Growing Gardens. (Photo courtesy: Growing Gardens).
Growing Gardens Peace Garden Programs Cultivate Meaningful Summers
What encapsulates the wonder and joyful abandon of childhood more than summertime? And, what’s more iconic of summer than hands in the dirt, the warmth of the sun, just getting playful in the great outdoors? Those moments–marked by everything from shimmering energy to pensive stillness–are the makings of lifelong memories and a whole lot more. At Growing Gardens, a Boulder non-profit whose mission is to enrich community through sustainable urban agriculture and educational programming, summer programs nurture on all levels, from the plants that are tended to the blossoming kids who tend them.
“Kids are always observing and learning from the world around them,” says Megan Reynoso, Growing Gardens Program Manager. “Their natural curiosity makes gardens a perfect place to learn, explore, and just get connected.”
At Growing Gardens, summer camps offer students ages 5 to 11 the opportunity to tend gardens, explore through art and science, and enjoy making tasty snacks from harvest bounties. The captivating Peace Garden programs are designed to reconnect children with the earth while fostering friendship, confidence, environmental stewardship, and respectful, peaceful harmony. Through these rich, multi-sensory experiences shared with nature and one another, bonds are formed, skills are built and refined, and profound connections are made, with nature and one another. Here, summer is a celebration ever joyfully reflected in the beaming faces of its young caretakers.
Growing Gardens’ All camps are held Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the enchanting Boulder Farm located at 1630 Hawthorn Ave. Various weeks offer different central themes, including Art, Survival Skills, and Seasonal Cuisine; all invite youth to learn about and care for plants, explore through the lenses of art and science, and prepare delicious bites with the bounties they reap.
In addition to popular summer camps, Growing Gardens offers special programs throughout the school year, including monthly After School Garden Club, special School Day Off events and field trips.
“A garden is a special place where you can get messy,” Reynoso says. “When a student comes to the garden and learns that carrots grow underground, and they have an opportunity to pick up a carrot, wash it off, and take a bite, it’s magical.”
> For more information, visit growinggardens.org.
By Wendy McMillan, Raised in the Rockies
