Growing Food – Classroom ideas

Boy smiling with sunflowers

Getting out in the garden and learning how to grow food can make healthy choices a lot of fun for students. But just like the food you’re growing, your lessons need to be fresh!

Wherever possible, use food grown at school in hands-on cooking classes and in the school canteen
Visit other school or community gardens to be inspired and learn from their experiences
Make the most of your school community by finding people with gardening skills, equipment and materials
Encourage families to grow food at home by sending seedlings home with students
Sell the garden produce at school pick-up or drop-off time to raise funds to put back into Fresh Tastes activities in your school
Make the garden an exciting space by encouraging students and the community to create artworks and decorations
Seek out school fundraising activities where students can sell vegetable or plant growing kits
Many schools find the garden is a great place for children who are disengaged and some schools open gardens at break times for students to help out
If you have a composting system for waste, it will help the garden thrive
Consider safety in the garden and make sure everyone has gloves, hats and sunscreen
Link with a local high school that has Horticulture as a subject