Garden Kitchen Labs
The Garden Kitchen Lab is a hands-on, cross-cultural educational program that combines a garden, a kitchen, and a media lab to teach kids about urban horticulture, culinary arts, and STEAM disciplines.
Since launching at NYC Parks in 2014, the Garden Kitchen Labs program has served over 600 children across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Garden Kitchen Labs currently operates six gardens across NYC.
Curriculum
The Garden Kitchen Labs curriculum focuses on four key areas of knowledge:
- Gardening: Developing an interest in and knowledge about plant care, including harvest schedules and composting.
- Cooking and Eating: Understanding that food comes from real plants, not just the grocery store. Tasting new plant-based foods and developing enthusiasm for cooking.
- Science: Learning to use scientific instruments (e.g., microscopes) and building scientific observation skills, and developing knowledge about biology, chemistry, and plant nutrition.
- Digital Media: Learning to take photographs with a point-and-shoot camera and to create media (photos and videos) with a digital microscope. Highlights include making stop-motion videos, using tripods and lighting, and using cloud-based tools (e.g., Google G-Suite).
Join the Garden Kitchen Labs Program
Our garden kitchen labs are perfect for kids aged 8 to 13. Currently, garden kitchen lab programs are available at select recreation centers across the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.
Schedule
Garden Kitchen Labs is an after-school program that operates during three seasons each year.
- Spring Observations: April to June
- Summer Wellness: July to August
- Autumn Transformation: October to December
How to Register
Registration takes place on a rolling basis, starting two weeks before the beginning of each session.
To join the Garden Kitchen Lab program at our recreation, please visit the Garden Kitchen Lab Registration form to register. To sign up for the Garden Kitchen Lab at Dyckman Farmhouse, please visit the Farmhouse's website.
Seasonal Programs
Our four key curriculum areas are taught differently each season/session:
Spring Observations |
Summer Wellness |
Autumn Transformation |
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Children engage in journaling and media projects each session.
Our surveys and observations reveal children’s overwhelming enthusiasm for the curriculum, as well as positive attitudes towards vegetables and new skills. Ultimately, the program’s goal is for children to help bring positive change to their own communities by developing new attitudes towards healthy eating and bringing home recipes that can be shared with family and friends.
Contact Us
For more information about the program, please email us media.ed@parks.nyc.gov