A growing interest

Tykes get a head start on gardening

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Marion Head Start students got to get dirty Monday when they went to the community garden to plant seeds.

The experience was an activity in a gardening study that will last through mid-May. Children used hand trowels to dig into freshly turned earth, put mulch in the holes, and planted seeds.

Thursday they will take May baskets to residents of Hilltop Manor, then walk to Aunt Bee’s Floral, Garden Center and Gifts to learn more about plants and growing them.

Tuesday the children’s adventures in gardening will continue with a trip to Serenity Gardens near Hillsboro.

May 12 students will return to Marion’s community garden to see what changes happen in two weeks’ time.

Other activities in the study included planting wildflowers to take home, planting tomatoes to take to the community garden, smelling and tasting different herbs, making dandelion bread, making seed bombs, and picking up trash at East Park for Earth Day.

This year’s Head Start program will wrap up May 15.

To learn more about enrolling a preschooler for Head Start, call (620) 241-9590 or (620) 241-9590.