4 Ways Gardening Will Improve Your Summer

We're looking at another summer of staying home, but that doesn't mean you have to move any less. This summer, we're challenging you to start your own vegetable garden. Did you know that gardening falls into the category of moderate physical activity, and therefore, counts towards the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week?

Improved Physical Literacy

Gardening is a great way to get your children to be physically active and practice those physical literacy skills. By definition, physical literacy is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life. In the garden, young children can practise locomotion, balance and object manipulation while they move from one place to the other carrying tools, soil and water. It also requires children to bend and stretch, dig, rake, and weed. It is so easy to have fun and play in the garden.

Improved Food Literacy Skills Too!

Have you ever heard of food literacy? Food literacy is having the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to choose, grow, prepare and enjoy healthy food to support one's health, community and the environment. It means understanding the impact of our food choices on our health, the environment and our economy. Similar to physical literacy, you can teach your children food literacy skills by setting a good example. Gardening is a great way to teach kids about nutrition and agriculture while spending time outdoors as a family. It will help children understand where food comes from and how its grown while providing an opportunity to learn essential food preparation and food safety skills.

Increased Family Time

There is no greater investment than spending time with family. Especially with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, where social isolation is at an all-time high. Family time has been shown to improve children’s academic performance, self-confidence and mental health. Additionally, parents can teach a love of physical activity and help kids fit it into their everyday lives. You may not know that for every additional 20 minutes of MVPA by parents, kids accumulate an additional 5 minutes. Planting a garden as a family ensures opportunities to spend time together all summer long, benefiting parents and children alike.

More Time Spent Outdoors

We all know how important it is to spend time outside. But we might not always make it happen. According to Lumino Health, by 2050, 70% of people will live in an urban environment. Spending time outdoors can improve mood, memory and the ability to focus. Additional research suggests decreased anxiety and improved creativity.“Nature goes at a completely different pace than what we’ve created for ourselves nowadays,” says Dr. Lynne M. Kostiuk “It slows us down, lets us pay attention to different things, and let go of others. It gives us a chance to just enjoy ‘being’.” So next time you have a free weekend, head out to your local garden centre and spend the day in the garden.

The family unit dramatically impacts the health behaviours of children. As parents and family members, it is important to model healthy attitudes, which include positive attitudes towards physical activity and healthy eating. Since more families are spending time at home this summer than ever before, why not work on those physical literacy and food literacy skills? The family time and sunshine are sure to benefit the whole family!

Curious to know more? Check us out on Instagram!