By Adina Box, Early Learning Coordinator
Launch Learning’s supportive school family came together once again for a productive and rewarding Garden Day on Saturday, February 24th. The main objective of the day was achieved with the construction of ten new classroom garden boxes to not only enhance the beauty of our campus but most importantly add additional enrichment for our student population.
With a large pile of lumber, power tools, and a dedicated team of parents, all ten boxes were completed by mid-day. Students were simultaneously busy with their own projects, painting garden rocks, decorating bird houses, constructing bird feeders, preparing mangrove propagule nurseries, and building the pole bean tee pee structure.
A freshly painted retaining wall as the backdrop for the wooden garden boxes created a beautiful side yard. Merriment unfolded as the boxes were set into place against the walls and filled with soil upon which the children joined in and planted their flower seeds.
The following week of school, children took pride in tending to their new gardens, watering, and adding their embellishments to the area.By the end of the second week, flower seeds began to sprout from the soil and the children’s excitementintensified. In the upcoming weeks, the children will experiencecountless opportunities for learning.
Gardening is a rewarding activity that fosters well-rounded development.
Physically, gardening canexercise practically every muscle in the body helping to develop and refine small and large motor control from pinching tiny seeds to shoveling piles of soil.
Emotionally, gardening reduces stress and can naturally calm the body and relax the mind. It can improve attention and memory.
Socially, gardening allows opportunities for cooperation, working together, problem solving, taking turns, grace and courtesy.
Cognitively, gardening increase the child’s knowledge byweaving activities and experiences with curriculum. Subjects such as language, math, science, and art can easily be incorporatedinto gardening, giving rise to the introduction of new vocabulary and concepts, raise ecological awareness,increase and practice mathskills, and learn terms like ‘the scientific method’ to name a few.
We know that young children are sensory-motor learners. They learn best by moving and having experiencing using all of their senses. A plethora of sensorialexperiences areabound throughout the garden with opportunities to see, smell, touch, taste, and hear. Children can plant a rainbow of colors, see patterns in nature, experience fragrances, feel textures, taste edible plants, and listen to a symphony of sounds in and around the garden.
A garden is a wonderful place for children to play, learn, and grow.
From flower seeds to power tools, all supplies, materials, tools, equipment, and labor were graciously donated or loaned by our amazing school families.
With much gratitude and appreciation, we thank you all for helping to make our Garden Day a success!
Joshua and Sydney Smith
Nickolas and Jessica Cihura
Harold Short and James Garrett
Tyler and Krysdina Grinnell
Joshua and Molly Sagan
The Augello Family
The Ciacchi Family
TheFrimowitz Family
The Hoog Family
The Jones Family
The Leaf Family
The McKeehan Family
The Pugliese Family
The Reid Family
The Schunk Family
The Walsh Family
