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Planting with kids of any age encourages their interest in nature and gives invaluable basic skills, like the ability to see cause-and-effect relationships, explore sensory experiences, express creativity and practice inquiry. Not to mention the chance to develop patience, responsibility and self-confidence. Plus gardening is fun. Kids love scooping dirt, planting seeds and watching plants grow.

Container gardens make a great introduction to gardening for children. And now through May is the ideal time to plant a decorative container. They’re space-savers—a window sill, patio, balcony or doorstep will provide sufficient space. And they’re great for food or flowers. Here’s a 3-step plan to get you started.

Step 1: Find a container
Planter boxes, wooden barrels and large flowerpots can be used. Or get creative and reuse items that your child will appreciate, like juice boxes, rubber balls, a baby bathtub or a toy box. See how to create these and other fun containers here. Make sure your container has adequate drainage. Holes should be at least 1/2 inch across.

toy dumptruck container garden

Step 2: Pot your plant
Start with dirt. Ask your child what dirt is. There are different kinds of it. Show her by taking a walk in your neighborhood and touching the soil at a variety of locations, like a building site, stream bed, or friend’s flower garden. For older children, explain that life on Earth depends on the nutrient cycling that takes place in the soil as microorganisms and larger animals recycle organic materials.

The dirt in your container should drain rapidly but retain enough moisture to keep the roots evenly moist. This site has good soil instructions. And here’s a video that shows how to mix your own organic soil. When it’s time to pot, encourage your child to help. They can mix dirt, scoop it into the pot and poke in the seeds.

As far as what to grow, consider planting things that your child like to eat. Or grow a wide variety of annuals. Here are some plants ideally suited for growing in containers:

Veggies: Tomatoes, eggplant, green onions, beans, lettuce, squash, radishes, parsley
Flowers: Pansies and nasturtiums (their leaves are edible), marigolds, snapdragons, periwinkles

Step 3: Water, watch and wait
Your child will love holding the hose or watering can. If you use a hose, set the nozzle on mist to keep from drowning the plant. In the coming days, help your child vary the watering regime and adjust the amount of sun or shade. Keep in mind that container gardens must be watered more frequently than ground plants. Container plants can not tap into the moisture which ground plants have access too deep within the soil. And, if outside, container gardens have the full force of the sun to dry out their soil.

After a week or two, you and your child will get a feel for how much water your plant needs. Help your child remember to water by printing a watering chart from chartjungle.com. It has space to write down names of plants and check off boxes for the days of the week the plants need watering.

Show off your work. Plant this weekend, take a picture and send it to us using our flickr photostream.

Resources
Kidsgardening.com
American Community Gardening Association
The Kids Garden
My First Garden
The Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden

Britt is the editor of The Grove School website. She's got 15 years of writing and editing experience, a 6 year old daughter, a garden and a healthy obsession with all things green.

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Last week I wrote about Nature Deficit Disorder and its alarming consequences for our children, including mood disorders, attention-span issues and obesity. Not to mention the fact that they miss the benefits of outdoor play, like greater self-esteem, creativity and improved attention span.

But since you enrolled your child in a school like The Grove School and you’re reading this post, chances are you appreciate the value of the great outdoors. Problem is there are obstacles to getting there. Here are remedies for 3 common ones.

Obstacle: Both parents have indoor responsibilities, so no one is available to supervise young kids outside.

Remedies:

- Team up with other parents in the neighborhood or from your child’s class to share supervision.
- Hire a baby sitter specifically for a few hours of outdoor play.
- Try to work outdoors on your laptop while the kids play in a safe area.
- Schedule outdoor time by actually writing “go outside” on the family calendar each week or (ideally) each day.

Here’s something you can schedule today: The National Wildlife Federation’s Great American Backyard Campout.

Obstacle: Indoor enrichment classes leave no time to be outdoors.

Remedies: If the balance seems off, it might be time to reassess. All of the articles I reviewed suggest that an hour outdoors can be as enriching than an hour of instruction indoors. Before you sign your children up for computer summer school, consider camps that focus on unstructured time in the environment, where children are free to use all their senses and play as they wish. Check out The Grove School’s eco-adventure summer program.

Obstacle: I’m not naturally outdoorsy, and I’m not sure where to find nature near my me.

Remedies: Nature Deficit Disorder activist Richard Louv has a wonderful Resource Guide for this. One of his lovely suggestions: “Be a cloudspotter. No special shoes or drive to the soccer field is required for ‘clouding.’ A young person just needs a view of the sky (even if it’s from a bedroom window) and a guidebook.” Check out Gavin Pretor-Pinney’s wonderful book “The Cloudspotter’s Guide.”

Through April, I’ll cover other nature-related topics and activities here in the blog. And I’d love to hear ideas from you. Leave them in the Comments section below.

Britt is the editor of The Grove School website. She's got 15 years of writing and editing experience, a 6 year old daughter, a garden and a healthy obsession with all things green.

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Some glorious images of our planet from NASA. Check out more pictures at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Flickr page.

All images courtesy of NASA.

Britt is the editor of The Grove School website. She's got 15 years of writing and editing experience, a 6 year old daughter, a garden and a healthy obsession with all things green.

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I hear the term Nature Deficit Disorder so much lately that I decided to look into it. NDD, as it’s sometimes called, describes the American youth’s lack of relationship with the environment. It’s a problem because it has led to a nationwide increase in childhood mood disorders like anxiety, depression, obesity and attention-span issues.

Richard Louv is leading the wake-up call. In his book, “Last Child in the Woods” (first published in 2005) he points to TV, Internet and other multimedia outlets as major contributors to our youth’s sedentary lifestyle. According to research, the average home in the U.S. has more TVs than children, and kids in our country watch more TV than children any place else in the world.

What I find so interesting about Louv’s message is that it’s not just about turning off the TV. It’s about actually getting outside. That’s important because studies show that time spent in nature gives our children valuable ingredients for healthy, happy living. For example, one resource I found cited that children’s attentional functioning improves after play in green settings. And that the greener an activity area the better the children functioned, with attention deficit symptoms becoming less severe. Another resource suggests that a connection to nature leads to greater self-esteem. Louv says it best, “Parents should see the woods, streams, fields and canyons around their home as a type of therapy to keep kids focused, confident, healthy, and balanced.”

This totally struck such a cord with me because I cherish the memories of my own childhood outdoor adventures. I can’t imagine my daughter not having the same experience.

On Monday, I’ll cover more on this topic, including some creative ideas for getting outside with your kids. In the meantime, be sure to leave your thoughts in the Comments section below.

Britt is the editor of The Grove School website. She's got 15 years of writing and editing experience, a 6 year old daughter, a garden and a healthy obsession with all things green.

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One of the joys of having a preschooler is hearing the creative ideas they have for real-world issues. To get my daughter talking about Earth Day, I popped in the album “Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George” by Jack Johnson and Friends. On it is the “3 R’s” song, which highlights the concepts reduce, reuse and recycle. And it features math too. Grab your child and have a listen.

My daughter loves that song. And I do, too. It’s relevant to our times and it’s fun to sing. There’s also a lot in it to help spark communication about Earth Day. Here are a couple of conversation-starter suggestions:

What do the words reduce, reuse and recycle mean?

    - Reduce means to make something simpler or smaller.
    - Reuse means to use something more than once.
    - Recycle means to put something used through a process that allows it to be used again.

To help define other Earth Day words, check out this online dictionary for kids.

Why do you think we do these activities?

Talking about these actions can help children learn how simple items they use every day can be reduced, reused and recycled. This encourages them to be helpful around the house and yard, as well as to help take care of our planet.

How else do you learn what’s on your child’s mind on Earth Day? Be sure to share it all with us in the Comments section below.

Britt is the editor of The Grove School website. She's got 15 years of writing and editing experience, a 6 year old daughter, a garden and a healthy obsession with all things green.

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Here at The Grove School, we celebrate the Earth every day. Doing so is part of our commitment to model healthy behavior, grow strong bodies and teach children how to make a lasting, positive impact on the planet.

Through the rest of April on our blog, we will feature activities, resources and tips to learn how to protect our environment and appreciate nature. We’ll also showcase the school’s celebrations on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22. Be sure to let us know how you’re celebrating the day. And do share your favorite activities in our Comments section below.

Discover the Story of Earth Day

Gaylord Nelson (June 4, 1916 – July 3, 2005)

Earth Day was founded in 1970 by Democratic U.S. Senator and then Governor of Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson. Nelson was a passionate environmentalist in a time when there was no Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act or EPA. Factories just spewed toxic materials into the natural landscape. Nelson wanted to change that.

He discovered that the people of Wisconsin supported his passion, and he believed that the nation would echo their sentiment. In 1963, he wrote a memo to President John F. Kennedy arguing that the environment was a popular issue worthy of the president’s upcoming speaking tour. The president agreed and the tour became known as the Conservation Tour.

The tour did not result in change. Nelson worked on Congress for the next 6 years to raise the alarm. He was fruitless, so he decided to take his message to the American people.

In 1969 he proposed a national teach-in for the environment. He got the idea from college students who had been staging teach-ins to educate their campuses about the war in Vietnam. Seven months later Nelson’s idea resulted in the largest demonstration in U.S. history. Twenty million Americans demonstrated on April 22, 1970. Congress took notice. Before the year’s end, they authorized the creation of a new federal agency to tackle environmental issues, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Other critical environmental initiatives would soon follow.

Earth Day flag

Today, Earth Day is celebrated internationally. Many communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues. You may see the Earth Day flag, which was designed by world peace advocate John McConnell.

Britt is the editor of The Grove School website. She's got 15 years of writing and editing experience, a 6 year old daughter, a garden and a healthy obsession with all things green.

 

 

UNC-TV aired a program in April that  featured The Grove School.  They did a terrific job highlighting our school.  I sure hope you take a look.  Follow THIS LINK.  After you watch it, let me know your reaction.

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Next to our children, water is one of the most valuable resources we have on this planet.  Today in Ms. Sue’s Pre-K class, the students performed an experiment about ways in which we can clean water.  Before even starting the activity, Ms. Sue asked the students to name and predicts methods that would clean dirty water.  You can see some of their responses on the screenshot photo of the smart board in their class.  Some of their ideas were to “scrape”  the water, use a wash cloth, and to use “soap and water” to clean the water.    As it turns out, the used a wash cloth over the top of another jar to ask as a filter to clean the water.

The students began their experiment by going outside to get the dirt so they could mix it with the one jar of water to make the dirty water.   After stirring it up, the students then poured the dirty water through the wash cloth that was covering the empty jar.  The students observed that a lot of the dirt and sand that was in the dirty water jar, was collecting on the top of the wash cloth.  They observed that the wash cloth cleaned the water, but did not make it totally clean like it was before the made it dirty.  Nonetheless, one of the lessons learned was that was can actually clean dirty water and that by experimenting, thinking and being creative, we can find solutions to real-world and important problems that we face.

Finally, the last photo shows some of the vocabulary and the writing of one of our Pre-K students.  I find that a student’s vocabulary and their potential for learning dramatically increases as creative teacher like Ms. Sue, use engaging and fun strategies with their students.

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Children’s health is a topic that gets a lot of attention.  You can’t pick up a parenting magazine without finding at least 5 articles about health issues.  Unfortunately, even with all of this attention, our children are facing severe and worsening health challenges.

  • One out of four children suffers from allergies
  • One in ten children has been diagnosed with asthma
  • Type II diabetes is being diagnosed in children as young as 10
  • 25% of our kids are overweight
  • One in twelve children has ADD or ADHD
  • One in ninety-one children is on the autism spectrum.

And for the first time in recent history, our children are not expected to live longer than we are.  Luckily, there are many steps you can take to help your children move in the right direction on the path toward better health.   The following are my top five things to do on your quest for better health.  Of course there are more things you can do, and I encourage them, but for the sake of space, here are the top five.

Put good things into your body. This is the number one thing in achieving better health.  Our body needs good building blocks.  The food we eat should be whole, fresh, organic, clean, unprocessed, and full of nutritive value the way nature designed.  We should avoid “edible food like substances” – processed foods full of chemical additives, dyes, and sweeteners (especially artificial).

Our drinks should be clean and pure as well.  Water is the best liquid you can put into your body.  75% of your body is water and it needs to be replenished daily.

Get proper amounts of sleep. Sleep is the time that our bodies use to build, process, heal, regenerate and rest.  We all need it.  Without it our brains, digestive systems, immune systems, and muscular systems don’t work as well.  Most children require 10-14 hours of sleep per day (newborns need more).

Have a positive mental attitude. It is absolutely true that our bodies are affected by our attitudes.  In order to have a positive mental attitude, children need a home where they feel safe, happy, comfortable and confident.  The saying “laughter is the best medicine” is very true.  It boosts immunity, thereby making our children healthier.  Focus on giving your child an environment where they feel loved, accepted, and confident.

Get plenty of exercise. Children are little balls of energy and they need to move.  Kids should be getting at least one hour of structured physical activity and one hour of unstructured physical play per day.  It stimulates their brains, balance, dexterity, muscles, and bones.  And, it prepares them for a lifestyle of activity as they grow.  Children who are active are more likely to become adults who are active.

Make sure the nervous system can integrate all the information coming in. Your nervous system is responsible for reading and adapting to your environment.  This is the system that regulates the other four key aspects of good health.  Without a properly functioning nervous system, the body cannot adapt to the demands put on it and injury or illness can be the result.  The best way to determine if your child’s nervous system is functioning properly is to visit a chiropractor for a check up.

Dr. Debra Bell received her Doctor of Chiropractic at Life University in March of 1999, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She received her undergraduate degree in Exercise Physiology from UNC-Chapel Hill. Before becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Bell was a Coach with Gymnastic groups in Georgia and North Carolina.

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Happy Spring Time!!!!

I just love the spring, with all of the trees blooming and planting flowers and gardens. All of our planter beds have been planted and the seeds are beginning to sprout. Everyday is exciting to see how the seedlings have changed overnight. Some seedlings are growing taller while others are adding new leaves. The potatoes are growing huge, and it’s almost time to add more dirt on top of the leaves. Everyone can not wait to see what the plants look like full grown and eat the yummy vegetables!

Sincerely,
Sara  

Anne is our chief marketing officer. A former senior VP at Bank of America and Starbucks, she drives all marketing, communications and digital activities. She's also the mother of 2 children.

 

 

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