Growing health and happiness: how school gardens are transforming young lives

At Good to Grow, we know that gardening brings communities together, boosts well-being, and inspires healthier lifestyles. And it turns out that kids are leading the way when it comes to growing good habits—both here in the UK and across the globe. 

Recent research from Texas shows that school gardening projects can spark meaningful change in children’s eating habits, particularly in underserved areas. The Texas Sprouts study, published in the International Journal for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, engaged over 3,000 primary school children and combined gardening, cooking, and nutrition lessons to get kids growing, tasting, and loving vegetables. The result? A clear rise in how many greens kids were eating, proving that when children get their hands dirty in the garden, they’re more likely to try, and enjoy, healthy food. 

Here in the UK, school gardening has a special place in the Good to Grow network. From planting sessions during Good to Grow Week to year round activities, school gardens are helping children connect with nature, food, and each other. Some of our gardens have also been part of the Nature Friendly Schools programme, a brilliant initiative funded by DEFRA and the Department for Education to bring the benefits of outdoor learning to schools across the country. Elsewhere in Sustain, our brilliant Bridging the Gap programme has been piloting a project that demonstrates how schools can create healthier and more sustainable meals in Hackney. 

Why gardening works 

Gardening isn’t just about what you grow—it’s about what it grows in you. In Texas, the school gardens weren’t just a way to teach kids about food; they became a hub for whole communities. Teachers, parents, and students formed Garden Leadership Committees to make the gardens part of everyday school life. Kids got stuck into growing vegetables, learning to cook them, and even talking to their families about the importance of fresh, healthy food. It’s no surprise that similar stories are emerging from Good to Grow gardens across the UK, where children are taking home more than just vegetables—they’re sharing newfound skills and enthusiasm with their families. 

And the impact doesn’t stop at the dinner table. According to the 2023 Children’s People & Nature Survey, 88% of young people said, “being in nature makes me very happy.” It’s a reminder of how powerful outdoor experiences can be - not just for our health but for our happiness, too. 

A growing movement 

The Texas study also serves as a reminder of the challenges of scaling up these brilliant programmes. While the gardens boosted veggie intake, barriers like access to affordable fresh produce and time constraints for parents made it harder to see broader health changes. The UK is still in the midst of a brutal cost of living crisis, with children some of the worst affected by poverty and food insecurity. These are challenges that Good to Grow gardens are all too familiar with, but they’re also challenges we know can be overcome, with the right investment and support. 

Here in the UK, there’s growing recognition of the role gardening can play in tackling big issues like food insecurity and mental health. The NHS’s recent focus on Green Social Prescribing (using nature-based activities to prevent and treat mental ill health) is a step in the right direction. A recent report by the University of Exeter highlighted how green spaces, like school gardens, can make a real difference in people’s lives. It’s clear that gardens aren’t just good for the environment; they’re good for people, too. 

So let’s keep growing! 

At Good to Grow, we’ve seen first hand how school gardening can transform communities. Kids light up when they see a seed they’ve planted turn into a tomato or carrot. They are more willing to try new foods and share what they’ve learned with others. And while some might see gardening as a small-scale solution, we know it’s part of something much bigger. 

To keep this momentum going, we need to keep championing school gardens—whether that’s through better funding, more teacher training, or ensuring every child has access to fresh, healthy food. Programmes like Bridging the Gap and Nature Friendly Schools and have shown what’s possible, but there’s still so much more to do. 

The message is simple: community-facing gardens grow more than plants. They grow networks, confidence, and healthier, happier futures for kids. So let’s dust off our spades and get digging—because every school deserves a garden, and every child deserves the chance to thrive. 

Feeling inspired?

Garden Organic is the UK's network of organic growers, and they are full of advice for setting up a growing space, gardening techniques and local volunteering opportunities. Social Farms and Gardens offer support for setting up farms in eductional settings, and for those in London, Capital Growth is your go-to.