South Bend Community Gardens

Community Gardens of Michiana & Children

Gardens connect youth with nature and help them explore and learn about their world.

Why garden with children?

For Good Physical and Mental Health - Experts agree that children today have less contact with the natural world than any previous generation. The results can be devastating for their physical and mental health as well as for their ability to learn, grow and thrive. Nancy Wells, assistant professor at the New York State College of Human Ecology, states that: “By bolstering children’s attention resources, green spaces may enable children to think more clearly and cope more effectively with life stress.”

South Bend Community Gardend Children

To Inspire Learning and Creativity - Nature can be a source of great relaxation and refuge, but, writes Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods, “Lacking direct experience with nature, children begin to associate it with fear and apocalypse, not joy and wonder…. Children need nature for the healthy development of their senses, and, therefore, for learning and creativity”

South Bend Community Garden Children

Fun Food in the City - Being outdoors and doing a fun, results-oriented and edible project can have life-long rewards. Gardening is an easy way to get children out into nature without ever leaving the city!

If you are interested in growing healthy, creative, wonder-filled and focused children, consider participating in a Michiana community gardening project.