Children's Museum of Sonoma County

The Children’s Museumof Sonoma County’s mission is to inspire children’s creativity and stimulate their curiosity to discover the world through playful exploration of the arts and sciences.

The Edible Garden is a focal point in the Children's Museum of Sonoma County's campus.  To maintain the educational value and integrity of our garden, we work towards these 3 goals:

1.  Show visitors, especially children, where their food comes from and how it is grown.

2.  Acquaint visitors with the garden and its variety plants through sensory experiences-- tasting, smelling, and feeling

3.  Provide a habitat for creatures and forage for pollinators and a living lab for children to see the life cycles of plants and animals.  

Our garden program is an integral part of our field trip program.  During an average month, approximately 200 students visit the garden during a school field trip.  Students learn about recycling and composting in the garden, the role that worms play in recycling nutrients in the garden, and enjoy caring for the plants.  During a typical day, visitors to the Children's Museum water the garden, take home vegetables grown in the garden, and observe the pollinators and other creatures that live in the garden habitat.

Tasting freshly picked veggies and participating in the picking (or planting and watering) yourself is a wonderful way for young visitors to have positive healthy eating experiences.  In the garden, we encourage students to actively help by hauling (child-sized) buckets of water to nourish the plants.  The garden is one facet of an outdoor play and learning space that provides many opportunities for movement and exercise.  Together, the spaces provide opportunities for visitors to move their bodies and encourage healthy eating habits.