Gardening with Kids

Name one child that does not enjoy digging in the dirt and making mud pies.  So why not start a school garden.

Gardening will engage students in a dynamic learning environment.  In the garden children can observe, discover, experiment, and nurture living things.  Gardens are a living laboratory where children will learn from real life experiences and where children can become active participants in the learning process.

So start your garden today.

Parents are even willing to leaned a helping hand to bring a living classroom to their children

All of the children wanted to help prepare the ground

They could not wait to put the plants in the ground

Dirty hands, no big deal 

Now we just need to wait for it to grow

The garden would not be complete without naming it.

Drum roll.....

The garden is now called the Yummy Garden 

Now it time to plant the butterfly garden

Another Weekly Freebie

Say It, Count It, Write It Flower Math Mats

Not only will your little ones be counting and recognizing number, but they will also be doing addition with this fun new twist to my original Say It, Count It, Write It game mats.

Download for Free

 You can also go to Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook to get a free copy of Say It, Count It, Write It Flower Math Mats. 

Flower Pocket Chart

I see a yellow flower pocket chart

Build children’s grammar with a pocket chart story.  Provide different pictures of colored flowers with a repetitive sentence.  (You can use the flower picture from below just copy and color the flowers different colors)  Have the color flower cards separate from the sentence strips so the children are able to move the text around and retell their story.

I see a _____________ flower

    (different color of flowers) 

 

Color each flower a different color and write that color before the picture

Planting and Gardening in Preschool

Greenhouse growing Cups

Have the children plant seeds in clear cups.  Once they have planted their seed have them water their seeds with a squirt bottle.  Once the soil is damp, place another cup on top, tape around the edge and set in a window sill.

Learning about different verities of rice 

Children planted different verities of rice to predict which one would…

·         Sprout first

·         Grown the tallest

·         Buds first

·         Provides the most rice

Growing Grass Hair

 

Children are keeping a running chart to see how much the grass grows in a week.  When it gets to tall they are going to give it a hair cut.

Growing their own garden 

The children have planed their own garden in the outside play area.  They have been watering it, weeding it, and watching it to see when the seeds will sprout.

Find more Gardening ideas at Kids World Exploration. 

Paper Buttercups

Set out a supply of paper scuffle cups and paint.  Let the children flatten one scuffle cup by pulling the edges of the cup until there are no folds left, this will make the cup lay flat.  Have the children paint each type of cup.  Allow them to dry.  Once the cups are dry have the children assemble their flowers with tape or glue.  The children can add any type of stem of their likings.  Place their flowers around the classroom and bring in a little spring.

Project Approach

I am sad to see the growing season coming to an end. Our outdoor garden classroomhttp://kidsworldexploration.com/id45.html is among my favorite things to do with children. It brings such hands on learning that follows their interest through out the summer months that I hate to see it coming to an end. Our sunflower garden project is featured this month in the Children’s Advocate Publicationhttp://www.4children.org/. Thank you Jean Tepperman for including us in your article Classroom projects offer rich learning opportunities.