School gardens in the Netherlands: how Dutch kids grow more than vegetables

Each spring, the Netherlands bursts into bloom — the air fills with the sweet scent of wisteria and wild jasmine, and sidewalks are strewn with petals from magnolias and cherry blossoms.

It’s also the time when schoolchildren can be seen carrying green canvas shoulder bags. Soon, these bags will be filled with dahlias, arugula, and carrots — but for now, they contain gardening gloves and rubber boots.

Why? Because mid-spring marks the start of the annual schooltuinen season — gardening lessons for primary school students.

What are school gardens exactly?

This educational project allows children to learn the basics of gardening through hands-on experience. Typically, students begin these lessons in group 6 of primary school (around age 9–10) and continue through the first half of group 7. However, the exact format can vary by municipality.

In many Dutch cities, school gardening is offered as part of the free public education program and is deeply rooted in the tradition of experiential learning. In Amsterdam alone, over 7,000 students participate annually in one of the city’s thirteen school gardens, with 85% of all primary schools involved in the program.

How do the lessons work?

Each child is assigned a small personal plot of land where they grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Once a week, they visit an outdoor gardening site, accompanied by their teacher and a trained horticultural guide.

Throughout the season, children prepare the soil, plant seeds, water and fertilize the crops, observe their growth, and celebrate their first harvest

The gardening season typically runs from spring until early autumn. Everything the kids grow on their plot, they get to take home — arugula, sunflowers, radishes, and more.

Why we love this initiative

The school garden program offers more than just lessons in horticulture. It helps children:

• Connect with nature and observe plant growth across seasons
• Develop patience and responsibility — understanding that seeds don’t sprout overnight
• Gain hands-on experience and see the results of their work
• Strengthen focus, teamwork, and problem-solving skills
• Spend more time outdoors, moving and exploring beyond the classroom

Perhaps most importantly, they experience the joy of creating something with their own hands 

More than just gardening

In recent years, school garden programs have expanded to include themes like biodiversity, composting, climate awareness, and healthy cooking. Many locations now host harvest celebrations or invite parents to see what their children have grown.

Some cities, like Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Rotterdam, offer dedicated school garden centers where children return weekly to care for their plots. In smaller towns, lessons might take place in local community gardens or parks.

These programs foster pride, environmental awareness, and a connection to the natural world — qualities that stay with children long after the gardening season ends.

Final thoughts

With a pair of gloves, a packet of seeds, and a plot of earth, school gardens help Dutch children grow confidence, awareness, and a lifelong love of nature — one little sprout at a time