Kids in the Garden

Each of the Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade Classes have been having tours of the Garden this past week...

We tried to make it fun, introducing the good smelling herbs, (kitchen and medicinal) and gently touching them with two fingers...meeting the grape vine, the baby mandarin orange tree and the weeping mulberry tree. We discussed winter vegetables versus summer vegetables and the benefits of planting marigolds around them. Each child planted a sweet pea seed and made a wish...some did a few garden chores, protecting flowers by lining a path with stones...and everyone had the chance to whisper a secret to one special plant that they will keep an eye on all year and let us know if it needs extra care.

We ended each tour with a ring-around-the-tee-pee and a special chant that goes like this.. "inch by inch, row by row, I'm gonna make this garden grow!"



After all these magical tours, it felt as if each child made a connection with the space and learned a few garden rules; nice words spoken here, walking feet, keep the rocks on the ground, etc. Also, a bit about how to care and show respect to the plants in our special garden... and all growing things.

Here are a few "kid quotes" we collected while in the garden...

"I am talking to a plant now.." Ian
"The seed kind of cracks open and that's how it starts"... Katie
"Sweat Pea, That's what my Grandma calls me"... Alysah

They even came up with a few names for the Garden...

"The Garden Gate".... Bret
"The Love Plants".... Victoria