Created by Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

Gardening with preschoolers is often thought of as a spring and summer outdoor activity.  But also consider the benefits year-round gardens and activities. 

Winter activities are often the hardest to think of. Here are a few ideas:

• Plant and soil experiments in plastic cups.  How long will it take water to move through different soils? Prediction the growth of a seed. Make growth charts. Try altering amounts of water, sun, nutrients, etc.
• Read garden related books, and integrate garden/food/farm themes.
• Dramatic play. Act out the life cycle of a plant or garden stories.
• Seed sorting using fingers and tweezers.
• Carnations and/or celery experiments. Put fresh cut stalk in water with food coloring and see how plants uptake water.
• Seeds, straw, soil, grain. Let children explore them at a sensory table.
• Grain grinding and baking.
• Seed/dried plant art. Use hay, flowers, other plants, flowers, and veggies for still life painting in classroom.
• Worm bin/worm observation bin.
• Write food/farm/garden related stories or create a book
• Cooking.
• Look for seeds while preparing vegetables for cooking.  Dry and save seeds.  Will they grow?
• Help children design a snow/ water collection system.
• Planand build garden structures, scarecrows, and garden signs.
• Create musical instruments made of dried natural objects.
• Measuring, designing, and planning the garden area.
• Recruit community volunteers/partners to help with the garden, create a timeline for the year, and assign tasks