Mindfulness approach to children with special needs through Horticulture Therapy:
Children are all unique flowers.
They will open in their unique way and own a particular cycle. The first step you
can take to understand a child’s point of view is to listen. Give them time to
talk, and then find opportunities for them to excel and gain mastery of an
activity. Use distraction as a means to finish the activity and then discuss
with colleagues and parents how to work on this particular behavior rather than
letting it make you angry, which is a negative state of mind.
How mindfulness and flow work
When we are absorbed in an
activity such as weeding or sowing seeds, we calm our minds and start
subconsciously to analyze our experiences in life. When we smell a fragrant
rose or taste a herb like mint, we are connecting with the present moment.
Becoming immersed in a moment we are stimulating our senses. Observe your
senses, sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.
Digging:
Children are with special needs have their own designated area in which they can comfortable. Put a sign up over the
digging plot stating 'Digging welcome' and leave a covered container of hand
trowels nearby. It's by playing in the soil, digging up tree roots, and
discovering stones and worms those children’s curiosities are captured. They
will never forget the smell of soil. In the digging plot, they will form a long-lasting relationship with the earth. It won't be long before they're demanding
to plant and learn more. Now you've created the interest, you've got the
perfect learning environment.
Some examples of making connections:
Physical Elements:
Gardening incorporates play and
gross motor skills. Children reduce muscle tension.
EMOTIONAL ELEMENTS
There are essentially three sorts
of feelings: pleasant, unpleasant and neutral. Through digging we can identify
and be in touch with our feelings as they come and go. Digging is a good
activity for children with aggressive tendencies, agitation, and mood swings. It
will tire them out and allow them to take out their frustrations on the earth.
Children who have anxieties, feelings of inadequacy, inability to cope, and
hopelessness will quickly be motivated and their negative feelings will lessen
as they dig.
Gardening is an easily achievable
activity that can be experienced whatever the barrier, be it a wheelchair,
sensory sensitivity, or visual impairment. Digging requires some effort but
should not be a struggle. If a child is struggling, you need to consider how
you can adapt this activity to the particular child's needs, or you may need to
work side by side in the digging plot rather than supervising from the
sidelines.
Safety Tips
When digging (unless you have a
very large space) don't allow a group of students to use spades or shovels as
it is too easy for someone to get hit. Use hand trowels instead. In winter and
early spring, check the earth isn't too frozen as tools will slip and could cut
a student.
I recommend a risk assessment of
your garden or nature setting. See the example of a risk assessment in Appendix
2. Before beginning gardening, arrive five minutes early to take a look around
the garden, clearing away safety hazards such as electric leads or cables that
might trip a student up or other distractions like balls.
Always tidy up the tools after
digging. I leave a container of sand (with a cup or two of vegetable oil mixed
in) for hand trowels to be left in and for easy cleaning.
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