Family Garden

The Origin Bank Family Garden at the Children’s Coalition is a 32-raised bed demonstration garden offering learning opportunities for children and families in our community. As a part of our Healthy Living program, the garden provides opportunities for nutrition education, garden training, and physical activity, through planting, harvesting, tasting and exploring in our outdoor learning area.
In addition to the raised bed gardens, our outdoor learning area includes a mud kitchen, sand area with a bubbling rock, sound garden, art center and climbing structure. Children can engage all of their senses and develop a taste for healthy produce, while increasing their physical and social development.

Super Saturday The Children’s Coalition opens the gates to the Origin Bank Family Garden the third Saturday of every other month to host Super Saturday, featuring garden-based activities for children and adults, early childhood activities in the outdoor learning center, healthy cooking demonstrations using fresh produce grown locally, and community resources and volunteer opportunities.
Little Gardeners is a relaxed time in the garden for children and their parents to play, explore, plant, create, learn, and have fun! A “harvest of the month” is highlighted including a taste test of the focus vegetable and creative activities to enhance the theme.
Field trips to the Family Garden are offered to early learning centers and local schools to promote the Farm to Early Childhood Education model.

Children visit stations to experience planting and harvesting, art, tasting, and free time in the play area.

Farm to Early Childhood Education is a model that encourages good nutrition starting with our littlest eaters. The three pillars of FTECE are nutrition education, gardening, and connecting with local food and farmers. These efforts are extended to children in our early learning centers through monthly visits from our staff as well as field trips to our garden. Monthly lessons align with early learning standards and provide quality experiences for students.

OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AGES TO PLAY + GROW

Not only does our family garden feature 32 raised-beds, we also have a sound garden, bubbling rock, mud kitchen and Children's Coalition on the Go - a space for children birth-3.

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LITTLE GARDENERS

WHO: Children & Parents
WHAT: Time in the garden to play, explore, plant, create, learn, and have fun!
WHEN: 9:00am - 10:30pm
WHERE: The Origin Bank Family Garden at the Children’s Coalition

SUPER SATURDAY

The Children’s Coalition opens the gates to the Origin Bank Family Garden every third Saturday of the month to host Super Saturday, featuring garden-based activities for children and adults, early childhood activities in the outdoor learning center, healthy cooking demonstrations using fresh produce grown locally, and community resources and volunteer opportunities.

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GREAUXING GARDENS

Greauxing Gardens is an initiative through a partnership with the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana and LSU AgCenter Ouachita Parish. 22 child care centers across Northeast Louisiana received beds, dirt, seeds and supplies to begin growing food to incorporate into the children's meals. Nutritionist Cindy George is providing support.

Greauxing Gardens Locations

GREAUXING GARDEN NEWSLETTERS

"I love the Family Garden because it promotes healthy living by offering fresh produce and spices, human interaction with nature when families/individuals come to pick fruits/vegetables, and community involvement when volunteers from the community come to serve in the garden on Super Saturdays."
-Damon Nailer