Rainy Day Club: Sensory Garden Kit

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- Mister Rogers' Rainy Day Club was awesome! It took the fan club concept to a whole new level. Rather than following the lead of so many other clubs that would send an occasional newsletter and maybe a sticker or an 8x10 glossy, Mister Rogers' Rainy Day Club provide kids with fun hands-on activities to help them learn and grow. The Sensory Garden Kit was no exception.

 

The Sensory Garden Kit encouraged children to learn about growing (and patience) as they planted their own garden. Seeds for multiple plants were sent -- each one growing into a plant that would trigger a child's different senses. For example, one plant might smell nice while another was more colorful.

With the usual Rainy Day Club card explaining the activity and providing instructions to children and their parents, the Sensory Garden Kit did not leave parents to purchase necessary supplies on their own. The seeds and the soil were delivered as well.

Seriously, how great is this? You would think that most efforts like this would be content to limit supply and shipping costs by simply describing such a project and assuming that parents could pick up the necessary suppies on their own. This kit supplied the idea, the materials, and no excuse for parents and/or children not to attempt this educational project.

At a time when kids are bombarded with online "educational" tools and flashy television programs, maybe a lesson in simplicity can be (and should be) taken from Mister Rogers' Rainy Day Club.