Teaching kids to grow their own food offers numerous benefits for enhancing child development and overall wellbeing. Research has shown that gardening has a therapeutic influence on children, and it can give them a sense of responsibility to care for nature. Our Casa partner, Albergue Infantil Los Pinos, started its own Sustainable Agriculture Workshop 4 years ago. The results staff have seen in the children they serve are truly remarkable! Here are five skills kids have strengthened throughout this engaging workshop.
1. Encourages care for the environment
Children have learned that gardening positively impacts the environment, from the air we all breathe, to removing toxic chemicals, to producing better quality vegetation. These kids have also reduced food waste by picking the precise quantity of fruits and vegetables they want to eat straight from their garden.
2. Improves emotional wellbeing
Children who participated in the workshop felt happier and more optimistic after being surrounded by plants and nature. Teaching them to grow their own food offered therapeutic relief that helped kids release feelings of stress or anger.
3. Fosters a sense of responsibility
Responsibility is among the most essential skills children must build for their personal and social development. Teaching kids how to successfully take care of a plant is an ultimate show of responsibility.
4. Connects kids with one another
Creating opportunities for children to connect with one another boosts self-confidence and improves kids’ outlook on their lives. During the workshop, gardening served as a way for children to convene and spend quality time together, deepening their relationships by establishing common interests.
5. Promotes the importance of a healthy diet
Providing a healthy diet helps ensure children receive the nutrients they need to stay strong as they learn and grow. This workshop has encouraged children to eat the foods they grew themselves, including corn, tomatoes and carrots. Some of the kids who participated even said that their own veggies taste better than the ones from the market!
To learn more about our commitment to changing children’s lives, click here.