Hands-on gardening nurtures health education and active lifestyles for kids

Jun 3

Grady's Garden, a local food and nutrition, edutainment, and technology company, is working to provide children in Grand Rapids with practical access to locally grown herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

Students at Sibley Elementary recently planted more than 100 seedlings – donated by nearby Bridge Street Market in conjunction with Bonnie's Plants – in their four garden beds, measuring 32 square feet each. This will be the school's third year enrolled in the program.

With the support of programming from The Other Way Ministries, students will tend the garden throughout the summer, looking forward to a bountiful harvest of lavender, dill, cherry tomatoes, peppermint, red bell sweet peppers, sweet banana peppers, watermelon, red tomatoes, and cucumbers.

"These kids are not only learning to eat healthily but also how to cultivate their own gardens," said Mike Wheeler, co-founder of Grady's Garden and Grady's Classroom. "From weeding to sowing to harvesting, they are getting hands-on experience and enriching their minds with essential knowledge about nutrition and sustainability."

In addition to hands-on gardening, students engage with a curriculum designed by Grady's Classroom, emphasizing the importance of healthy eating and active lifestyles. This initiative, supported by culturally relevant and research-based experiential learning opportunities, aims to improve children's physical, social, and emotional well-being.

The curriculum's accompanying animated series, "Grady's Garden," follows the adventures of six diverse children as they create a garden in their urban neighborhood. The cartoons promote health, engagement, nutrition security, teamwork, and active living. The first two episodes of "Grady's Garden" have already reached 32,000 homes in Grand Rapids via GRTV. Educational materials and curriculum tailored for different age groups are available for caregivers, teachers, and administrators.

After watching "Grady's Garden" Episode 1, vegetable identification among kids increased for celery, onions, romaine, and collard greens. Willingness to try these vegetables also saw significant boosts.

"Grady's Classroom has partnered with Kent School Services Network at multiple Grand Rapids area K-6 schools to improve 2nd and 3rd graders' willingness to try vegetables by encouraging kids to garden via a unique cartoon show depicting kids who build a garden and by its interactive educational curriculum," said Sara Scott, community school coordinator at Kent Schools Services Network.

Participating Grand Rapids Public Schools include Sibley, Coit, Gerald R. Ford, and Southwood, with plans to expand in Detroit, Lansing, Muskegon, and Kalamazoo in Fall 2024.

For more information, visit https://www.gradysgarden.com/.