By Boots on the Farm Consulting LLC
November always feels like a season of gratitude, especially in early childhood programs where tiny hands are learning big lessons about care, sharing, and growth.
In our Farm-to-ECE work, we often focus on planting and harvesting, but this month I’d like to pause and celebrate thankfulness in the garden. Even with our youngest learners, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, the lesson of gratitude can be taught through simple experiences: touching soil, watering a plant, or feeding a worm to the compost pile.
One center I visited this month had their “Thankful Garden” bulletin board filled with paper vegetables. Each child added a picture of something they’re thankful for, such as sunshine, their mom, their teacher, or even their favorite snack. It was such a sweet reflection of how nature helps them express what’s in their hearts.
For infants and toddlers, garden time can mean sitting outdoors with a tray of leaves, feeling the texture, or watching a butterfly dance by. For preschoolers, it might mean harvesting herbs to smell or helping fill bird feeders as part of caring for living things.
As the year winds down, I encourage teachers to use the garden as a space for quiet reflection. Play soft music, talk about how things grow, and connect those lessons to kindness and gratitude.
Simple Activity Idea:
Create a “Garden of Thanks” sensory tray. Fill a shallow bin with soil, toy vegetables, leaves, and pictures of foods the children have tried. As they explore, invite them to name something or someone they’re thankful for. It’s a calm, engaging way to tie nature, emotion, and learning together.
