School Garden Toolkit

As versatile educational spaces for all subjects and for students of all ages and ability levels, school gardens are valuable resources for enriching student learning and may provide fresh fruits and vegetables to school communities. Gardens at City Schools align with the district's Blueprint for Success and support its efforts to promote outdoor learning. 

Benefits of School Gardens

Research has shown that garden-based learning can have wide ranging positive impacts on students and staff, including:

• Opportunities for hands-on experiential learning;

• Increased student engagement and motivation to learn;

• Reinforcement of academic topics and improved outcomes in STEM fields;

• Opportunities for social emotional learning, with increases in students' self-esteem, and teamwork; 

• Opportunities for engagement for students with different learning styles;

• Behavior and mental health benefits; and

• Enhanced physical activity and healthier food choices.

For more on the benefits of school gardens, see this fact sheet from the National Farm to School Network, or browse the research library of the Children & Nature Network.