5 Ways to Introduce Gardening for Mental Health to Your Family
Gardening
5 Ways to Introduce Gardening for Mental Health to Your Family
It’s the conclusion of the growing season, and soon the A Solution B therapeutic garden will be in the process of clearing out and shutting down for the year. If you are new to this website, I’ll take a moment to briefly revisit the reasons why the therapeutic garden was started and what meaningful activities we engage in there in the article titled "Life Lessons Learned From the Garden."
Many friends, family and even clients have asked how can they include their families with addressing their wellness through gardening. And that is how this article came about. With that said, let’s get started on 5 Ways to Introduce Gardening for Mental Health to Your Family.
It can be easy to overlook the simple pleasures that can bring many benefits to our mental health. One such joy is gardening! Not only does gardening provide an escape from the stressors of daily life, but it can also offer numerous therapeutic benefits for both adults and children alike. If you are looking for awesome ways to encourage wellness within your family, here are five ways to introduce gardening for overall wellness into your lives, complete with tools and resources that can make this approach even more meaningful.
Introduce gardening to your family with these simple tips
1. Start Small with Indoor Plants
For families new to gardening, dipping your toes into the world of horticulture can be as easy as bringing a few indoor plants into your home. Not only do they add a touch of greenery to your living space, but studies have shown that caring for indoor plants can reduce stress and anxiety levels. Start with low-maintenance plants like succulents, spider plants, or lavender, which are forgiving to beginners. Encourage your children to take part in watering, repotting, and observing the plant’s growth , fostering a sense of responsibility and their connection with nature. Incorporating mindfulness with house plants can be done in various ways visit the article Plants for Mindfulness to learn more.
2. Create a Family Garden Space
Transform a corner of your yard into a family garden space where everyone can get their hands dirty. Involve your children in the garden planning process, allowing them to choose which fruits, vegetables, or flowers they'd like to grow. This not only sparks their interest but also gives them a sense of ownership over the project. Perhaps, you may even want to consider incorporating raised beds or containers for easier maintenance and accessibility, especially for younger children. There are many benefits to gardening together as a family such as fostering teamwork, encouraging communication and improving effective communication, and having a shared sense of accomplishment.
3. Incorporate Sensory Elements
Gardening engages all the senses, making it a multi-sensory experience that can be beneficial for children's development. Introduce sensory elements into your garden by including plants and structures with different textures, colors, fragrances and tastes. Encourage your children to touch, smell, and even taste the plants (if they're edible) to stimulate their senses and deepen their connection with nature. Activities like sensory scavenger hunts or blindfolded herb identification can add an element of excitement and exploration to gardening for younger children. And remember, plants in the nightshade family can toxic so please be mindful of this.
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4. Use Plant and Graph Worksheets for Learning
Another fun method is to incorporate educational elements into your gardening activities by utilizing plant and graph worksheets tailored for younger children. These worksheets can include simple tasks such as labeling parts of a plant, tracking growth progress, or recording observations about weather patterns and plant behavior. Not only do these worksheets reinforce academic skills like science and math, but they also encourage critical thinking and observation skills. Additionally, they provide a tangible way for children to track their gardening journey and see the fruits of their labor over time. Interested in worksheets, maybe you’d like the worksheets where they can learn about mushrooms and plants, gardening tools, helpful bugs or garden pests,
5. Foster a Connection with Nature
Last but not least, gardening is about fostering a deep connection with nature and instilling a sense of stewardship for the environment in your family and friends, especially the children. Take the time to teach them about the importance of biodiversity, pollinators, and sustainable gardening practices. Show them how their actions in the garden can have a positive impact on our ecosystem and the world around them. Activities that you can also encourage others to do are as follows: bird watching, identifying insects and plants, or creating homemade compost to begin the process of establishing a nurturing environment through the use of nature.
Explore my gardening essentials list here! — Check out the tools I personally use for creating a peaceful and productive garden space. From sustainable tools to resources for learning, this list can help you kickstart your own gardening journey.
Summary
In conclusion, gardening isn't just about growing plants; it's about nurturing our well-being and developing a deeper connection with the world around us. By introducing gardening for mental health to your family, you are not only creating a safe space for relaxation and reflection but also sowing the seeds for the appreciation for nature and nature’s healing powers. So roll up your sleeves, grab a trowel, and let your gardening journey begin in your own backyard.
If you are interested in utilizing gardening as a form of a therapeutic tool, please sign up. Our garden opens in May and closes in October. I am happy to assist you in using the garden as a means of healing both inside and out. Be sure to schedule an intake with me today.
Not ready for counseling but interested in some quick and wholesome meals that you can cook right from your garden. Check out my Mood Boosting Foods: Lean and Clean Recipes cookbook that you can access today!
Let me know in the comments below, what is one step you have taken to introduce gardening to your family?
Written By: Reynelda Jones, LMSW-C, ADS, CIMHP
If you are located in the State of Michigan, New Jersey or Vermont and you would benefit from a holistic therapeutic approach, Schedule an Appointment today to start your healing journey.
To learn more about A Solution B, LLC click here
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