Sharing Beauty

What you need:

• Flower box or garden space
• Soil
• Flower seeds or potted plants
• Wire or wooden popsicle stick
• Cardboard or small wooden sign
• Spade or small shovel
• Heart on a wire (optional)
• Glue
• Watering can filled with water

What you do:

1. Ask your child, "What's beautiful about nature? What are some things in nature that bring you joy? What do you find most beautiful?" Build on your child's answers and share your responses. Reflect on how your answers were similar or different.
2. Ask, "What are some ways we can support our community and bring more beauty into the world?" Build on your child's answers and share yours.
3. Explain that they will be building a garden that represents all that they have learned about kindness, beauty, mindfulness, and caring for others and the Earth.
4. Ask, "In what ways do you care for yourself? For others? For the Earth?"
5. With your child, reflect on what it takes to make a garden grow and eventually thrive.
6. Explain that they will be creating a flower garden in a place where others in the community can take in the beauty and love that nature holds (ideally situated in a front window or front yard).
7. Discuss what it would be like for people to pass by the garden and see the lovely space.
8. Follow these directions if you are using a flower box:
   • Fill your box with soil and leave four inches of space from the top of your box.
   • Place your flowers on top of the soil (or plant seeds in the soil).
   • Fill the space around the plants with soil, and pat down the loose soil.
   • Water your plants or seeds.
9. Follow these directions if you are planting in the ground:
   • Weed the space where you will be planting.
   • Dig holes (about four inches deep) in the ground for your flowers.
   • Place your flowers in the holes (or plant your seeds).
   • Fill the space around the plants with soil, and pat down the loose soil.
   • Water your plants or seeds.
10. After you have planted your flowers or seeds, draw and cut out a 4” x 2” rectangle on the cardboard (or gather your wooden sign if using).
11. Write “Enjoy the Beauty” on the rectangle or sign.
12. Glue this sign to a popsicle stick or piece of wire.
13. Place your "Enjoy the Beauty" sign in the soil. Place your heart decoration on a wire in the soil (if using).
14. Guide your child to take a step back to look at the beauty of the garden you have planted together. Tell them to take a few deep breaths and place their hand on their heart.
15. Ask your child to imagine the people who may see this garden, and to picture them smiling as they look at the flowers.
16. Tell your child, "In your mind, say to these people (or animals) as they walk by, 'May you be happy...may you be healthy...may you feel peace...may you feel loved.'"
17. Guide your child to take a few deep breaths and slowly open their eyes.
18. Say to your child, "As you pass by this garden, you too can remember to see the beauty and the care you have given to your community."