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Backyard Environmental Learning Activities for Kids and Families

Awesome backyard projects provide both academic and vitamin D enrichment

Published on: March 22, 2022

parent and kids planting seeds in eggshell planters

Get your grow on

The physical and mental health benefits of spending time outdoors are well documented. Try some of these environmental learning projects for both academic and vitamin D enrichment for kids.

While it is not so much the case today, during the first 10,000 years since agriculture developed, most family members had a role in growing food. Use this homebound time to introduce kids of all ages to the art and science of gardening.

Toddlers can poke seeds into the ground (or into a pot on the porch) and pick fruit when it’s ripe, while older kids might take over one section of the garden. Grade-schoolers can run plant experiments: Your students can calculate germination rates; conduct seedling races to demonstrate growth under different light or water conditions; dissect plants and flowers to identify their parts; and learn to distinguish the good bugs from the not-so-good ones. Teens might take over planting plans for the whole garden and calculate harvest times; they can also get exercise by building raised beds and turning compost.

If your outdoor space is limited, you can plant a container garden, make a terrarium or read the book “Linnea’s Windowsill Garden,” a collection of indoor gardening ideas, such as sprouting plants from meal leftovers.

Click through the arrows above for more fun ideas. 

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