Paper short abstract:

In south-west Germany in the state of Baden-Württemberg an ambitious attempt started 2010. More than 200 kindergartens initiated new garden patches to integrate gardening in their daily activities and to enable children experience with own grown food. An interdisciplinary team supports this program and evaluates factors for success.

Paper long abstract:

Within a project more than 200 kindergartens are initiating own garden projects. The facilities are supported by a team, experienced in gardening, nutrition awareness, children care and educational issues. As a first step, a hand-out how to start was written. While evaluating these specific projects, real practice guidelines are expected as one important outcome. They are supposed to contain valuable hints and tips while planning future gardens with children together and help to avoid structural and practical problems right from the beginning. Furthermore, they will point out best practice examples and practical as well as innovative ideas. These guidelines should encourage kindergartens and other day care facilities how gardening cannot just being connected with healthy and wholesome diet aspects, but demonstrate as well how interests about natural phenomena and natural sciences can be awakened. Hence, a better understanding on nature and cultural landscapes can be benefited and social behaviours trained as well.

This presentation will sketch the project design and focus on experiences made during the first gardening season.