Kids love helping in the garden, which is great because this gives you an extra hand AND teaches them some important life skills in the process. If you want your children to be more active in your growing plans this year while learning more about themselves and the world around them, look at these 6 life Skills Kids can learn from Gardening below. You will find that life skills can be taught in more than just the home and classroom, but outdoors where your tomatoes grow as well. Here is what you need to know.
6 Life Skills Kids Learn Through Gardening
Patience.
A garden can teach patience in so many ways. Nothing requires more patience than planting a seed and waiting for it to grow. The growing process for a tomato Plant can take up to 2 months, so this time span requires children to practice patience as they wait for the outcome of their hard work.
Responsibility.
When you plant a garden, the plants depend on you to see to their needs. You are responsible for their feeding, watering, weeding, and general care. Assigning your child some basic gardening tasks can help them become more responsible individuals and help them take responsibility in the family garden and what it can provide to others.
Time management.
Gardening relies heavily on timing. You should water and feed at certain times of the day, plant at certain times of the year, and harvest when the time is right for each plant. Children can learn time management from gardening, and better understand how time relates the success of the garden.
Delayed gratification.
Delayed gratification is not an easy concept even for some adults. We want to see the results of our hard work now, but with gardening that isn’t always possible. Planting a garden is a great way for children to learn delayed gratification, as they can plant a seed, work hard at feeding and caring for it, then enjoy the work of their labor weeks (even months) later when it is finally ready to be harvested.
Gentleness and compassion.
Dealing with plants means using gentle hands. Children can practice gentleness and compassion when gardening as they care for the plants and the critters that come to the yard as a result of the plants. This can help them develop a further love and appreciation for all living things around them, and help them practice compassion and gentle hands when dealing with these living things.
Self-care.
While many people don’t think about gardening as a chance to practice self-care, it is! First, children need to care for themselves prior to gardening. This means putting on sunscreen and gloves to protect their body. Then, self-care can be practiced in the garden as it becomes a place for children to work quietly, meditate, and enjoy the nature around them. A garden can be a great way to teach children not to just care for other living things, but themselves as well.
Who knew that the garden could be the perfect place to teach your child important life skills? Consider these 6 life skills kids can learn from gardening and see how simple it can be to teach them in this environment.
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