Do gardening activities boost communications skills among children?

Published on 17-07-2010

Summary: Outdoor activities such as gardening can help children boost their communication skills, according to one headteacher.

Gardening activities can help children communicate with their peers, one expert has suggested.

In an interview with the London Evening Standard, headteacher at South Harringay Infants School Tinka Rojas said youngsters are more inclined to talk to each other when they are carrying out such activities.

She noted approximately 30 languages are spoken in her school and many of the pupils do not speak English.

"They don't talk to each other that much, but when you put them in a garden they have to talk and agree what they are doing," she added.

Ms Rojas went on to say outdoor activities, such as planting seeds. means kids have to ask questions and therefore get involved.

Pupils at the education facility bagged a Capital Growth award for their school garden, after they developed a plot on which to grow vegetables, despite having no green space on the premises.

The Capital Growth scheme is hoping to create 2,012 community spaces for growing food in London by the end of 2012.

Posted by Katie Finch

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