Chicago Botanic Garden
Children’s Growing Garden
Background
The need for the Children’s Growing Garden arose with the accumulating body of research that ties direct experiences in nature to the intellectual, psychological, social, and physical development of children. Studies show that when children are allowed to develop a bond with the natural world, they are more resilient to stress. Green space fosters social contact and the development of meaningful human relationships and personal self-worth.
Over the past decades, children’s distance from nature has increased dramatically. In many neighborhoods, television has taken the place of outdoor experiences. Urban soil contaminants prevent the growth of family vegetable gardens, and child obesity rates are at an all-time high, continuing to climb while children are “protected” from free, active, exploration. The separation from nature is found not only in urban areas but also in suburban and rural children, who appear to have ready access to nature. Few children now explore local woodlands and streams or ever have the opportunity to put their hands in the soil.
The Chicago Botanic Garden, in response, has developed a rich menu of activities to serve children and youth. Broad exposure programs, such as school and day camp field trips, offer large numbers of children an outdoor science learning experience. In-depth programs, such as summer science immersion camps for Chicago Public School students, target middle- and high-school youth who are capable of pursuing science careers but whose population groups are under-represented in these fields. Off-site programs guide youth in managing sustainable urban farms where students learn raised-bed growing techniques, prepare food and present cooking demonstrations, sell produce at farmers markets, and contribute to food pantries. These programs and more have earned the Garden the National Award for Museum Services from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Missing from these extensive programs, however, is a place anywhere on the Garden campus for hands-on exploration—where children can dig, plant seeds, conduct growing experiments, make compost, harvest fresh vegetables, and interact with the natural world. Our current plans aim to fill this void. With the Children’s Growing Garden, the Chicago Botanic Garden can create a safe, stimulating space for active learning by children and youth of all abilities and backgrounds—from toddlers to high school students, in school and camp groups, in summer science programs, and with visiting families.