Morton Arboretum is celebrating three new Basics-inspired garden spaces in the Arboretum’s Children’s Garden. The garden spaces mark a new collaboration between The Morton Arboretum and the DuPage County Health Department to bring The Basics principles, created out of the Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University in partnership with the Black Philanthropy Fund in Boston, into a public nature-based learning environment.
The three new spaces bring together nature, play and early childhood learning through a partnership designed to help families build everyday connections that support children’s healthy development.
The new garden spaces integrate the five research-based principles of The Basics, which help young children learn and grow through simple, everyday interactions. Families can explore interactive experiences that encourage conversation, movement, creativity and connection, including a vegetable garden inspired by “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” that supports literacy and storytelling.
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The artwork for these three new spaces are all done by local artist, Lauren, who won the commission through a contest at her local high school! As a senior at West Chicago Community High School last year, her art teacher encouraged her to enter the contest. Her love of scrapbooking and mixed media was her inspiration for her submission. After she won (along with a $500 scholarship!) she created the other 4 pieces to finish the series. I had a chance to meet her and talk with her, it was inspiring to hear how exciting it was to see her own artwork up in a place that was so magical to her as a child growing up with visits to the Morton Arboretum! Read more about The Basics Through Art installation.
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Check out these three new spaces that will have hands-on activities throughout the week, run by volunteers, that encourage families through play, exploration and reflection. Some examples: letter writing to Peter Rabbit, calm boards for clean and peaceful art-making, and creating your own spiderwebs with natural materials in the itsy bitsy spider themed garden. Each space also has an interactive board book that provides familes with ideas for engaging with activities designed to encourage conversation, creativity and connection.
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ABOUT THE BASICS GARDENS AT THE MORTON ARBORETUM:
The Basics Gardens in The Morton Arboretum’s Children’s Garden bring to life The Basics, a set of five research-based principles that help young children learn and grow during their earliest years. Developed in partnership with the DuPage County Health Department, these garden spaces provide families with opportunities to support children’s development through meaningful interactions inspired by nature.
The five Basics principles are:
- Maximize Love, Manage Stress
- Talk, Sing and Point
- Count, Group and Compare
- Explore Through Movement and Play
- Read and Discuss Stories
Together, these principles, inspired by the fact that 80% of brain growth occurs during a child’s first three years of life, help families build strong foundations for learning, language, relationships and healthy development.
Integrated throughout the Children’s Garden, The Basics Gardens highlight these five research-based principles, offering interactive experiences and simple prompts that encourage conversation, storytelling, observation, movement and reflection. Families can discover ways to connect, explore and support children’s learning through everyday moments together.
The Basics Gardens demonstrate how everyday interactions can become opportunities for families to build connections, encourage curiosity and nurture children’s growth.
