(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County (IA) Extension Office is excited to be partnering with Leah Brooke, Extension Food and Health Specialist, to host a Gardening with Children childcare provider training on Thursday, April 25th, 2024. The training will be offered from 6:30 – 8:30 PM and will be held at the Cass County Community Center, 805 W 10th Street in Atlantic, IA.

Can digging in the dirt be good for children? Yes, when it encourages children to taste new vegetables that they’ve helped to grow. Gardening with children promotes a healthy lifestyle, early learning experiences, social development, and environmental stewardship. Participants will engage in hands-on-learning gardening activities through stations featuring crafts, literacy, container gardening, and taste testing.

Partial funding for this training is provided by Boost 4 Families Early Childhood Iowa. All participants will receive a FREE kids’ gardening tool set for attending! Participants can register for the training at: https://go.iastate.edu/YUEA6U. Registration deadline: April 22nd. Cost is $10.00 per trainee. Registration in I-PoWeR is also required.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers regular professional development training for childcare providers, outlining best practices relative to nutrition, physical activity, health, and safety for children in their care. The trainings are appropriate for staff at childcare centers, preschools, and home childcare providers. Each training offers 2 hours credit for childcare license renewal approved by Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). A full list of all upcoming trainings, offered both online and across the state, can be found online at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/cc-provider.

To learn more or to ask questions, contact Leah Brooke, Food and Health Specialist, at lbrooke@iastate.edu or call (712) 623-2592. You may also contact the Cass County Extension Office at (712) 243-1132 or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.