Astronomical rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, and Attention Deficit Disorder are all symptoms of our society’s relationship with nature. Psychologists are labeling this Nature Deficit Disorder; children are increasingly deprived of the outdoors and nature experiences, supplementing playtime with addicting media devices. In this context, school gardens have innumerable benefits. Not only do they reduce or eliminate the food desert phenomenon, but heal, educate, inspire, and develop a child’s understanding of, and compassion for the Earth. The skills learned by children in a school garden cultivate a lifetime of food awareness. School gardens foster community, ecology awareness, discipline, creativity, and most of all, exploration and fun. School gardens contribute to a students “normal” school experience by magnifying and in many cases applying the knowledge and skills learned inside.
This hands on educational tool should be a vital addition to any school system, and is a crucial part of learning about your surrounding ecology.
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