Planting Seeds: Fostering Preschool Children’s Interactions with Nature and Enhancing Intergenerational Relationships in a Campus Community Garden

Abstract

Children need nature. Nature is not optional; not a mere amenity, but rather, has important implications for children's health and well-being. Moreover, the natural environment is "essential infrastructure" to which all citizenry ought to have access. (Wells, Jimenez, & Martensson, 2018) Numerous research studies have found that children are increasingly disconnected from nature, choosing to spend much of their time indoors watching television and on computer screens (Hofferth, 2010;Louv, 2005;Rideout, Foehr, & Roberts, 2010). This tendency has been associated with an array of adverse health and social outcomes in the areas of decreased social interaction and social cohesion, lowered cognitive functioning and academic performance, increased myopia (short-sightedness), increased childhood obesity, and negative health effects, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and depression (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010;Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014).Part of the initial impetus for bringing the childcare centre into the Planting Seeds program was an attempt to counteract this disconnection from nature (and attendant negative effects) by regular immersion into nature through gardening activities, and to encourage the children to experience the cycle of planting, growing, tending, harvesting, and consuming healthy food. This article outlines the evolution and development of an intergenerational campus community garden initiative and describes the benefits for participants, young and old.Since 2015, children aged 3-6 years attending a childcare centre on a university campus in western Canada have been part of an intergenerational community gardening initiative called Planting Seeds. This article provides an overview of the project to date and explores the positive outcomes for children who took part, namely, the fostering of intergenerational relationships, an increased understanding of where food comes from, and an enhanced knowledge of planting, nurturing, growing, and consuming plants, including food (herbs, fruits, and vegetables).

Study of residents’ willingness to construct community gardens in the post-epidemic era

“…However, in our study, the educational benefits of community gardens were the reason for the overwhelming support of the respondents, with community gardens allowing young children to experience planting activities and get close to nature. Previous studies have shown that community gardens foster young children's interaction with nature and strengthen intergenerational relationships (Gleeson, 2019) and that intergenerational interactions, in turn, promote sustainable community development. We also found that saving money by growing vegetables is the least important reason.…”