Wellbeing benefits of gardening for children
10 ways that gardening improves children and young people’s mental and physical health
It’s widely accepted that getting outdoors even for a small amount of time can enrich our daily lives, and the lives of our children. Nature creates a calming environment for them, which enhances their learning experiences, sparks joy and arouses curiosity.
Find out how to get children connecting with nature and benefitting from its restorative powers.
1) Teaches self-regulation
Time spent in nature gives children and young people space to think, feel and connect with themselves
Karen Stocks is a Place2Be trainer and delivers professional qualifications to teachers. Place2Be is a children and young peoples’ mental health charity that works with pupils, families and staff in UK schools. The charity provides a range of mental health and counselling support.
“That’s what nature gives us, that added space to be able to think, feel and connect with ourselves,” says Karen.
2) Allows space for big feelings
Wellbeing walks allows space for children to have big feelings and think about any support they might need
“Wellbeing walks not only teach them that being in nature will make them feel better, but also that it allows for those big feelings and is a space where they can be heard and thought about,” says Karen.
“Our wellbeing walks have been geared towards self-regulation, the ability to know how you feel and then decide how you can best express that. It’s also understanding that sometimes we have feelings that are too big and can be overwhelming. Walking slowly, breathing and being in nature can have a calming effect,” says Karen.
3) Encourages individuality
For some children holding a worm can be exciting and repulsive at the same time
Allow children to be who they are and to do what they enjoy in the garden
“I wanted to give the children some gardening experience without it becoming onerous for the teachers. The children are keen to plant flowers to attract wildlife such as birds, bees and butterflies,” says Alison.
Plants for bees
Plants for birds
Plants for butterflies
4) Develops patience
Grow some things that children have to plan ahead for and be patient with
How to sow seeds indoors
Growing pumpkins with children
How to sow seeds outdoors
5) Gives them skills for the future
Girls hand weeding in school garden
“Many parents and teachers don’t know where to start with gardening and most schools just don’t have the budget or resources. We want to make gardening in schools as low cost and accessible as possible.
“We focus on growing plants rather than gardening so schools that don’t have any green space can still get involved. No gardening experience is needed, and we focus on how school pupils benefit from engaging with nature,” says Karen.
Samantha Howie is a Support for Learning teacher at Buckie Community High School in Moray, Scotland. One of her main remits is doing alternative curriculum activities and looking at how the school can match them to the children’s needs.
“We work to an alternative curriculum, and we have specific slots for gardening activities. For many of our children, learning numeracy and literacy in a traditional way can be challenging, whereas going outside and counting seeds or measuring out soil or water is easier for them.
Natural art lesson
Create a sensory nature box
6) Promotes a healthy lifestyle
Boys harvesting potatoes on an allotment plot
Children running in the Farmhouse Garden at RHS Garden Hyde Hall
“We’re working towards a holistic approach where the children can grow their own food, cook with it, and share any extra food with the community,” says Samantha.
“There’s nothing like popping fresh peas from a pod in the garden. It’s so rewarding to eat something you’ve seen grow from seed,” says Alison.
Grow your own
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Grow your own peas
7) Improves social skills
Children from Burnham on Crouch Primary School adding material to a bee hotel
“We get the children working outside in groups. They decide what to grow and figure out how to work together. At one point, there was an issue with overwatering and the children solved this problem themselves. Some of our children are artistic and enjoy the design side of things, some enjoy planning and writing lists whereas others are more hands on. It gets them interacting together,” says Samantha.
“Welford Sibbertoft and Sulby Endowed Primary School is small, with only four classes so it does have a good sense of community. The older ones tend to help the younger ones. Everybody knows everybody and the majority are keen on the natural world. It gives them something to work together on,” says Alison.
Ten plants to include in a child-friendly garden
Creating a child-friendly garden
8) Supports cognitive development
A child from St Paul’s Academy removing weeds
“They’ll do it for much longer than they might have done with another activity because it’s so engaging. We learn best when we’re relaxed so de-stressing activities make us more receptive to learning. Spending time outdoors and in the garden means that our bodies are healthier and more able to function. It improves executive functioning skills like spatial awareness and self-confidence, giving them the confidence to have a go,” says Karen.
9) Offers a sense of responsibility
Year 3 pupil from Roebuck Academy watering the school allotment
“Children like being responsible for the space they are in, it just gives them ownership in a school. Seeing things grow gives them a sense of pride as well. They are taking pride in their community and other people can see it,” says Samantha.
It’s important for children to understand how to care for the world, and that if they’ve planted something they have a responsibility to it. “It’s not just your pets you need to look after, it’s plants as well. You’ve got a duty to find out what the plants you’re growing need and provide for it for them,” says Alison.
10) Educates them on life
Grow pea shoots from dried peas
Don’t try and take on a big project or come up with big ideas or schemes. Start small and then as that develops you will naturally build on it. “Before you know it, you might find you’ve got a few pots and are trying to grow different things. It doesn’t have to be successful, just take it on like an experiment,” says Karen.
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