How Does Your Garden Grow?

Include gardening as part of the child care program as well as a home-based learning experience. Lessons learned early in life stay with kids as they grow.rnValues of GardeningrnEducators of teacher training institute have long recommended gardening as a teaching tool.rnThrough the studies of plants, kids become aware of how people depend on plant life as the source of food, clothing, and shelter, as well as the visual beauty intrinsic in both indoor and outdoor surroundings. However, kids can also learn that many plants, such as toxic weeds and poisonous plants may be harmful. Others may be persistent or a nuisance to gardening.rnIn addition to viewing gardening as a learning experience, growing plants and working the soil is just plain fun! If a kid’s first gardening experiences reap success, probability are that their “green thumb” and keenness will continue throughout life.rnHow to Make a GardenrnThere’s more than one way to make a child-size garden. For an in-ground garden, use a garden tiller to work up the soil. Choose a well-drained location in full sun. Make sure the soil is dry or you’ll have large clods that are difficult to break up later. After tilling several times, use a scrape to eliminate any stones or unfamiliar objects. rnAnother option is a raised garden. Using string and stakes, plot out the garden area in a bright location away from trees. Cover this area with roughly 10 layers of newspapers; evade paper with colored ink. Along the boundaries of you’re marked off area, place eight-foot building timbers, available from a nursery or local building supply company.rnAfter the border is complete, fill with a mixture of sand, soil, peat moss, and manure. If you live in an area where aged sawdust or cottonseed hulls are available, add this to the soil. Hopefully red worms, known as night crawlers, will find a path to your garden. These sociable creatures ventilate the soil by burrowing channels in the earth. Teach kids how supportive insects, such as bees, ladybugs and worms help keep the surroundings in balance. rnThis is a good time for kids to mix the components with small spades or shovels according to teacher training. Mark off rows or segments and allow kids to plant vegetable and flower seeds. Select seeds that sprout quickly and are this year’s stock, as old seeds may not sprout. If using seeds from a package, place the wrapper on a stick and insert where the seeds are planted to point to the plants that will grow in each section. Purchasing small transplants such as tomatoes, lettuce, and cabbage is another way to see fast results and is suggested by many gardeners. Guide kids to water their garden frequently. rnKeep in mind that various factors decide the success of gardening, such as too much rain, or too little, sunny warm weather, or cloudy and cold; check for the last ice date in your region before planting, although early spring vegetable transplants, such as onion sets, cabbage, spinach, and English peas can stand cool nights. Each seed package include valuable information on planting depth, the correct season to plant and the number of growing days before you will be able to produce.rnGardening Activities Early childhood care and education course for young kids said, “If kids learn best through play, make all their work their play.” The following gardening activities make learning “play.” rnGardening JournalrnKeeping a garden journal teaches kids to think like scientists. rnBulb PlantingrnBulbs are self-contained seeds and the plant’s food storage containers. In spring, kids can plant fall-blooming bulbs. rnBeanstalk HousernBeans are fun and quick to grow. This individuality makes them one of the mainstays of a kid’s garden. To make a beanstalk house you will need:rnBlack Gold (Garden Compost)rnComposting is the age-old method of returning back to the earth gardening materials that are impassive. Making your own soil teaches kids the art of preservation. rnSponge GardenrnSow grass seeds on a damp sponge.