Garden Day

"The land is where our roots are. The children must be made to feel and live in harmony with the Earth." - Maria Montessori 

Ready. Set. GROW! The children's garden is a special place where the children at Cross of Life Christian Montessori School come together to plant, tend and sow the benefits of their hard work throughout the year. The garden allows the children an opportunity to not only sharpen their practical life skills but to explore the worlds of botany and zoology.  

​Gardening introduces the children to some of the living creatures in the soil, under rocks and on plants. Teaching children the names of the plants, vegetable and flowers, especially those that have a smell or taste allows them to make the connection between what they've grown and the food on their plate. It's a great way to teach respect for even the smallest things.

Along with the fun of getting dirty, gardening helps children learn valuable lessons about patience as they wait for vegetables to grow, responsibility as they see how necessary their care is to the garden, and even loss when flowers die at the end of a season.
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Children are natural nurturers and understand the importance of caring for plants and other things in the garden. We are proud of our beautiful garden, which is a small part of 13 wooded acres surrounding the school. The garden is certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a Schoolyard Habitat. 

The children are responsible for watering the garden, pulling the weeds, planting the plants, cleaning the bird bath, feeding the birds, and sweeping the paths. One of the most important things about vegetable gardening is understanding where food comes from. The children can compare and contrast the vegetables they grow to those they find in the grocery store. What a great language lesson! 

The children love planting and working in their garden. It is a joy to be able to share the beauty of God's creation with children. We had some hardworking parent volunteers join us for Garden Day and we are so grateful for them! For more ideas about connecting children with nature, please check out Children and Nature Network and the National Wildlife Federation. 

Thank you to Meg Porter Photography for the beautiful photos in this post!