How gardening can help build healthier, happier kids

The Bangor Daily News – Shannon Brescher Shea

“The natural stimulation of being outside seems to replenish exhausted minds by practicing self-discipline, re-energizing the part of the brain that controls concentration, checks urges and delays gratification. A study of 169 girls and boys in a public housing development in Chicago found that girls who had greener views from their apartments did better on tests that measured self-discipline. Of the range in test scores, one-fifth of the variation could be explained by the differences in the “greenness” of the kids’ surroundings.” (more)