Gardening for Kids: 7 Reasons Planting Seeds Enriches Their Lives

Gardening for Kids

You’ve probably never heard someone argue that outdoor activities are harmful for children. There’s been an impressive amount of research in the last decade to suggest the exact opposite.

But it’s one thing to believe nature is good for your kids and another thing to establish habits that put the belief into practice. This is where gardening for kids comes in.

As outdoor activities go, gardening is hard to beat for promoting well-rounded development in youngsters. Whether the garden is in pots on an apartment balcony, a community patch or right out the back door, kids who engage with it are harvesting a whole lot more than food and flowers.

Read on for some data-driven reasons to get your kids out in the garden.

7 Practical perks of gardening with kids

1. It encourages them to eat healthier

It makes some intuitive sense. Half the fun of gardening is getting to eat what you grow. But the positive effect a sun-warmed strawberry has on your little ones will continue to ripple throughout their lives.

One study found that students involved in hands-on school gardening programs developed an increased snacking preference for fruits and vegetables. The research supporting this type of gardening program continues to rack up. Garden Organic reports many studies in their Growing Health Benefits Report that demonstrate how gardening can be instrumental in preventing obesity as well as other health problems.

When parents get involved in gardening with their kids, the results are even better! These studies suggest links between growing food and increased food preparation at home, as well as a 40 percent increase in consumption of fresh produce in adults. So grab a shovel with your child and watch the health of your whole family blossom.

2. It provides engaging, moderate exercise

If you’ve ever spent an afternoon in the garden, you’ve probably experienced time flying and sore muscles the next morning. Gardening is a surprisingly physical activity.

Garden tasks such as digging, raking and turning compost use a variety of muscles in the upper and lower body. One report cites the calorie expenditure for different gardening activities at around 250-500 calories per hour, depending on the intensity of the activity.

But more than mere exercise, gardening teaches children a pattern of healthy activity. The physical tasks of food growing can contribute to a broader understanding of the various ways of staying active, according to Garden Organic. Teachers also report that children and young people take greater responsibility for their own health.

3. It builds a sense confidence

Teachers and parents alike recognize how crucial confidence can be in a child’s ability to grow and learn. The process of tending a plant and seeing it bloom or produce food takes time and patience, but the payoff in satisfaction is equal to the investment.

Gardening helps make children feel more capable, according to Dr. Wendy Matthews, a consultant of Mindprint Learning. “It is wonderful for building a child’s sense of competence, as they engage in a real life activity that they might have previously seen as only for adults,” she explains.

Give any children the experience of dabbling a tiny seed into a hole, watering it, protecting it and watching it explode into life and growth—and they might just feel like they have magic powers!

4. It develops STEM & analytical abilities

“Gardening exercises important reasoning, initiation, planning and organization skills,” Matthews says. She advises parents or teachers to have their kids do a little gardening research before diving in. Children can read up on the various stages of growth, the tools they’ll need or different ways the plants are used after they grow

If your child wants to start gardening immediately, Matthews suggests asking questions to encourage your child to consider the consequences of their choices. For example, when the child is deciding on a spot to place the plant, ask, “Is there enough sunlight here?”

For even further development, Matthews suggests working on math and science skills by encouraging your children to observe their plants’ life cycles. “Children can measure their plants or make other observations and record their observations in a journal.” Weather cycles, measuring rainfall and monitoring the insect life around the plants can also foster a real scientific curiosity in your child.

5. It relieves stress

“The main benefit of gardening is learning to relax,” says counselor and maternal child nurse Orly Katz, LCPC. Katz emphasizes that gardening helps children make a habit of calming themselves. “Gardening allows kids to be alone, it allows them to breathe fresh air and be in peace by themselves.”

Research indicates that the calming effect gardening has on the brain extends even beyond the actual act of gardening. A 2011 study tested the stress-relieving effects of gardening in Amsterdam. Researchers found significant decreases in cortisol (a hormone produced by stress) in participants sent out to garden after a recovery period.

Another study indicated that individuals with access to a garden had significantly fewer stress occasions per year than those without access to a garden. And the more often people used their gardens, the fewer stress occasions they suffered per year.

Orly sees children learning to relax on their own when they garden. “By the time these kids are adults, they are comfortable initiating time alone, breathing fresh air and thinking,” she explains. “They don't need to learn to relax, they have an outlet they've been comfortable with since childhood.”

6. It improves focus & memory

Consistent involvement in gardening can contribute to improved alertness, cognitive abilities and social skills, according to Garden Organic. The act of gardening as a therapeutic treatment (known as horticulture therapy) has shown to be particularly effective in rehabilitating motor, speech and cognitive abilities after illness.

Children also perform better mentally when they have access to green space, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are also relieved by outdoor green space, helping children focus both while they occupy the space as well as later in the day.

The improvements in memory and attention were even more significant when children engaged in an activity outdoors, such as—you guessed it—gardening!

7. It positively impacts mood & psychological wellbeing

Increased memory and focus are fabulous. But that is only part of the positive influence gardening has on the human brain. Garden Organic states that elements of gardening have the ability to trigger emotions in people. For example, flowers produce powerful positive emotions and have both immediate and long-term effects on emotional reactions, mood and social behavior.

Well beyond mood, gardening can also serve as a powerful therapeutic tool against depression and anxiety. Gardens and the act of gardening have been found to have a positive impact on peoples’ health and wellbeing.

Gardens, as well as the activity of gardening, have been shown to have a positive impact on peoples’ health and wellbeing, according to the Garden Organic report. It also states that those who are involved in gardening find life more satisfying and feel they have positive things happening in their lives.

Start planting roots

As spring advances, gardeners across the country are tumbling outside with seed packets and trowels in hand. Use the fresh excitement of spring as an excuse to do a little gardening with your children.

While gardening for kids is clearly an enriching use of time, there are so many other beneficial activities in the great outdoors that can provide similar benefits. For ideas and inspiration, check out our article: 10 Engaging Outdoor Learning Activities for Kids.

RELATED ARTICLES:

About the author

Brianna Flavin

Brianna is a senior content manager who writes student-focused articles for Rasmussen University. She holds an MFA in poetry and worked as an English Professor before diving into the world of online content. 

Related Content

Related Content

This piece of ad content was created by Rasmussen University to support its educational programs. Rasmussen University may not prepare students for all positions featured within this content. Please visit www.rasmussen.edu/degrees for a list of programs offered. External links provided on rasmussen.edu are for reference only. Rasmussen University does not guarantee, approve, control, or specifically endorse the information or products available on websites linked to, and is not endorsed by website owners, authors and/or organizations referenced. Rasmussen University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

logo-accreditation-acen logo-accreditation-ccne chart-credential-laddering-associates-bachelors-masters 0 Credits 90 Credits 180 Credits 48 Credits Start Here HIGH SCHOOL GRADS Start Here TRANSFER STUDENTS Start Here SECOND DEGREE PURSUERS End Here ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE Start Here MASTER'S DEGREE PURSUERS End Here BACHELOR'S DEGREE End Here MASTER'S DEGREE chart-credential-laddering-associates-bachelors 0 Credits Start Here HIGH SCHOOL GRADS Start Here TRANSFER STUDENTS 90 Credits Start Here SECOND DEGREE PURSUERS End Here ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE 180 Credits End Here BACHELOR'S DEGREE chart-credential-laddering-msn chart-credential-laddering-nursing-programs chart-credential-laddering-nursing DNP MSN RN to BSN LPN to RN Bridge Accelerated BSN Professional Nursing ADN Practical Nursing Diploma Pre-Licensure Post-Licensure icon-colored-outline-bank icon-colored-outline-certificate icon-colored-outline-circle-dollar-sign icon-colored-outline-folder-search icon-colored-outline-hand-heart icon-colored-outline-head-blocks icon-colored-outline-head-cog icon-colored-outline-head-heart icon-colored-outline-health-plus-leaves icon-colored-outline-hospital icon-colored-outline-lifelong-learning icon-colored-outline-light-bulb-analytics icon-colored-outline-location-pin icon-colored-outline-magnifying-glass icon-colored-outline-monitor-healthcare icon-colored-outline-monitor-paper-search icon-colored-outline-nurse-rays icon-colored-outline-padlock-shield icon-colored-outline-person-presenter-screen icon-colored-outline-scales ras-logo-flame ras-logo-horizontal ras-logo-stacked icon-colored-advance icon-colored-arrows-cross-curve icon-colored-briefcase-star icon-colored-build icon-colored-bulb-analytics icon-colored-certificate icon-colored-continual-development icon-colored-duo-chatbox icon-colored-folder-mortarboard icon-colored-forward-ribbon icon-colored-gears-clock icon-colored-globe-pen icon-colored-growth icon-colored-hand-bubble icon-colored-hand-stars icon-colored-hands-gear icon-colored-head-blocks icon-colored-head-cog icon-colored-health-plus-leaves icon-colored-hospital-building icon-colored-laptop-cbe-skyscraper icon-colored-laptop-checkmark icon-colored-laptop-webpage icon-colored-location-map icon-colored-location-pin icon-colored-monitor-paper-scan icon-colored-mortarboard-dollar icon-colored-national icon-colored-people-chat-bubbles icon-colored-person-cheer-star icon-colored-person-laptop-checkboxes icon-colored-person-screen-instructor icon-colored-person-whiteboard icon-colored-phone-chatbox icon-colored-police-light icon-colored-prep icon-colored-presenter icon-colored-regional icon-colored-save-time icon-colored-shirt-hat icon-colored-skyscraper icon-colored-state icon-colored-student-centered icon-colored-support icon-colored-world-experience icon-triangle-arrow-up-plant icon-triangle-calendar-pencil icon-triangle-clock-rotating-arrows icon-triangle-display-gears icon-triangle-hand-right-speech-bubble icon-triangle-laptop-coding-brackets icon-triangle-mortarboard icon-triangle-paper-ribbon icon-triangle-person-cheer-star icon-triangle-person-juggle icon-triangle-triple-people-chat-bubble icon-modality-campus icon-modality-field icon-modality-online icon-modality-residential icon-arrow icon-bank icon-camera icon-filter icon-general-chart icon-general-connect icon-general-degree icon-general-discuss icon-general-email icon-general-find icon-general-hat icon-general-heart icon-general-laptop-building icon-general-laptop icon-general-leader icon-general-map icon-general-money icon-general-paperwork icon-general-people icon-general-phone icon-general-speak-out icon-head-heart icon-info-circle icon-mail-forward icon-mglass icon-play-solid icon-quote-mark-left icon-quote-mark-right icon-scales icon-share-square-o icon-simple-chat icon-simple-desktop icon-simple-find icon-simple-hamburger icon-simple-phone icon-spinner icon-tag icon-testimonial-quotes icon-util-checkbox-white icon-util-checkbox icon-util-checked-white icon-util-checked icon-util-chevron-down icon-util-chevron-left icon-util-chevron-right icon-util-chevron-up icon-util-circle-arrow-down icon-util-circle-dot icon-util-language-switch icon-util-loading icon-util-open-window-link icon-util-pdf-link icon-util-refresh icon-util-x rebrand-arrows icon-social-facebook-colored icon-social-facebook-square-colored icon-social-facebook-square icon-social-facebook icon-social-google-plus-square icon-social-google-plus icon-social-instagram-colored icon-social-instagram icon-social-linkedin-square-colored icon-social-linkedin-square icon-social-linkedin icon-social-pinterest-p-colored icon-social-pinterest-p icon-social-twitter-colored icon-social-twitter-square icon-social-twitter icon-social-youtube-play-colored icon-social-youtube-play graduate-cap-star-coin hand-coin hand-heart nurse-stethoscope-rays card-send-smile person-yoga-pose suitcase-star