Last month, we showed you what to plant this spring. This month, we looked into ways to get little hands involved in the gardening process.
Judy Funderburk, coordinator of the Glencarlyn Library Community Garden, uses hands-on activities to keep younger gardeners engaged. Elementary schoolers often have short attention spans, so they don’t always have the patience to wait for a plant to grow. To combat this, Funderburk often teaches about bugs and worms that kids can easily see. She also uses things that have a taste and smell, like mint, to make the experience more tangible.
“Kids are just naturally interested” in the world around them, Funderburk says.
Mary Van Dyke, an environmental educator who works with various schools in the area, uses experiential learning to teach students about nature.
“I do go entirely with what I call ‘wow factor’ to get folks interested in what we’re doing,” she says. “I often start with the doing, and the explanation follows once the kids are really interested. Then you can explain more why and what, et cetera. But I think learning by doing is really powerful.”
As children get older, they’re able to sit still longer and listen to short nature talks.
Regina Lanctot, a manager at Merrifield Garden Center, doesn’t dumb down her periodic seminars.
“I never modify words. I use the [proper] words, and eventually they stick. Sometimes, [children] have to hear it a couple times, and it’ll all come together,” she says.
For a list of local gardening events for children, check out the following websites:
Fairfax County Park Authority
The Park Authority hosts various outdoor workshops about plants and wildlife. On May 2, there’s a nature playgroup for children ages 2 to 5.
Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Every Wednesday, MGNV offers its Urban Gardening Series, where participants can learn a wide range of gardening skills.
Merrifield Garden Center
The center holds periodic seminars with guest speakers who teach attendees about different plants and how to grow them.
