By Children’s Librarian Shelley Harris
Did you know that 70% of disabled adults do not engage in community activities?
The first time I heard this statistic it gave me pause. I see it with my disabled brother and his friends, but it’s hard to see it widely confirmed. It’s what inspired me to develop a Supported Gardening class at the library in 2019, which met in the Community Sensory Garden at Maze Branch (see Miss Eileen planting in the garden in the above picture).
Communities are so much richer when everyone is involved, and so much is lost without this vibrant and vital group. That’s one reason why I love creating supported programming for kids with disabilities. I think it’s one of the most important parts of my job. My programming philosophy is that everyone deserves ways to engage with and be part of their community. We also have cooking, nature hunts, and videos on the library’s YouTube Channel for you to watch!
What happening this summer
This summer, we’ll meet once or twice a month to tend and harvest the garden, and use the harvested herbs to make vegan snacks for ourselves.
We’re also excited to work with Empowering Gardens in Forest Park, a local gardening shop that only hires disabled adults to work for them. We hired one of their staff members, Aaron, for an afternoon. Aaron has an associate’s degree in Ornamental Horticulture, and he explained and demonstrated how to use the tools and pot plants and flowers. Watch the video »
I hope we’ll see a lot of families coming to garden and eat with us this summer! It’s going to be a delicious adventure.
Supported Gardening Kit available for check out
Want to garden at home? Check out our Supported Gardening Kit, which includes the same accessible garden tools that we use in class, a copy of the book we read to begin every Supported Gardening class, and tools like gloves and kneeling pads. There is also a caregiver guide for having social-emotional learning-based conversations using the included book, Errol’s Garden.
Conversations and communication can be hard for kids with some disabilities. That’s why we’ve included resources for caregivers to learn more about being a supportive communication partner: articles on pauses and waiting time, scaffolding communication supports to build independence, and more. All children have something to share, and we hope to help start some fun conversations through this experience. Take a look at how to use the kits and see all of our available topics.
More books to read
- Browse gardening books for kids! Let’s Get Gardening includes windowsill projects, Gardening with Emma was written by a kid for kids, and Frozen fans will love a guide to snacks for Sven and more.
Websites to explore
- Kids Gardening is a great website with activities and lesson plans.
- PBS has a wonderful guide about how gardening affects your brain, body, and soul, and how it’s a great bonding activity, too.
About Shelley
Shelley is a children’s librarian with a passion for early literacy, serving and celebrating the disability community, and exploring technology. She can often be found practicing storytime songs with her black lab, Bingo.
