Effect of gardening activities in early childhood education institutions

This study aimed to investigate the effects of gardening activities on children's eating habits, sleep quality, plant familiarity, social skills, and physical activities. Thirty children were divided into an experimental group (n = 15) in which gardening activities were applied, and a control group (n = 15) that remained outside these practices, and a 16-week assessment was conducted. The results showed significant improvements in Eating habits (Teacher Observation Questionnaire - TOQ) (from 66.27 ± 4.61 to 71.07 ± 4.23, p = .002), Plant familiarity (from 57.87 ± 7.42 to 77.40 ± 6.36, p < .001), and Physical activity levels (from 34.07 ± 7.24 to 42.47 ± 4.64, p < .001) compared to the control group. Both groups demonstrated significant gains in social skills, with no between-group differences (p = .983). These findings suggest that integrating structured gardening activities into early childhood curricula can promote healthy dietary behaviors, environmental knowledge, and physical engagement. However, the study's small sample size, and short duration limit generalizability. Future research should employ randomized designs, larger samples, and longer interventions to confirm these effects and explore mechanisms, including potential links between diet, microbiota, and sleep.