🌱 From School to Summer: A Gentle Invitation into the Garden

Dear Families and Caregivers,

As the school year winds down and the long days of summer stretch ahead, many children (and parents) find themselves in an in-between space—no longer in the steady rhythm of school, but not yet anchored in a new routine. For some, this is a welcome relief. For others, it can be a time of dysregulation, boredom, or even anxiety.

I see this transition every year: the structure of school falls away, and families are left wondering how to support their children’s emotional well-being, learning, and connection through the summer months.

One of the most simple, accessible, and powerful tools we have is this: get outside and garden together.

Gardening offers children a natural rhythm—planting, watering, tending, harvesting—that gently replaces the predictability of the school day. It’s sensory-rich, calming to the nervous system, and full of opportunities for patience, wonder, and responsibility.

🌼 A few of the many benefits:

Regulates mood and reduces stress

Encourages cooperation and family bonding

Supports attention, especially in children with ADHD

Builds resilience through “growth mindset” learning

Connects kids to their food, their environment, and their bodies

And perhaps most importantly—it slows us down. In a culture that often rushes children from one activity to the next, a garden asks us to pause. To notice. To connect.

You don’t need a perfect plot of land. A pot of herbs on the porch, a few sunflowers by the fence, or a container of soil with some seeds from the grocery store can be a gateway. What matters most is not the outcome, but the shared experience.

This summer, I invite you to create space for your child to be grounded, curious, and connected. Let the garden be your co-parent. Let the earth help hold the big emotions that come with change. And let yourselves grow alongside your children.

 Be well, S