Preschool students at Learn ‘n Grow Early Childhood Education Center in Otsego are used to getting their hands dirty outside, as they are explore and play in all kinds of weather conditions.
But their newest outdoor adventure is yielding some delicious results.
New this school year is a large community garden with multiple plots, one for each classroom at the school.
Learn ‘n Grow teacher Kari Kemp-Vist got the idea for the garden after attending the National Children & Youth Garden Symposium conference led by the American Horticultural Society this summer. The conference had a couple of sessions on sensory gardening and community gardening in schools.
Given that Learn ‘n Grow is a nature-based preschool, Kemp-Vist thought the garden would be a great addition.
“The goal is to provide hands-on, outdoor learning that connects students with nature and instills healthy habits,” Kemp-Vist said. “I thought this would be a great opportunity for Learn ‘n Grow.”
Kemp-Vist and her classroom aide, Laura Rathe, got to work planning and gathering donations to make it happen before the start of school. Most donors are friends and family members in the area happy who were happy to help out.
It took the group of volunteers a couple of weekends to build the garden … and it didn’t take long for the students to get out and start putting it to use.
Students weeded their plot, chose a vegetable and then planted the seeds. They’ll water and weed their plots then enjoy the fruits of their labor.
“The kids want to go out every day and see if anything has grown yet,” Kemp-Vist said. “They are so excited to eat our veggies and take some home to share with their family.
“They have taken parents out to show what they have done so far. They are showing pride and joy with what they have done in the garden so far. My heart just melts watching the kids’ excitement, curiosity and love for being outdoors.”
Classes planted spinach, beets, carrots and snap peas in their vegetable beds. Lemon balm, chives, and strawberry mint were planted in the sensory bed.
Students have already been able to pick and enjoy cucumbers.
Learn ‘n Grow director Heather Buskard said the garden presents the opportunity to share many lessons with the students.
“We are hoping they will learn the lifecycle of a plant, where food comes from, what soil needs to grow healthy plants and how to take care of something over a period of time,” Buskard said.
“This is an opportunity to work on fine motor skills, problem solving, math skills, literacy skills, teamwork and it builds responsibility, all done outside in nature,” Kemp-Vist said. “It also is a place that can be therapeutic, helping to self-regulate when needed.
“We have one section with herbs to utilize our senses.”
This year, the focus is on picking a fall crop and trying it out. Students will learn what they need for the soil to be healthy by the end of the year.
“This will be a great springboard for the importance of worms in our soil,” Buskard said. “Hopefully, teachers and students will be able to plant two crops in the fall and spring.”
Otsego Public Schools extended a special “thank-you” to those who helped make the garden possible: Visser Construction; Dock Master; Hazelhoff Builders; Tractor Supply; Walmart; Woodwork Specialties; H & K Excavating; Bonnie Sincler; the Rathe family; and the Vist family.
