How to Start an After School Garden Club for Elementary Students: Part 1
Getting kids outside and engaged in the environment is a sure way to encourage environmental stewardship.
Author David Sobel is known to have said, “Give children a chance to love the earth before we ask them to save it.”
― David Sobel
After working with young children, aged 7–11, for 13 years in an afterschool garden club I founded, I couldn’t agree more. Many children do not play outside anymore and fewer are familiar with growing plants, life cycles of garden-based organisms, where our food comes from, and phenological (seasonal) observations. In 2004, I noticed that the science curriculum at my son’s elementary school was lacking. I had just completed the Master Gardener Training through the University of Wisconsin’s extension office and needed to secure a way to accumulate volunteer hours and educational hours. Through these two coinciding events, I had an idea and created an opportunity for myself. Why not offer an after-school garden club for the students at this elementary school? I was already a classroom volunteer. I knew many of the students and some of the teachers. I just needed to get approval from someone in charge.
