At SHED Children’s Campus we use our gardens as a way to plant seeds about the circle of life, our connection to nature, the importance of community and our relationship with food.
We have 19 organic gardens that grow flowers, vegetables and fruits throughout the spring to fall seasons. With a little help from our community partners, each garden is prepped, tended to and harvested by the kids at SHED.
Learning through gardening offers children the opportunity to explore science and nature from growing their own food.
It also allows them to gain special benefits and develops new skills including:
- Responsibility – from caring for plants
- Understanding – as they learn about cause and effect (for example, plants die without water, weeds compete with plants)
- Self-confidence – from achieving their goals and enjoying the food they have grown
- Love of nature – a chance to learn about the outdoor environment in a safe and pleasant place
- Reasoning and discovery – learning about the science of plants, animals, weather, the environment, nutrition and simple construction
- Physical activity – doing something fun and productive
- Cooperation – including shared play activity and teamwork
- Creativity – finding new and exciting ways to grow food
- Nutrition – learning about where fresh food comes from
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/gardening-for-children