Summer School – Using Your Garden to Teach Kids
Kids might be out of school for the summer, but it’s a perfect opportunity for them to get some hands-on education. The long, warm days lend themselves well to lessons out in nature where kids can enjoy physical activity while they learn.
Let’s get kids away from the screens this summer and outside where they can learn about the world we live in!
Grow a Summer Garden
So many great things can be learned by growing your own garden. Kids can gain a better understanding of how food ends up on their plate and appreciate all the work that goes into growing food. They’ll get to see the entire process from start to finish with activities that include:
- Planting seeds in containers.
- Building a garden box.
- Prepping the soil.
- Transporting seedlings from the container to the soil.
- Exploring nurseries to learn about different types of plants.
- Information on the local climate and plants.
- Picking produce when it’s ripe.
- Cleaning and preparing whole foods.
- Cooking with vegetables.
- Composting food waste.
Throughout the summer as their fruits and veggies grow, kids will learn the importance of nurturing plants so they flourish and remain healthy.
Discuss the Seasons and How They Change
Choosing plants for your summer garden is an excellent way to work in a lesson about the different seasons. Even pre-school age children are aware of the seasonal changes as far as it being cold or hot outside. You can explain how the rotation of the Earth and your location on it affects the weather.
Insect Identification
An important part of gardening is knowing which bugs are beneficial and which ones will eat your produce before you do. Arm your kid with a few tools, and they can keep an eye out for you. An insect identification kit will provide everything they need to start exploring the insect world in your yard.
Just be sure to go over potentially dangerous insects with them first, like black widows and wasps. Explain that if they find a bug that seems to be bad they should let you know instead of trying to catch it. It’s also a good time to go over safety precautions if they encounter stinging insects.
Point Out Migrating Animals and Insects
Once kids start looking for insects they may notice that there’s an abundance of unfamiliar bugs and animals. A lesson on migration will help them understand how animals live through the different seasons by moving around. Point out a few summer seasonal insects and birds in your area as an example.
You can also explain how insects have different life cycles that occur during the different seasons. For instance, mosquitoes are all around in the summer because that’s when they’re laying eggs and hatching.
Climb a Few Trees
Kids love to climb trees, but they may not realize what an important role they play in the environment. Some benefits to point out include:
- How trees produce the oxygen that we breathe.
- How trees absorb harmful gases like carbon monoxide.
- Shade from trees can help keep homes cooler.
- Trees provide habitats for animals like birds and squirrels.
Vulcan Termite and Pest Control Inc. can help you keep the insect population in check so they don’t ruin the outdoor fun this summer. We offer custom pest control treatments for the home and yard , mosquito controland termite control in the Central Alabama region.
Original Source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/healthy-living/summer-school-using-garden-teach-kids/