What’s Growing On at Kiddie Academy of Urbana?

This year, our garden spaces have blossomed into something truly special. In past years, our outdoor classroom has sparked wonder, growing everything from tiny sprouts to towering sunflowers. Now, we’ve expanded that excitement! You may have noticed, pulling up to our front doors, four white planters proudly displayed at the front of the building, with two more bringing joy in our older playground. What’s inside, you ask? A beautiful blend of flowers and food: tomatoes, Lima beans, zucchini, wildflowers, sunflowers, and pumpkins!

When children care for living things, they’re developing more than a green thumb. They’re practicing patience, responsibility, observation, and teamwork. These tiny gardens are big learning opportunities in disguise.

How the Kiddie Academy Six Outcomes grow through gardening

Connection: Kids who nurture plants develop empathy and a sense of belonging—to nature, to each other, and to their school community—as they care for living things together.
Curiosity: A sprouting seed sparks wonder—“What will it become?”—fueling children’s natural drive to explore and ask questions about life cycles and environments.
Critical Thinking: Monitoring growth requires observation, prediction, and analysis—when children note new leaves or changing soil moisture, they’re practicing basic scientific methods.
Character: Garden chores—watering, pulling weeds, being gentle with seedlings—teach responsibility, patience, and respect for living things.
Confidence: Watching tiny seeds transform into plants boosts children’s belief in their abilities—they’ve made something grow!—which builds self-esteem and motivation.
Creative Expression: Whether it’s drawing a sunflower close-up, crafting plant-themed artwork, or dreaming up garden plots, children channel imagination and artistic skills into their plant projects.

Throughout the year, these planters become familiar touchpoints for students. They greet them in the morning and inspire questions in the afternoon, during drop off and pick up. As leaves stretch taller and colors change, children begin to recognize the impact of their care. They water, weed and wait, slowly understanding that growth takes time and effort. When that moment comes, a flower blooms or a fruit appears, the celebration is heard around our school. These moments help root meaningful lessons about nurture and nature that last far beyond the seasons.

As our little gardeners have learned, there’s always something fascinating hiding in the soil. Along the way, we’ve discovered some pretty amazing plant facts worth sharing:

Lima beans are packed with nutrients like fiber, protein, and iron
A single sunflower can hold up to 2,000 seeds
Tomato seedlings have literally been grown in space
Although it’s usually treated like a veggie, zucchini is actually a fruit because it comes from a flower
The U.S. produces over 1 billion pounds of pumpkins every year

So next time you walk past our planters, take a moment to soak it all in. There’s so much learning happening under the soil, and even more blossoming above it.