Preparing for the Vegetable Garden

Today I took Lizzy to explore all the plants at the nursery and pick out a cucumber plant for school. Lizzy's Montessori school has a vegetable garden the children prepare in the Spring, then care for, and eat from. The children will be growing okra, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and watermelon. Lizzy is planting cucumbers.

Gardening and food preparation are all part of Montessori practical life. Montessori curriculum emphasizes independence. Gardening allows the child to handle actual tools, learn valuable skills, and discover where food comes from.

I'm glad that Lizzy is provided such experiences at her school. Living in an apartment we don't have a yard so anything we plant is potted on our patio but I've always dreamed of gardening with Lizzy. Growing up I had my own vegetable garden and the joys of caring for the garden and growing actual food was very rewarding for me. Someday we will have our own vegetable garden and Lizzy will have learned the skills and lessons of caring for her plants. I know this will be an experience she will never forget.