On Tuesday, March 17, the children of Wiedewei Dirksland got their hands dirty. At Wiedewei, children go on outdoor adventures every day and grow up with an appreciation for nature and their environment. Especially for the Month of the Vegetable Garden, they received a visit from Peter Jelier of allotment association Klein Grondbezit Dirksland to learn and discover more about the vegetable garden together.
Vegetable garden activity with Peter Jelier
The children gathered enthusiastically around the picnic table, curious about what Peter Jelier was going to tell them. With a large container of potting soil, colorful pots, and garden cress seeds, he took the children step by step through the process of sowing. All the children made their own garden cress doll: a small pot with a hand-drawn face, where the growing garden cress eventually forms the hair. In this way, the children discovered through play what is needed to grow something.
Month of the Vegetable Garden
This activity was all about the Month of the Vegetable Garden, during which Wiedewei pays extra attention to vegetable gardening. In March, the vegetable garden at the location is prepared for the new season, and children are actively involved in sowing, caring for, and later also harvesting.
Vegetable gardening contributes to the development of children
Working in the vegetable garden is not only fun, but it also contributes to children's development. While digging, sowing, and watering, children practice their fine motor skills and become familiar with new textures. At the same time, they learn new words, such as 'seed', 'soil', and 'grow'. Through play, children learn what it is like to care for something that takes time to grow.
“By letting children experience for themselves how something grows, it truly comes to life,” says Marin Horninge, senior pedagogical professional at Wiedewei Dirksland. “They are curious, engaged, and proud of what they have done themselves. In this way, their love and respect for nature grows a little more every day.”
