03.04.2020
Garden benefits
As we head into the Pupil Free week 11 and the school holidays it is important to consider the benefits of being outdoors and enjoying the space we may have within our yard boundary.
Students at Springbank have been diligently relocating and replanting a number of the school’s potted plants to ensure they receive the necessary care from the sun, rain and shade trees in the front sensory garden, particularly in the coming weeks while students are not on site.
The student’s time in the garden this morning was a reminder to us here at Springbank just how beneficial being in the garden can be. Therapist suggest that being in the garden has a tremendous amount of benefit for young people, including the sensory connection that is gained by taking in the immediacy of the environment and losing the frenetic noise of the changing world at the moment.
Emel, Jandre, Jack and James all felt the mental health benefit of moving away from their desks and technology to loosen up and develop a more positive focus about the world within their reach.
Gardening, whether it is planting, weeding, raking or even just digging a hole puts people in a care giving role, taking on a sense of the responsibility and purpose. It increases self-esteem, adds a sense of control, engages the senses and imagination while often being an amazing distraction from overwhelming thoughts.
James commented “It is good to get off the computer or phone and go outside. You can learn new skills, relax, and feel positive; just remember to keep your liquids up!”