Why Is Gardening Healthy For Kids?
There are so many researches that have been conducted and are still ongoing on the benefits of gardening for kids. Kids all over the world are getting gardening awareness every day because of all the health benefits and the mental well-being associated with it. Kids love adventures and when they go gardening, they get a huge dose of excitement, but apart from the fun, the gardening activities already begin transforming their bodies into brick walls to fend off future bacteria infections and obesity. What are some of the benefits of gardening for kids?
Gardening helps kids boost their immune systems
Getting messy from head to toe covered in soil from the garden sure exposes the kid to some bacterial infection. The body system usually works to build antibodies that fight against germs that your body encounters more often. If we had no antibodies, then we would get ill every day. Researchers observed that kids who come in contact with microbes especially from farms or gardens have lower rates of allergies. Brett Finlay who is a microbiologist and also passionate about exposing kids to good microbes wrote a book titled “Let Them Eat Dirt”. He explains that when the immune system encounters a microbe, it detects it and through a series of mechanisms that science doesn’t yet understand, the immune system, tolerates it. This early training of the body to fight germs helps the kids have a strong immunity to other diseases as they grow into adults.
It is a fun exercise for them
The American Society for Horticultural Sciences measured gardening activities amongst kids and discovered that working in a garden constitutes moderate to high physical exercise for them. The majority of kids are so addicted to their tablets, playing adventure games. The real adventure and fun exercises happen in the garden. The kids don’t necessarily have to dig, rake, weed or plant. Parents doing family gardening with their kids can make it a point of duty to send them on frequent errands. You can send them to get the watering can or fetch your gloves. This will make them run back and forth the garden and that is some exercise for them.
Some of the kids love to sit down and watch the plants in the garden grow. Though significant growth can only be recorded after some hours, the kids do not mind sitting for that long to observe it. Studies show that jazz music and some classical music appear to have a beneficial effect on growing plants by making them grow faster. Jazz or classical pieces are actually very difficult to produce on the piano, but the kids can still achieve a jazz piece by making use of music making software. Using this software can help you produce any type of music that will ordinarily be difficult for you to execute using musical instruments. By using the musical software, the kids can play some classical pieces to the plant and watch how the plant grows in response.
It makes them prefer eating fruits and vegetables
When kids are growing, they are usually very picky with what they eat. However, they are always excited to eat vegetables or fruits from the ones they grew in their garden. Studies have shown that a child who grows fruits and vegetables in his garden is more likely to eat more fruits and vegetables which are healthy for the body. Children who garden prefer the taste of fresh produce to other foods. The effect of gardening with kids usually continues into adulthood so kids who enjoy gardening and eating healthy from their gardens are more likely to keep that food attitude even when they become adults.
It guides against obesity and offers a mental health boost
The activities in the garden engage almost all the muscles in the body. When this happens, heat is usually produced in the body system which burns unwanted calories and fat. Needless to say that the early morning sun rays also help with burning calories. As kids, indulging in garden activities will protect them against obesity. The term horticultural therapy came about from the fact that gardening is widely accepted as a mind healer and good for everyone’s well-being. Researchers suggest that there are stress-relieving benefits when you garden with kids. The children’s hospital of Eastern Ontario calls its garden a Healing Earth Garden because it is a place to retreat and renew energy. Some research suggests that a particular bacterium found in soil may have mood-boosting effects and a positive effect on learning behaviors.
It teaches them more about the environment
Taking your kids on a practical gardening experience teaches them a lot. They learn to nurture plants, learn the importance of healthy soil and water, and how their food is produced. This will provide the understanding they need to appreciate their environment more. Schools around the world have introduced gardening courses and programs into their curriculum to help them appreciate their environment and also get acquainted with the health and other benefits of gardening.
Gardening is fun for children as it prepares them to live a healthy life when they grow into adults. Their immune systems become very strong, they learn to eat healthily and they will hardly get depressed. Kids love to eat from their vegetable plantation which is already teaching them about a lesson in life that if they work hard, it would pay off. You should consider working out a garden plan for your kids today.
Lucy Rose is a passionate nature lover. She studied biology and has always been fascinated by the healing power of plants. While always living with a positive mindset, she likes to write out pieces in which she shares her love for the botanical world and guides others into a peaceful way of life.
