3 Small Ways To Teach Kids Where Our Food Comes From!
Teaching kids where our food comes from is so basic and so important! Below are 3 small ways to help teach kids this fundamental lesson. Because when we take the time to notice the magical transformation of plants into food, we start to see and appreciate our food in a whole new way! 1. Visit a garden center.Even if you don't have the space, yard, or green thumb to grow a thriving garden of tomatoes this summer, you can teach kids about how food grows by exploring a garden center. Find the flowers on the plants and talk about how the flowers turn into fruit. Explore the different shapes of leaves, and the way different plants smell. This tangible experience of seeing, smelling and feeling the plants that end up on our dinner table is an amazing learning experience that's accessible even if you're not able to grow your own garden.2. Grow your own herbs.Herbs can be grown in small pots, on a windowsill, a front stoop or in a full on herb garden. Kids can help plant herbs, then get them involved in making dinner by having them help pick some herbs to add to a recipe or put them in charge of adding a few leaves to a plate as a beautiful garnish. This also adds a great sensory component to food prep!3. Visit A Pick-Your-Own FarmWhen fruits and vegetables come into season lots of farms will have a 'pick-your-own' option to do just that, pick your own bag or basket of whatever's in season. This is a great way to teach kids how crops grow and all it takes to get them to our tables!However you choose to help kids connect with the source of our food, I hope you enjoy it, too. In fact, your own enjoyment and wonder at the amazing process of plants growing food will do the most to foster that sense of wonder in kids! So go ahead, oooh and ahhhh over the gorgeous greens, beautiful flowers and abundance of spring!Happy spring and happy food play!