The Child in the Garden: An Evaluative Review of the Benefits of School Gardening

This study provides a systematic literature review of schoolyards and their connection to student education outcomes. More specifically, the author reviews the literature on children’s gardening, considering potential effects, school gardening outcomes, teacher evaluations of gardens as learning tools, and methodological issues. Quantitative studies showed positive outcomes of school gardening initiatives in the areas of science achievement and food behavior, but they did not demonstrate that children’s environmental attitudes or social behavior consistently improve with gardening. Validity and reliability issues reduced general confidence in these results. Qualitative studies documented a wider scope of desirable outcomes, including an array of positive social and environmental behaviors. Gardening enthusiasm varies among teachers, depending on support and horticultural confidence.