Puddle Lane children’s nursery based in Renfrewshire boasts indoor and outdoor play areas including a wild garden. Find out about our day of gardening with kids and adults alike having great fun
At Puddle Lane, we enjoy being outdoors – whether it is in our own garden with our wooden play furniture or walking along a bit further to our wild garden. Recently, we spent a day at the allotment to tidy up after a long winter. We zipped up our jackets, stepped into our wellies and prepared ourselves to learn more about gardening. We trowelled through the overgrown flower beds, replanted seeds and shrubs before filling up the water can. We learned lots about nature and what fruit and vegetables grow and when. As the day progressed and we could see the difference our efforts made, the fun of gardening began to grow on us.
Discover Our Top Three Reasons Why Gardening with Kids is a Great Idea
It’s fun! Our motto is that children learning through play and by being outdoors in nature, children have the chance to enjoy learning about the world surrounding them. They’ll learn new words and discover facts about new flowers and vegetables and see for themselves the different textures, smells and colours of each plant.
Confidence grows as children can spend time outside and see where their curiosity takes them. The young learners independently decide whether to water the plants or explore and find a wiggly worm.
Responsibility is taken in caring for new plants. Children begin to understand the thoughtfulness involved in making sure a plant has the perfect conditions to be healthy and strong. A sense of accomplishment and pride is experienced as the young gardener can see the benefit of their commitment and patience during the nurturing process. Overall, gardening offers lots of sensory rich play experiences in an ever changing environment. Children find excitement in exploring and investigating what is around the corner, under the leaf or hiding in the compost. Instilling the importance of ownership and accountability for the earliest years in caring for nature and our own environmental actions.
