Lavender, basil, nasturtium, mint… Just reading these words awakens our sensory memories, sharpening our sight, smell, touch, and taste, and igniting our desire to experience the world!
And these are the plants in be.Living’s new sensory garden—a project developed with our Early Education students. Bursting with colors, beauty, fragrances, and flavors, the garden was made from scratch by the Yellow Orange class.
Made up of children aged between 1 and 3, the group is at a phase where sensory explorations are very latent. It is a time when children experience, discover, and understand the world through their senses.
The class teacher, Tatiana Hirayama, explains that the sensory garden project stemmed from the children’s perceptions and curiosity about the nature present at the school: the leaves falling from the trees, the colorful flowers, the fruit tasted straight from the tree, and the observation of birds and insects.
“We, as educators, are constantly attuned to the words and actions of our young learners, continuously reflecting on when and how to intervene to foster potential learning opportunities. From the earliest days of our nature interactions, we observed the children eagerly sharing their discoveries with us, whether it was the excitement of spotting ladybugs or marveling at the bananas growing high in the trees. Our responsibility was to illuminate the details, such as the vibrant hues, sizes, and unique characteristics of the ladybugs, and to encourage tactile exploration. At times, we guided their focus towards other natural wonders, such as the ripening bananas swaying above. What truly resonated within this group was the children’s embrace of these moments—they consistently exhibited openness, curiosity, and active engagement, fostering an environment rich with learning opportunities.”
The teacher explains that these meaningful exchanges allowed the project to develop naturally. “With all this unfolding, it made perfect sense for the children to take the lead in creating a sensory garden. They actively participated in every stage, from preparing the soil to planting, watering, and other tasks like covering the soil with dry leaves. Although we have maintained a school garden for many years—where various species have been planted and are continually tended by all the school groups—we felt it was important to introduce a sensory garden to the Yellow Orange class. Given the children’s curiosity and exploratory phase, they are gaining diverse knowledge related to this subject and experiencing active learning by getting their hands dirty in the soil.”
Tatiana explains that in this age group, most children’s communication is not yet verbal, but this doesn’t mean they don’t think or reflect on their experiences. “In the early years, everything happens through their bodies. They interpret the world, people, and everything around them through their senses. They can explore and test the same object using one or more of their senses. Therefore, the more extensive the sensory exploration, the more these tools are developed. Talking to children in this age group adds some knowledge, but when we give them the opportunity to discover and investigate through their bodies, we enable them to form greater neural connections. This strengthens their learning through the emotions that emerge from hands-on experiences.”
The teacher explains that through this project the children are developing their motor and cognitive skills. “Considering their physical development, we are constantly challenging the group by putting them in active roles within the project. When the children are plowing the soil or watering the garden, they are working on the muscle tone in their hands, enhancing their motor coordination as they control their fingers to complete tasks, and practicing the application of force—sometimes lighter, sometimes stronger. Cognitively, they are encountering a wealth of information, such as learning about the parts of a plant. We emphasize each section—root, stem, leaf, flower, and fruit—explaining their functions for the plant and how we humans use them.”
Tati explains that working in the garden helps the children develop their logical-mathematical thinking. “Plant growth follows a timeline, a chronological order. Through this, the children learn that things don’t happen instantaneously; they take time and require a lot of care.” She explains that in addition to developing logic, the children are also enhancing their language skills. “Even though they are primarily in a sensory phase, verbal stimulation is constantly happening. Through discussions in conversation circles, songs, and stories related to the subject, we encourage repetition—which aids memorization—and expand their vocabulary in a playful and meaningful way.”
Finally, the teacher highlights that this work strongly develops the children’s interpersonal skills. “By seeing themselves as capable and responsible for their achievements, the children nurture their self-esteem and self-confidence. And here, we are talking about many achievements: planting and maintaining a vegetable garden, cooking with the plants, creating a mini ecosystem between fauna and flora, as well as the small accomplishments of everyday life. Being at school is already a social exercise, where we coexist with our individualities. Throughout the project, the children have the opportunity to observe their peers more closely, wait their turn while others water, show respect, and help those who are struggling. Additionally, they gradually realize that the vegetable garden is a result of collective effort, as everyone contributes, thus developing their sense of belonging and community.”
