on composting, organic gardening, and sustainable living topics every year. Check out what's coming up at the Centre on our calendar.

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We are a non-profit organization with charitable status providing composting and ecological gardening education to residents of the Capital Regional District (CRD) and Greater Victoria, British Columbia. Our core funding is generously provided by the CRD and the City of Victoria. Factsheets: Curious about hot composting or worm composting?

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Following are a number of resources to help you plan lessons and activities for engaging children and youth in your garden, whether it be located at a school, museum, community farm, or other site.

Stay up-to-date about youth gardening and school gardens between National Children & Youth Garden Symposia.

Green Teacher is dedicated to helping educators, both inside and outside of schools, promote environmental awareness among young people aged 6-19.

A new online platform for gardeners like you. Kids Garden Community is the place to ask questions, explore resources, inspire, and be inspired.

The School Garden Support Organization Network is made up of organizations and individuals that support multiple school garden programs at a regional, school district, or state level. The SGSO Network, in partnership with Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, will host a Growing School Gardens Summit April 22-25.

Explore natural habitats, climate stability, plant life, and green careers with resources by Scholastic and Seed Your Future.

Curricula and other resources to help teachers, volunteers and parents plan and implement successful youth garden programs.

Resources for schools gardens from a leader in garden-based education for the past 40 years.

Explore the newest youth curriculum from Cornell Garden-Based Learning- Project S.O.W. (Seeds of Wonder): Food Gardening with Justice in Mind.

Download the Living Schoolyard Activity Guide, containing 131 ideas for year round school ground activities.

Free resources including
What's in Our Library, a comprehensive list of garden, nature, and food-themed books for kids ages 2-10.

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Following are a number of resources to help you plan lessons and activities for engaging children and youth in your garden, whether it be located at a school, museum, community farm, or other site. Stay up-to-date about youth gardening and school gardens between National Children & Youth Garden Symposia.

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I love this blog post from Brightwheel, it gives some fantastic easy ideas.

Julie Rose

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In a world increasingly dominated by screens and indoor play, it is important for children to reconnect with nature on a regular basis. Preschool is a critical time for young minds to explore and develop their understanding of the world around them. That's why incorporating gardening activities into your preschool curriculum can have a profound impact on a child's holistic development.

From fostering a love for the environment to promoting physical, cognitive, and social-emotional growth, the benefits of gardening are bountiful. In this article, we will explore the undeniable importance of introducing outdoor play and gardening activities into preschool education and creative activities you can use to inspire the children in your classroom.
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What is outdoor play?

Outdoor play gives children the opportunity to discover, explore, and learn about the outside environment. Allowing children to play outdoors gives them the freedom and space to run, climb, jump, and express themselves with messy activities and loud voices, which is crucial to their growth and development . Outdoor play also fulfills a child's needs for exploration, risk-taking, and experimentation.

Some engaging outdoor activities for preschoolers include scavenger hunts, birdwatching, outdoor dramatic play, and creating art with items found in nature. With careful planning, you can find ways to make outdoor play happen with appropriate activities for each season. So, whether it's sunny, rainy, or snowy (except for extreme cases), children can play and learn outdoors.

Why is outdoor play important?

In today's world, children are spending more time on screens and less time outside. While there are educational digital programs, too much time on the screen can negatively affect a child's development physically, socially, emotionally, and mentally. Therefore, it's essential to carve out some outdoor play for preschoolers.

Besides reduced screen time, there are other benefits of outdoor play.

Physical health: Outdoor play directly impacts a child's physical development. It helps improve muscle strength, lower body mass index, advance motor skills, and boost general health.

Social development: Playing outdoors increases opportunities to interact with other children and build relationships. As a result, they gain communication skills, better friendships, self-awareness, and appreciation for the environment.

Emotional development: Children who play outside are stronger emotionally compared to children who spend most of their time indoors. This is because outdoor play gives children time to self-reflect, gain independence, build their resilience, and also provides an opportunity to use all their senses.

Intellectual development: Outdoor play aids a child's intellectual development by boosting brain development, expanding learning space, improving interpersonal skills, and sparking an interest in new things.

Gardening activities for preschoolers

Incorporating gardening activities in your lesson plans can be an opportunity to create engaging, hands-on exploration, sensory experiences, and problem-solving moments for your children. Here are some easy and creative gardening activities for preschoolers.

1. Scarecrows

This is a good activity for preschoolers who are just beginning to learn about gardening. Use this scarecrow activity to explain the role scarecrows play in a garden and get children involved in the design process by utilizing clothes and materials you already have.

2. Eggshell gardens

This is a fantastic way of showing children they can be creative with recycling and use commonly found items during gardening projects. You can do this as a group project by having different children place their eggshell gardens in different locations and conditions.

Have some gardens placed in direct sunlight, others planted with different soils, and even play music for some gardens and see if the different conditions affect the plant's growth. This activity can introduce children to the favorable conditions that plants need to grow.

Follow these instructions to make your own eggshell gardens .

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3. Bird feeders

Children are intrigued by birds' ability to fly, so a chance to study them is fascinating. One excellent bird activity for preschoolers is birdwatching, which can be coupled with bird feeding.

To make a bird feeder , you'll need a cardboard toilet paper roll, bird seed, and peanut butter or water-based glue. Apply peanut butter on the toilet paper roll and then roll it in a dish filled with bird seeds. Once you have enough bird seeds covering the roll, use a string to hang the bird feeder on a tree and wait for the lucky birds.

4. Plant a salad garden

Planting ingredients from your children's favorite salad or soup will encourage healthy eating habits and provide an opportunity to observe the entire process of how a plant grows. Children get to experience planting, watering, tending, and reaping. By the end of the cycle, harvest the crop and use them to make a tasty salad.

5. Egg carton greenhouses

This is an excellent way to introduce preschoolers to the concept of greenhouses and teach them that you can create perfect conditions for plants. This egg carton greenhouse activity helps seeds sprout faster and is a simple way to teach about planting different types of seeds.

6. Seed grow jars
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Watching a seed grow is an exciting scientific experiment for preschoolers. This seed jar experiment helps children see what happens underneath the soil when a plant is growing. Place the jars in a spot where you'll remember to check their progress every day. You can even ask the children to document the journey.

7. All senses exercise

With this activity , encourage children to use all their senses when they are exploring a garden. Place a "please touch plants" sign to inspire children to feel the textures of different plants and flowers. As children walk, ask them to describe what noises they hear and what colors they see. If your garden has fragrant herbs, encourage children to smell and taste the edible plants.

8. Grow a carrot top

This is a great way to teach a preschooler about responsibility as they look after their carrot top and watch it grow. Start this project by putting a carrot top with some root growth at the top into a small dish. Add a layer of cotton balls to the dish and add enough water to make the cotton wet without over-flooding them.

Have your children make sure the cotton balls remain wet by watering them every day. This exercise will enhance their observational skills and teach them about plant care.

9. Make bug houses

Sometimes, the last thing you want to see as an adult is a bug. However, most children find all types of creepy, crawling creatures, like spiders and ants, fascinating. Homemade bug houses are a relatively easy craft to make that allows children to observe and learn about bugs. All you need is an empty container with tiny mesh windows to ensure the bugs stay alive and children have room for observation.

10. Dissect a flower
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Dissecting a flower is a brilliant way of teaching preschoolers about the different parts of a flower. Showing them the details is easier compared to simply explaining what they are.

Guide the child on dissecting the flower-they can use scissors or manually pluck the flower parts. Talk about all the flower parts as you do this.

11. Plant pumpkin seeds in a pumpkin

Preschoolers will love this planting activity as it involves being creative and getting messy. Cut and clean out a pumpkin and put the pumpkin seeds aside. Fill the pumpkin with soil and invite children to push the pumpkin seeds down into the soil with their fingers. Place the pumpkin where it can receive sunlight and observe the progress daily. Children can take turns watering the seeds and documenting the progress.

12. Make a fairy garden

This is a great garden activity for springtime. For this exercise, you can repurpose a water table, pot, toy wagon, or other container for your garden. Plant seeds, add plants or succulents, and include fairy figurines and furniture. This can be your preschooler's little sanctuary, and they can take up the responsibility of pulling weeds, watering, and picking up flowers from the garden.

Check out this and this for more inspiration.

13. Play garden-themed "I spy"
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This is a fun activity for days when you don't want children to get messy. To play "I spy", identify different items in the garden and have children guess the object correctly. You can also incorporate physical activity by taking a walk through the garden as you play the game.

14. Herb gardens

Instead of planting vegetables, plant a small herb garden in a few containers to teach children the basics of gardening. Fragrant herbs like mint and basil can introduce children to new scents, while also teaching them about different flavors and uses for herbs in cooking.

15. Rubber boot planters

This is a creative way to recycle old rubber rain boots. Before the gardening fun begins, decorate or paint your boot. Add rocks and sand to the bottom for stability before adding potting soil and colorful plants. Follow these step-by-step instructions to create your own flower pot out of rain boots.

How to ensure preschoolers are safe in the garden

Before you start gardening, it's important to take the right precautions to ensure your preschoolers are safe outdoors.

Some tips to keep in mind:

Apply SPF regularly and wear a hat.

Have a water station to ensure children stay hydrated.

Check the perimeter of your garden to ensure all gates are locked.

Child-proof the garden by removing sharp garden objects and tools.

Set up any activity supplies in a shaded area out of direct sunlight.

Keep a first aid kit handy.

Get outside and garden

Gardening is a great educational activity that gets your children outside, encourages physical activity, and instills an appreciation for nature. Incorporate one or more of these activities into your preschool lesson planning or inspire families to try a gardening activity at home.

Brightwheel is the complete solution for early education providers, enabling you to streamline your center's operations and build a stand-out reputation. Brightwheel connects the most critical aspects of running your center-including sign in and out, parent communications, tuition billing, and licensing and compliance-in one easy-to-use tool, along with providing best-in-class customer support and coaching. Brightwheel is trusted by thousands of early education centers and millions of parents. Learn more at mybrightwheel.com.

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15 Creative Gardening Activities for Preschoolers

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Outdoor activities are critical to a child's development. Get inspired by these gardening activities for preschoolers.

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I would also like to share some of my favorite books for young children:

1. Lola planta un jardín (Lola plants a garden) by Anna McQuinn

2. Arriba, abajo y alrededor (Up, Down, and Around)by Katherine Ayres y Nadine Bernard Westcott

3. How does my garden grow? by Gerda Muller

Mabi Fernandes

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7 Tips to Garden with Kids (Easy Gardening with Children)

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Library of Congress: School Garden Movement

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Library of Congress: School Garden Movement

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Provides a list of various books and school garden organizations/resources.

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Research Guides: School Garden Movement: Primary and Secondary Resources: Resources For Educators

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The Library of Congress has a rich collection of materials related to the history of the school garden movement. This research guide lists primary and secondary sources to learn more about its history as well as resources for educators.

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Grow a Salad! Preschoolers Plant and Prepare Their Food

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Here's how a gardening project helped a preschool class discover where fresh food comes from and how to grow them. This article includes observations and lessons learned during the project.

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In project-based learning, spontaneous conversations during lunch can lead to interesting learning experiences. We discovered that it is possible to grow a salad indoors, in the middle of winter, in under a month!

The sprouting of an idea

Over the winter, I was sitting with a group of pre-K children on a particularly cold and snowy day. They were eating a cafeteria-prepared lunch of pizza and salad. Amid the many conversations, one child asked, "Mrs. Barresi, can we grow a salad?"

I was not surprised by this question-there's almost always something growing in our classroom. "That's an interesting question," I replied. Another child chimed in, "Not now, not in the snow!" A long conversation followed about plants and what they need in order to grow.

It's true: vegetables won't typically grow outside in the middle of winter, and especially not outside in Connecticut, where our preschool is! And even if we planted a garden in the spring, when the sun warms the soil, who would tend to it during the long, hot summer? Would it still be alive when we returned to school in the fall? As a Reggio Emilia-inspired school that embraces project-based learning, we decided to do some research.

After lunch we turned to the Smartboard, opened up Google, and asked, "Can we grow a garden in the winter?" This led us to information about building a cold frame (a box with a clear glass or plastic lid or cover used as a mini greenhouse). Cold frames are used for growing plants outdoors before the weather is warm. While that certainly was a possibility, building a cold frame was a big project. We kept digging.

"It's warm in here," said Thomas. "Can we grow a garden in our classroom?" So next we searched, "Can we grow a garden inside?"

That's when we discovered microgreens! They can be grown indoors, any time of the year, and they don't require a lot of space. The more we read about microgreens, the greater our excitement became.

What are microgreens?

Microgreens are young seedlings of edible plants (kale, radishes) that are harvested shortly after germination when the stem, seedling leaves, and first set of true leaves have grown. Much like our preschoolers, they are tiny and packed with energy-nutritional energy!

To learn even more about microgreens, we searched the local library catalog. We found the book Microgreens: How to Grow Nature's Own Superfood, by Fionna Hill. I told the children that I would pick up the book at the library that evening.

In the meantime, we decided to make a K-W-L chart-a chart that helps organize information using three categories: What I KNOW, WONDER, and LEARNED.

The roots of a project

The next day, book in hand, we explored the vibrant pictures. The children looked in the book for answers to questions in the "What I Wonder" column of our K-W-L chart. We learned that we can eat the microgreens of most vegetables, herbs, and spices. Some other facts we learned:

Unlike spacing seeds and planting rows in a traditional garden, microgreen seeds are planted in a layer sprinkled across the top of the soil.

Since the plants don't grow very big, neither does the root system, so the seeds can be planted in shallow containers.

The first set of leaves are called seedling leaves; these are part of the seed and help to nourish the sprouting seed. Our salad greens could be harvested after the first set of true leaves emerged. True leaves are leaves that grow after the seed has sprouted.

It usually takes 2 to 4 weeks to grow microgreens.

We decided to give microgreens a try. We made a planning web-or in this case, a planning plant-to help us organize our project.

"How are we going to conduct our investigation?" I asked the children.

"We need dirt!" one child answered.

"And something to grow in," another child said.

"Oh, so we should make a list of supplies we need to plant our garden?" I asked the children.

Plants need dirt

Plants need water

Plants need sun

Plants start with seeds

What I Wonder

Where we can get the seeds

What kind of seeds we should get

How we plant the seeds

How big they will grow

How long it will take

How our plants will taste

How we will know when to eat the plants

What I Learned

We ordered the seeds online

We ordered seeds of food we like

Microgreen seeds are planted in a layer, not spread out

The plants had seedling leaves and one set of true leaves when we harvested them

The peas grew 3", the other plants grew 2" tall

They took two weeks to grow

They tasted like salad, the peas were sweet

Acquiring seeds and supplies

Next, we needed to locate a source for seeds. Seed packets found in most garden centers contained a very small amount of seeds; purchasing those would have been cost prohibitive for our project. We went to the Smartboard again, typed in "microgreen seeds," and found several suppliers.

There were so many different kinds of seeds to choose from, but we narrowed our selection down to three: carrots, peas, and clover. First we brainstormed a list of vegetables the class liked to eat, then children voted for their top two; carrots and peas were favorites. We chose clover because we were surprised that we could eat it and we wanted to try it. We placed our order and eagerly waited for our seeds to arrive.

While waiting for the seeds, we referred to our planning plant: it was now time to gather our tools and supplies so that we were ready when our seeds arrived. We wondered together where we might get some of the things we needed. One child suggested, "My mom has a garden. Maybe I could ask her." This, of course, prompted several other children to chime in, "Me too!" We decided to write a letter:

Sure enough, our parents rose to the challenge and provided us with the supplies we needed to grow our own salad-including some recipes for salad dressing!

Harvesting our idea

We were so excited when our seeds arrived! After opening the packages, we immediately noticed that the pea seeds looked just like peas, while the carrot and clover seeds were very tiny. Following the directions we had read in the book and online, we prepared our microgreen garden. Each child took a turn adding soil to the planters and sprinkling seeds across the surface. Careful not to overwater the plants, we set up a watering station and used mister spray bottles every day. The children documented the growth of our plants in two ways: 1) some chose to take pictures with the iPads and create a photo documentary, while 2) others drew observations in their nature journals.

In two weeks, we were able to harvest our microgreens and enjoy salad with our lunch while we looked out over our snow-covered outdoor learning environment!

Try this with your class!

Here's what you need to get started:

Sunny window: microgreens need at least four hours of direct sunlight a day.

Shallow dish: seed starting trays or other shallow containers, like shallow food storage containers, recycled Styrofoam take-out containers, recycled rotisserie chicken trays, or a jelly roll pan.

Seeds:

Salad greens (kale, arugula, mustard, sorrel)

Leafy vegetables (radishes, beets, carrots, peas)

Herbs (cilantro, basil, chervil, parsley)

Edible flowers (zucchini blossoms, violets, rose petals)

Potting soil: seed-starting medium (made up of ingredients other than soil-things like milled sphagnum moss, peat, vermiculite, or perlite) or potting soil; avoid soils with fertilizers mixed in because they include chemicals that aren't good for children to eat.

Spray bottle/mister: small bottles for little hands that mist instead of soak.

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14-Day Salad: Using Project-Based Learning to Grow Microgreens

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In project-based learning, spontaneous conversations during lunch can lead to interesting learning experiences. We discovered that it is possible to grow a salad indoors, in the middle of winter, in under a month! Over the winter, I was sitting with a group of pre-K children on a particularly cold and snowy day.

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Elina Hodges

This is a great resource our local libraries do- not sure if other do it as well. May be worth asking your local library!

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Visit our seed libraries for free, organic, non-GMO seeds! Available at the Kingston, Little Boston, Manchester, and Port Orchard locations from February through early summer, while supplies last. Each seed packet contains enough seeds to cover one square foot of your garden or grow 3-5 larger plants. Send pictures of your gardening success to seedlibrary@krl.org.

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Visit our seed library, located at Port Orchard and Manchester locations, and take home some to plant! Free to the public, each seed...

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Serena Murdock

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Good nutrition helps children grow, develop, and maintain a healthy weight. Being healthy also improves their self-esteem and well-being. When children are healthy, they are more able to learn and do well in school.

Head Start programs serve nutritious meals in a positive eating environment, teach children and families about healthy eating habits, and make sure that families have access to critical food assistance programs and tips for eating well on a budget. Well-balanced meals, food security, and nutrition education are integral parts of the Head Start comprehensive health services.

Find strategies for healthy eating below.

Visit Farms, Farmers Markets, and Grocery Stores

Farmers markets and some specialty stores offer fresh, nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables. Field trips to farmers markets, working farms, or even grocery store produce departments are great ways to introduce children and families to fresh fruits and vegetables. Children may be surprised to find that they like many of them. With planning, farmers market vendors, farmers, and produce managers are often happy to "show and tell" - usually with tasty samples of their fruits and vegetables. They may share food samples and sometimes give cooking demonstrations, too.

Specialty grocery stores may sell a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. For instance, stores specializing in Latino foods may offer items like jicama, tomatillo, and cactus. Stores specializing in Middle Eastern foods may have a bigger selection of beans, squashes, and okra than some families are used to seeing. Specialty grocery stores are great field trips for children and adults. Children may be eager to pick out and try new foods. Teachers can use the foods the children choose in the lesson plans and for healthy snacks. Teachers can also encourage families to use these new foods in recipes at home.

Start a Garden

Gardening exposes children to healthy foods and offers moderate physical activity and opportunities for positive social interactions. Picking fruits and vegetables, taking care of plants, or living near a garden as a child can have a positive impact. Children who grow their own foods are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables than those who do not. These healthy behaviors can last a lifetime.

Gardening also teaches children about where food comes from and builds math and science skills. Children touch, smell, and taste the fruits and vegetables. They learn that fruits and vegetables are grown from plants or trees in the ground. Planting activities help children become familiar with different growing conditions and plants that produce fruits and vegetables. A study of children with learning disabilities who gardened found that they increased their nonverbal communication skills, developed awareness of the advantages of order, learned how to participate in a cooperative effort, and formed positive relationships with adults.

Gardening does not need to be expensive, but you do have to buy some things. You need seeds or starter plants, gardening tools, and a water source. Be sure there are some adult-sized tools and plenty that are child-sized, too. Gardens can be either above ground in a raised garden bed or planted directly into the ground. If you decide on a raised garden bed, you need non-pressure-treated wood and good soil to fill the bed. If you choose to plant directly in the existing dirt, you need something to nourish the soil, like mulch or compost. Local hardware stores, garden suppliers, and garden clubs may be willing to donate labor, expertise, supplies, and equipment. Families who are gardeners are also great resources.

Gardening is good for children and adults. Staff and families benefit from both the physical activity and easy access to free or low-cost fruits and vegetables. If your program does not have space for a garden, consider getting involved with or promoting a nearby community garden.

Case Study: Gardening at the Oregon Child Development Coalition

When the Oregon Child Development Coalition (OCDC) made a commitment to incorporate gardening into all its centers, it was unclear how each center would achieve this goal. OCDC is one of the nation's largest providers of Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, Early Head Start, and pre-K programs. It serves more than 4,000 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers throughout Oregon. Some centers have ample land, accessible for vegetable growing and gardening, and some have very limited space. Despite these challenges, each center has launched successful programs that give children invaluable hands-on experiences that support learning and development.

Each OCDC center was free to incorporate a garden in its own way. OCDC's Ashland site, which has limited space, built a small container garden to grow herbs, which exposes children to new sensory experiences in smell and taste. The staff paired this program with a field trip to a pumpkin patch to deepen the children's experience and understanding of growing food. The pumpkins they gathered became part of the lunch menu as a shepherd's pie, thanks to the collaboration between education staff and the food service supervisor. OCDC's Umatilla site worked with a nearby landowner who donated land use, as well as volunteer master gardeners and community-donated supplies, to build a community garden that everyone can enjoy. Despite size limitations or other challenges, each garden adds immense value to the program, and gardening is still a priority for OCDC 's staff and families.

Buy Food Locally

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers resources that can help Head Start programs find new, healthy sources of foods for meals and snacks. Procuring Local Foods for Child Nutrition Programs Guide helps programs find and secure locally grown and produced food. It has information vital to a successful, open, fair, and competitive process.

Farm to Preschool is a natural extension of the farm-to-school model. It works to connect early childhood programs to local food producers. Its objectives are to serve locally grown, healthy foods to young children, improve child nutrition, and offer related educational opportunities. Farm to Preschool offers many types of support for moving your program in this direction. It offers webinars, links to free curricula, gardening resources, family-education resources, and grant opportunities.

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Good nutrition helps children grow, develop, and maintain a healthy weight. In this resource, find healthy eating strategies for families and staff.

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Anthony M

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Early childhood is a great time to start getting children engaged with gardening, food, and the earth. Here at Nature Net, we are committed to sharing resources to get kids of all ages and backgrounds outside and engaged with all parts of nature. Gardening is a great way to introduce children to the importance of plants, "dirt" (maybe we can get them to call it soil!), and the value of working together to produce food and beauty for our communities.

If you're looking for ways to share the value and joys of gardening, sustainable food, and local community engagement, look no further! Here are fun activities and methods for getting young kids involved with gardening and food.

Rooted

Food and gardening ideas and activities for every learning level, available in English and Spanish!

Tips on how to engage young kids on a trip to the Farmers' Market!

Got Veggies? Activities, info, and educational materials about gardening for younger children!

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Fun Food and Gardening Activities for ECE-4K Kids -

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Nature Net is a not-for-profit initiative that provides "one-stop shopping" for environmental education resources for teachers and families of South-Central Wisconsin and beyond! You'll find nature centers, museums and other providers in Southern Wisconsin and all sorts of free ideas, suggestions and free educational resources on how to explore your local environment.

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This has helped me a lot over the years in my class.

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The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, National Head Start Association and KidsGardening have joined together to combat some of the most pressing challenges facing today's youngest generation, improving access to healthy food and increasing time spent outdoors connected to nature. The three-year partnership will work to bring the powerful, life-enhancing benefits of gardens to one million at-risk Head Start children and families across the country each year through the development of edible gardens and hands-on garden education.

Gardens are an amazing resource in early childhood education classrooms. They offer hands-on learning experiences and provide the chance for inquiry-based exploration while also inspiring children's natural curiosity and wonder. Garden activities can readily be integrated into the curriculum and designed to support the cognitive, physical, social and development of young children. Additionally, they provide ample opportunities to engage families and community members. Some noted benefits of garden-based education programs include:

Build an understanding of and respect for nature and the environment

Motivate kids to eat and love fruits and vegetables

Provide opportunities for hands-on learning, inquiry, observation and experimentation

Promote physical activity and quality outdoor experiences

Teach kids to nurture and care for other living things while developing patience

Offer opportunities for positive social interactions and team building experiences with students, families and community members

Gro More Good Webinar Series

Join us for a year-long webinar series to discover the many ways gardening activities can be used to promote the health and wellness of young children and their families.

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Early Childhood Education Resources - KidsGardening

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The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, National Head Start Association and KidsGardening have joined together to combat some of the most pressing challenges facing today's youngest generation, improving access to healthy food and increasing time spent outdoors connected to nature.

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The lessons are more older student focused but could be adapted for younger students or a good way to partner with an older grade. I think the garden resources would really help someone starting out.

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Questions about Cornell Garden-Based Learning Program?

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Has lesson plans by grade levels.

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Garden Lesson Videos and Activities
A new project for a new time! We have created videos of Garden to Table lessons, presented by seasoned educators, for viewing at home or in the classroom. Each lesson comes with suggestions for activities to be done at home, in a garden, or in a yard or neighborhood.
Additional Garden to Table Lesson Materials These home-friendly lesson plans are a sample of our standards-based, experiential curriculum.
Growing You! Book recommendations & literacy activities from Language Arts teacher Jessica Schmitt

Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens is a playful book about how Hare, a clever rabbit, tricks a lazy bear into giving up half of the vegetable harvest-and it's always the best half! How does he do it?!

There are many other school garden support organizations around the country that have been sharing resources as well. To avoid reinventing the wheel, we're sharing some of our favorites here:

We love these activities about food and sustainability from the Center for Ecoliteracy.

The Junior Master Gardener program is hosting a series of live activities for elementary students. Join them every Tuesday and Thursday at noon MST through May 19, 2020.

Back Pocket Learning provides easy, engaging, off-screen activities for kids with minimal materials. Options include outdoor explorations, crafts and recipes.

Big Green at Home shares new and engaging lessons, videos, events, and activities perfect for the at-home learner.

This unit on food waste and composting as a solution to climate change is designed for 5th grade.

Farmer's Footprint created this list of Regenerative Activities for Kids for exploring soil, seeds, compost, and biodiversity.

Kids Gardening has a long list of resources and activities to get families gardening and exploring nature.

National Agriculture in the Classroom has a bunch of eLearning activities for grades PK-12.

Partners for Education, Agriculture, and Sustainability have video lessons on the topics of cooking, nutrition, gardening and nature exploration.

Green Our Schools has a set of video STEM Garden Lessons.

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Educational Resources for Parents and Teachers | Garden to Table

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Garden Lesson Videos and Activities A new project for a new time! We have created videos of Garden to Table lessons, presented by seasoned educators, for viewing at home or in the classroom. Each lesson comes with suggestions for activities to be done at home, in a garden, or in a yard or neighborhood.

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Choosing the right plants is always important, but it's especially crucial for gardens designed for young children. This list includes annual and perennial plants considered safe for wee ones. You'll find two main categories - cool season and warm season plants - so you can plan to have something blooming or ready to harvest for most of the gardening year. These are subdivided into which to purchase as established plans rather than start from seed. Generally, seeds are more economical, but some is small and hard to handle, a challenge to germinate, or the resulting plants may take a long time to mature.

Plants to Avoid

Although every child needs to learn that some plants are not good to eat or touch, it is best to avoid poisonous plants or those with irritating characteristics like thorns. Online databases of poisonous plants are available here:

WHAT'S AN ANNUAL?
For those of you new to the gardening world, it's helpful to become familiar with a few plant terms to help you navigate through the myriad choices.

Annuals are plants that complete their life cycle during one growing season; that is, they sprout from seed, blossom, set seed, and die within a short time. In this list, we divide them into cool-season and warm-season annuals. Cool-season types, such as lettuce and spinach, grow best when daytime temperatures are 60° to 70° F. Warm-season annuals, including beans and corn, grow best when daytime temperatures in the mid-70's through the 90's.

Biennial plants live for two growing seasons. During the first season they build up reserves that they use during the second to blossom and produce seed, after which they die. Common biennial plants include carrots and onions. (Gardeners don't grow these two crops for flowers or seeds, but you may wish to let some specimens complete their life cycles just to illustrate the biennial cycle to children - just be aware that the roots will no longer be palatable!)

Perennials live for three or more years. Lifespans vary, with some lasting just a few years and others living for decades.

Cool-Season Plants
GROW FROM SEED

Beets are grown for their nutritious roots. To kids, harvesting root crops is like digging for buried treasure! Colors include red, orange, yellow, white, pink and striped. Leaves are also edible. Harvest roots while fairly young - they can become tough and fibrous when they grow too large. Beets can be eaten boiled, baked, or pickled. Biennial.

Carrots are packed with health-promoting nutrients and taste great fresh from the garden! Varieties range in size from baby carrots to foot-long roots. Although orange carrots are most common, yellow, white, orange, and maroon varieties are available. All have attractive, feathery leaves. Carrots are fairly easy to grow in well-drained, well-tilled soil. Keep soil evenly moist to ensure even germination of seed. Biennial.

Calendulas, sometimes called pot marigolds, look more like daisies, with bright flowers in a range of yellows and oranges. They prefer cool temperatures but do not tolerate frost. Some gardeners grow them as companion plants to vegetables because they repel certain pests. Annual.

Dill can grow up to five feet tall with airy foliage and beautiful yellow flowers. This herb is used to flavor dill pickles, dressings, fish, and dips. The flowers attract butterflies, and the leaves are a food source for swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. In hot climates it grows best during the spring and fall months, but it thrives all summer in cooler climates. Annual.

Lettuce grows quickly and forms the foundation for fresh classroom salads. Dozens of varieties are available in many different colors (reds, purples, and all shades of green). Heading lettuce forms a tight mass of leaves that you harvest all at once. Looseleaf lettuce can be harvested by the leaf throughout the growing season. An excellent crop for both spring and fall. Annual.

Radishes germinate in 3 to 7 days and many are ready for little hands to harvest 30 to 45 days. Like beets and carrots, the roots are the prize, and they come in a wide variety of shapes (round to oblong), colors (including red, white, pink, purple, yellow), and sizes. Most are eaten raw to add a spicy flavor to salads. Annual.

Peas come in several different types from snow peas to field peas, some with edible pods and others dried and used for soups. Most have a vining habit and need support in order to yield a good crop. Try growing them on a trellis, fence, or bamboo tepee. Peas are a good source of protein, minerals, and vitamins, and they're great fun to pick. Annual.

Spinach leaves are packed with powerful nutrients such as Vitamins A, C, iron and calcium. It grows easily and very quickly, and prefers the cool temperatures of spring and fall. You can start harvesting as soon as plants have five or six leaves. Annual.

Swiss Chard is grown for edible petioles (leaf stalks) and leaves. The variety 'Bright Lights' is popular with kids because its stems and leaf veins come in a range of bright colors, including yellow, pink, red, orange, purple, white, and green. Like spinach, it's high in vitamins and iron. Annual.

OBTAIN ESTABLISHED PLANTS

Broccoli, grown for its green, immature flower buds, is a tasty treat that is also high in nutritional value. When you offer kids the opportunity to "eat flowers," they're sure to be intrigued! Broccoli can blossom prematurely (called bolting) in hot weather, so plant seedlings when the weather is cool to ensure a good harvest. Annual.

Brussels Sprouts as you may guess from their appearance, are related to cabbages. They are a fun size for small children, especially when they grow alongside a cabbage for size comparison. Annual.

Cabbage forms an edible head of tightly clustered leaves. They come in a variety of sizes and colors (red, purple, and white). Eat it cooked or raw. Annual

Onions are a universal seasoning. Grow and taste both the edible bulbs and green tops. Plant onions seedlings or "sets" (small onion bulbs), available from garden centers and catalogs in the spring. They vary in skin color (white, brown, yellow, red, or purple), shape, and flavor (from sweet to spicy). The tops grow quickly for student sampling. Biennial.

Pansies, with their happy "faces" and wide array of colors, are definitely kid-pleasers. They're also easy to grow. The flowers are edible and great for pressing to use with craft activities. They grow and blossom best in cooler temperatures. Annual.

Parsley is high in Vitamin A and by weight has more Vitamin C an orange! The curly variety has a tight, mounding growth that resembles a bed of soft moss, making it a nice "touch plant". Parsley is also a food source for black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. Biennial.

Snapdragons come in a range of sizes (from dwarf to tall) and in every color except true blue. Kids love pinching their velvety, tubular flowers to make the "dragon's jaws" snap! Annual.

Warm-Season Plants
GROW FROM SEED

Bean seeds are large enough for kids to handle easily and plant, and they grow quickly, some maturing in as few as 45 days. Both bush and pole varieties come in a wide array of types and colors include yellow, green, and purple. Pole beans are great for creating child-friendly structures like tepees and tunnels. Kids can harvest snap, string, or French beans for eating raw or cooked. Types meant for drying, such as pinto, kidney, and black beans, stay on the vine until the pods become brown - they make an exciting package for curious kids to open, with shiny, colorful seeds inside. Annual.

Cantaloupes provide sweet, refreshing fruit and are a wonderful source of Vitamins A and C. These vining plants require lots of room to spread (leave at least 5 feet between standard plants, and 3 feet between compact "bush" varieties). Children will enjoy monitoring the growth of these ball-shaped fruits. Annual.

Sweet Corn, with its tall stature, can offer a structural as well as edible element to a preschool garden. Because it is pollinated by the wind, in order to get edible ears you need to plant it in blocks of several rows (at least 3 by 3 feet) or in tight "hills" of at least 3 stalks. After you harvest, leave the stalks in place and let kids play hide-and-seek in the patch, and use the stalks to make decorations. Annual.

Cosmos has fine, delicate foliage and bright daisy-like flowers in orange, yellow, red, pink, white, and purple that attract butterflies. It's very easy to grow, even in poor soil. Different varieties grow from 16 inches to 4 feet tall. Annual.

Cucumbers can be eaten fresh, added to salads, or turned into pickles. Like its cousin the cantaloupe, it's a vining plant. Let it sprawl across the ground, or if you're short on space, or train it up a trellis or choose compact "bush" varieties. Annual.

Gazania is another daisy-type flowers with white, pink, red, orange, yellow, and some bi-color blossoms. It's fairly drought and heat tolerant. Blossoms close at night and in cloudy weather - have children watch for these changes. Perennial in zones 8-10; annual elsewhere.

Gomphrena blossoms are made up of papery bracts (modified leaf structures) that make them easy to dry for play and for craft projects. Globe-shaped flowers come in purple, red, and white. Annual.

Gourds are vining plants with fruits that come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Bottle gourds can be used to make birdhouses, luffa gourds for sponges, and ornamental types for creating table displays or even to use as playthings. Gourds have been used for thousands of years for decorative purposes and also used as early bottles, storage containers (the first Tupperware), utensils (spoons), and musical instruments. They produce vigorous vines that need support from a fence or sturdy trellis and lots of space to produce well. Annual.

Hollyhocks are tall, old-fashioned garden favorites that are fairly drought tolerant and easy to grow. The large showy flowers come in a rainbow of colors that can be fun for young children to play with. Biennial or perennial.

Nasturtiums are available as compact plants or trailing varieties with edible lily-pad-shaped foliage and velvety blossoms. Flowers range from white through yellows and dark red. Blossoms are sweet with a peppery watercress flavor and contain Vitamin C. They're beautiful on salads and sandwiches. Annual.

Peanuts are perky green plants with bright yellow flowers. They have a fascinating growth habit: After pollination the flower stalk stretches down to touch the soil, and fruits (peanuts) develop underground. Annual.

Pumpkins are a children's favorite - kids love to grow their own Halloween pumpkins. Although orange pumpkins are the most common, they also come in red, white, and gray. Pumpkin plants need lots of room for their vines to spread. Miniature varieties may only need 6 to 8 square feet, but large types need between 50 and 100 square feet for healthy growth. At harvest time, pumpkins can be turned into jack-o-lanterns and their seeds roasted for a tasty and nutritious snack. Annual.

Strawflowers, like gomphrena, have papery bracts that make them excellent dried flowers. They come in a variety of colors including shades of red, orange, yellow, pink and white. Brighten up a winter classroom with flowers the children have helped grow.

Sunflowers are universally loved by children. They're easy to grow and produce cheerful, vibrant, flowers. You can grow dwarf varieties no taller than your students or giants that tower to 8 feet tall. Flowers are also variable in size, from dwarfs that would fit in the palm of your hand to giants that are as large as your head. Colors include white, yellow, orange, and burgundy, and some bicolors. They're known for their edible seeds and seed oil, but the unopened buds and flower petals can also be eaten and taste like a mild artichoke. Flower petals are bittersweet. Annual.

Tithonia, also known as Mexican sunflower, has red, orange, and yellow flowers that attract butterflies. The plants can grow tall and a bit wild looking, but they are heat and drought tolerant. Annual.

Watermelons are a summer time favorite and rewarding for kids to grow. Like cantaloupe, plant them in hills and give them need lots of space (7 to 10 feet between hills). Annual.

Zinnias come in hundreds of varieties, ranging from dwarf plants up to 3 feet tall, and in a rainbow of colors, some of which are specked and striped. Flowers may have a single layer of petal-like ray flowers or may have more layers for a fuller look. They are hardy and grow well in hot, dry conditions. Zinnias make great cut flowers and attract butterflies. Annual.

OBTAIN ESTABLISHED PLANTS

Basil, like other culinary herbs, is a stimulating sensory plant for children to smell and taste. Aside from traditional basil, there are also lemon, lime, anise, and cinnamon flavored types. Leaf color and shape also varies, from tiny, pale green leaves to deep purple ruffles. They also come in different sizes, but classic basil can reach 2 feet at maturity. Basil grows best in full sun. Basil plants also produce attractive flowers, although if you are harvesting leaves for cooking it is best to remove flower buds and encourage vegetative growth. Annual.

Impatiens bring bright color to shady beds. They come in red, orange, pink, purple and white, with some variegated and double blossoms. They're easy to grow and bloom continuously throughout the growing season. Annual.

Petunias grow well during cooler months in the far south, but throughout the summer in cooler climates. The trumpet-shaped flowers bloom prolifically and come in a wide range of colors, some with interesting patterns including stripes and speckles.

Pineapple Sage, another plant for sensory exploration, derives it's name from the pleasing pineapple-like odor of the crushed leaves. As an extra bonus, the foliage adds sweet flavor to teas and salads. The scarlet flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Perennial in zones 8-10; annual elsewhere.

Rosemary is an evergreen woody shrub that produces pine-scented leaves used in cooking and potpourri. Flowers are white or blue flowers and you can choose varieties with upright growth or with trailing branches. It is also commonly used in cooking with breads, meats and vegetables. Perennial in zones 8-10; annual elsewhere (bring it inside for the winter).

Stevia, also known as sugarleaf, is another good sensory plant for children. The leaves taste 10 to 15 times sweeter than an equal amount of sugar! It grows slowly at the outset, but can reach 2 to 3 feet. Pinch off the flowers if you wish to maximize the sweetness of the leaves. Perennial in zones 8-10; annual elsewhere.

Perennial Plants

You'll find both flowering and fruiting perennials in this list. You can plant most perennials throughout your growing season, although each variety may have an optimum planting date for your area. The most flexible planting time in most areas is in the spring after chance of frost has passed, but many will also thrive if planted in summer or fall. If you do plant them in the heat of summer, monitor water needs frequently. If you plant in fall, allow enough time for roots to become established before cold weather hits. Seeds of many perennial are challenging to germinate, and most do not blossom during their first year, so start with small transplants or mature plants so you can enjoy the benefits sooner.

Black-eyed Susan is a cheery, daisy-like flower that has a long bloom period. They make great cut flowers and also attract butterflies.

Blueberries not only provide fruit early to mid-summer, they are attractive, low-maintenance shrubs with good fall color. Bush varieties range from four to seven feet tall, and "wild" blueberries stay low to the ground. All require acidic soil, but they have few pests other than hungry birds.

Butterfly Bush (buddleia) can grow into a large shrub (up to 12 feet) and produces beautiful, fragrant, cone-shaped flower clusters in whites, purples, pinks and reds. As the name suggest, it attracts a number of butterflies and other insects. Once established, it is a very hardy and drought tolerant plant.

Catnip is a member of the mint family, is easy to grow, very fragrant, and has attractive flowers. Young children enjoy growing this plant as a special treat for their feline friends.

Chives are normally grown for their flavorful leaves, which can bring a mild onion/garlic-like flavor to dishes like salads and baked potatoes. Chive flowers are also edible and come in white, lavender, or purple.

Coneflower is a North American native wildflower. New flower colors are being developed, but the most common are purple, white, or yellow. The ray-like petals surround a pincushion center. They're excellent cut flowers that also attract butterflies.

Coreopsis has attractive yellow flowers that bloom throughout the summer. It's easy to grow and can tolerate poor soil and hot weather.

Coral Honeysuckle is an evergreen to semi-evergreen vine with beautiful, tubular coral flowers that attract hummingbirds. Whether you grow it in the ground or in a container, provide a trellis for it to climb. Although it is easy to grow, it doesn't become invasive like Japanese honeysuckle (yellow blossoms).

Lamb's Ear has soft, woolly, blue-green leaves that kids love to pet. This low growing, clumping perennial grows vigorously, so it can take the attention. Plant it along borders where small hands can reach it easily.

Lemon Balm has attractive green foliage with a refreshing citrus flavor. Let children smell and taste the leaves, and add them to tea and fruit salads. Grows to 2 feet tall. Perennial in zones 4 to 9.

Mints of all kinds are a sensory treat. The most common are peppermint and spearmint, but there are others to try, such as ginger mint and chocolate mint. Plants grow from 8 inches to 3 feet tall. All spread quickly by underground rhizomes, so if you don't want them to take over other plants, plant mint in a pots or a separate bed.

Monarda (bee balm) attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and bees, providing lots opportunity for exciting observation. Flower colors include red, pink, white, and purple. It's a mint, so make sure it doesn't take over the garden. It will grow in part shade, but flowers best in full sun.

Oregano is a compact herb plant with attractive pink and purple flowers. The herb is a favorite in Greek, Italian, and Mexican cooking. Plant it in full sun. Perennial in zones 5 to 9.

Salvia is available in many different shapes, sizes and colors, with varieties adapted to different climates and growing conditions from very wet to very dry soils. The red, pink, white, purple, and blue flowers are borne on spikes and attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Remove spent blooms to encourage new flowers

Strawberries are usually the first fresh fruit of the growing season, making them a children's favorite. Typically flowers are white, but there are some with pink blossoms.
It makes an excellent ground cover or border plant because of the long stems, called "runners", that trail and sprout new plants.

Thornless Blackberry shrubs have long canes that grow to heights of five to 10 feet tall. Fruit matures in mid to late summer. Great picking for little hands!

Thornless Raspberry shrubs range from 4 to 6 feet tall. Summer and fall-bearing varieties are available. Children enjoy wearing the berries like thimbles on their fingertips before popping them in their mouths.

Verbena comes in varieties with white, pink, red, or purple flower clusters that attract butterflies and other insects. Some have an upright growth habit, while trail. They grow well in sunny locations and well-drained soil, and established plants are fairly drought tolerant.

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Choosing the right plants is always important, but it's especially crucial for gardens designed for young children. This list includes annual and perennial plants considered safe for wee ones.

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Found this while looking for garden learning ideas on pinterest, actually! This looks like a GREAT resource for getting up and running!

-Amy J

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Growing Physical Skills Through Outdoor Learning and Play | ECLKC

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Outdoor play boosts children's health and wellness and supports their learning and development. Learn how the outdoors provide a wonderful environment for growing preschoolers' physical skills.

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Megan B

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The FoodCorps Lessons, for children in grades K-5, include hands-on experiential activities to engage kids in learning about healthy food.
-Erica, erica@rootedwi.org

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The FoodCorps Lessons include hands-on experiential activities to engage kids in learning about healthy food. This suite of 96 lessons are for grades K-5, and are organized through this learning progression by grade, season and theme. The lessons are tied to national academic standards and were developed following Culturally Responsive Teaching, Place Based Learning and Social and Emotional Learning best practices and frameworks. Each lesson was developed with input from FoodCorps service members, community partners and resource specialists, and have been evaluated and updated to reflect recommendations from our community of food educators. This suite of lessons is intended to guide food and garden educators to spark inquiry and love for healthy food and should be adapted to reflect the needs, identity and culture of the community in which they are taught.

The lessons are evidence based and have been developed guided by the FoodCorps Healthy School Progress Report Practices found in the Healthy School Toolkit.

FoodCorps Lesson Progression

This FoodCorps Lesson Progression poster is a roadmap to illuminate the theory behind the sequencing of the ninety-six FoodCorps lessons. It shows how these lessons relate to and build upon one another to support students in developing increasingly sophisticated knowledge of and skills in the six themes listed below.

The lessons are organized by the following 6 themes to provide a framework to identify the central topic for each lesson.

Conceptual Themes to build student knowledge:

Skills-focused themes to develop student skills in gardening, cooking, and accessing healthy foods:

View the FoodCorps Lesson Progression Poster here.

Videos of FoodCorps Lessons

Service members have recorded over 100 video lessons to support students with remote learning about healthy food and gardening. Many of these lessons include activities from FoodCorps Lessons. You can view them here!

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The FoodCorps Lessons include hands-on experiential activities to engage kids in learning about healthy food. This suite of 96 lessons are for grades K-5, and are organized through this learning progression by grade, season and theme. The lessons are tied to national academic standards and were developed following Culturally Responsive Teaching, Place Based Learning and Social and Emotional Learning best practices and frameworks.