NOLA Green Roots just signed the ownership papers for the plot of land that runs perpendicular to Wise Words Garden from Tulane Avenue. This lot is the future site of NOLA Green Roots’ newest project, Our Kids’ Village. Our Kids’ Village is the first community garden in the city of New Orleans to focus on kids in pre-school through 5th grade. Activities at the garden will include training sessions on how to plant properly and raise farm animals responsibly. In addition, the kids will learn about the science of soil and play games that re-enforce their new knowledge including earthworm games.
Learning how to grow plants while in pre-school up to 5th grade encourages gross motor development because kids act out plant growth and seed development. Encouraging gross motor skills in our children strengthens their muscles and increases coordination and overall health. Additionally, most young children start out as kinesthetic learners who master new information best through physical activities. The years from pre-school to 5th grade are when these kids are developing body function, language skills, and best learning practices.
Our priority as we build our new Kids’ Village are to create an environmentally friendly space that will allow our children to have fun while learning more about the potato that came before potato chips. Our Kids’ Village is a virtual and physical classroom. Parents, teachers and students will have access to the garden’s Web site where they can post and view homework assignments, syllabi, games, schedules and worksheets. Another positive feature of Our Kids’ Village is the innovative farming toys including the John Deere Gator and the John Deere Loader. These toys bring farm-life to the city for our kids.
The groundbreaking of Our Kids’ Village is set for May 13-14, 2011. NOLA Green Roots needs help getting the word out and recruiting volunteers. Please spread the word. This garden is slated to be phased in over the course of the year. We need fresh and committed sponsorship. Our gardens impact hundreds of people in the New Orleans area. On a basic level, they provide fresh, naturally grown food sources that are affordable. In addition, they encourage our member’s sense of self-worth, of what they can do to provide for their families and community, provide educational spaces full of information for youth and adults about science, math, verbal skills, and general life cycles, and much more.
