Gardening - Activities for 3-5 year olds

Gardening gives children a wealth of knowledge, skills and experiences. It offers opportunities to grow and care for seeds and plants, and to observe and record how they grow and discover, perhaps, why they didn't grow! The practical activities include growing gardens in jars, creating miniature gardens, investigating how much different types of soil weigh, making leaf prints and pressing flowers. An outdoor area isn't a prerequisite - many of the activities can be carried out inside. All the activities are designed to develop important preschool skills and are based on the Areas of Learning for under-fives recommended by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.