As merry and bright this time of year is, let’s face it gardeners with it can also come 'weeds' aka stress. It is easy to get overwhelmed and overstimulated this time of year for kids and adults alike, due to the excitement, change in routine, and expectations to participate in family events. However, with a little guidance and support, gardners can learn healthy ways to manage holiday stress and fully embrace the magic of the festive season. Here are some tips to help gardeners manage stress during the holidays: Encourage regular exercise: Exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety. Encourage your family to get outside and play, or participate in a fun winter sport like ice skating or sledding. Practice deep breathing: Deep breathing can help calm the mind and reduce stress. Encourage your kids and yourself to take deep breaths when feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Maintain a regular sleep schedule: Lack of sleep can exacerbate stress and anxiety. Encourage your family to maintain a regular sleep schedule, even during school breaks. Encourage downtime: The holiday season can be busy and overwhelming. Take breaks and engage in calming activities like reading, drawing, or listening to music. Set realistic expectations: The holiday season can be full of expectations, but it's important to set realistic ones for your family. Don't over-schedule activities or events, and make sure you understand that it's okay to say no if they're feeling overwhelmed. Practice gratitude: Encourage gardeners to focus on the positive aspects of the holiday season, like spending time with loved ones or enjoying festive traditions. Practicing gratitude can help reduce stress and anxiety. Seek support: If you or your child is struggling with stress or anxiety, don't hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional or school counselor. They can provide additional resources and strategies to help your child manage their stress. Wishing all our gardener friends a calm, joyful and fun holiday season! Discover helpful tips for managing holiday stress for gardeners of all ages. Learn how to reduce stress and fully embrace the magic of the festive season. Tips For Managing Holiday Stress For Gardeners Of All Ages

Our family is all about indulging in delicious & delightful holiday treats this time of year! Today on the #PullYourWeeds® Blog we are sharing a creamy and crunchy twist on a holiday classic cookie! Our Crushed Candy Cane Ginger Sammies will have you and your family 'running as fast as you can' to the freezer for more! The best part about this recipe is you can use any type of cookie & ice cream you like! Cooking & baking is one of our favorite 'gardening tools' to help us pull our weeds and de-stress when the holiday craze kicks in. Following recipes is a helpful way to redirect your thoughts and focus on something positive....and rewarding! Crushed Candy Cane Ginger Sammies Gingerbread Cookies Ice Cream Crushed Candy Canes Crush up 4-6 candy canes. Scoop a dollop of ice cream on one of the cookies, sprinkle with crushed cane and top with another cookie. Pop in the freezer or enjoy as you make! This recipe pairs perfectly with Gardener Aidan's Peppermint Mason Jar Ice Cream...click here! Wishing all our gardener friends a merry & bright holiday season!

Enjoy a Refreshing and Festive Dessert with Gardener Aidan’s Peppermint Mason Jar Ice Cream With Crushed Candy Canes 🫙🍦 Hey gardeners, are you looking for a cool and delicious holiday treat? Try Gardener Aidan's recipe for peppermint ice cream with crushed candy canes. It's super easy to make, all you have to do is simply add the ingredients to a mason jar, shake, freeze, and enjoy! This dessert is perfect for kids and adults alike, and is guaranteed to be a huge hit at any holiday gathering. Scroll down to get Gardener Aidan's Peppermint Mason Jar Ice Cream recipe and scroll all the way down to read the many social and emotional benefits of cooking and baking and to collect your gardening tool badge for this activity! << PRESS PLAY TO WATCH GARDENER AIDAN'S VIDEO>> Gardener Aidan's Peppermint Mason Jar Ice Cream: In a large mason jar combine: -2 Cups Heavy Cream -3 Tbsp Sugar -3 Tsp of Vanilla -1 Cup Crushed Candy Canes -2 Dashes of Peppermint Oil -1 to 2 Pinches of Salt ~Once all ingredients are in mason jar, shake for 5 minutes. Freeze for at least 5-6 hours. Pile on your favorite toppings and enjoy! (This recipe pairs perfectly with our Crushed Candy Cane Gnger Sammies..click here!) Cooking and baking can be fun activities for gardeners of all ages, but they also come with a host of social and developmental benefits. Here are some reasons why you should encourage your kids to get involved in the kitchen: Builds confidence: Cooking and baking allow kids to feel a sense of accomplishment as they create something from scratch. This can boost their self-esteem and confidence in their abilities. Encourages creativity: The kitchen is a great place for kids to experiment with different flavors and ingredients. This can inspire their creativity and help them develop their own unique style of cooking. Fosters family bonding: Cooking and baking can be a fun family activity that brings everyone together. It's a great opportunity to spend quality time with your kids and teach them valuable life skills. Develops motor skills: Measuring, pouring, and stirring ingredients requires coordination and fine motor skills, which can help kids develop these abilities. Teaches math and science: Cooking and baking involve a lot of math and science concepts, such as measuring and mixing ingredients. This can help kids develop their understanding of these subjects in a practical way. Encourages healthy habits: When kids cook and bake their own meals, they are more likely to make healthier choices. They can also learn about nutrition and the importance of a balanced diet. Hey gardeners, did you make Gardener Aidan's Peppermint Mason Jar Ice Cream? If so, congratulations, you just collected the 'Mason Jar Ice Cream 'Gardening Tool Badge'! --> Click the badge to download a pdf sticker for your Gardening Tool Badge Collector Sheet! Overall gardeners, cooking and baking are great activities for kids and adults alike that can provide a wide range of social and developmental benefits. So why not get your kids involved in the kitchen today and test out Gardener Aidan's Peppermint Mason Jar Ice Cream!

DIY Last-Minute Holiday Cup Ornaments: A Heartfelt Gift Idea If you're scrambling for a last-minute gift idea that comes from the heart, look no further. Gardener Kelsey's homemade holiday cup ornaments are a beautiful way to capture creativity and decorate your tree for the season. This fun and easy holiday craft is perfect for gardeners of all ages. Scroll down to watch Gardener Kelsey's video, step-by-step instructions and to collect your Gardening Tool Badge for this activity! Homemade holiday gifts have been a tradition for many families over the years. Not only are they a great way to save money during the holiday season, but they also offer a unique personal touch that shows how much you care. There are also some incredible social and emotional benefits that come with making homemade gifts with your children which is why this DIY is today's new 'Gardening Tool'! Here are some ways that making homemade holiday gifts can enhance your child's social and emotional development: Creativity: Making homemade gifts requires creativity and imagination. This helps gardeners to think outside of the box and explore new ways of expressing themselves. Self-esteem: When children make their own gifts, they feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. This can boost their self-esteem and give them the confidence to tackle new challenges. Empathy: Homemade gifts require thought and consideration for the recipient. Children learn to think about other people's needs and feelings, which helps them develop empathy and compassion. Communication: Making homemade gifts involves communication and collaboration. Children learn to express their ideas and listen to others, which are important skills for building strong relationships. Patience: Crafting homemade gifts can be a time-consuming process. Children learn to be patient and persistent, which are valuable skills for tackling difficult tasks. Making homemade holiday gifts is a great way to foster social and emotional development and provides a fun and engaging way to spend time together, while also building important life skills. So why not start a new tradition this year and make some homemade gifts with your children? DIY Last-Minute Holiday Cup Ornaments Materials: -9 oz plastic cups -Markers -Parchment paper or tin foil -Access to an oven -String or ornament hooks for hanging. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Decorate your cups with any design or messages you like, place on parchment paper or tin foil and put in the oven. This next part happens fast, in about 30-60 seconds they will shrink and melt. Watch the cups in the oven to make sure they don’t curl up. Once out of the oven, you can use a spatula to push them down if they are slightly curled. Let cool, poke a hole in the top and use a hook or yarn for hanging. Hey gardeners, did you make Gardener Kelsey's Dried Orange Slice Fox Decorations? If so, congratulations, you just collected the 'Orange Slice Fox Decorations 'Gardening Tool Badge'! --> Click the badge to download a pdf sticker for your Gardening Tool Badge Collector Sheet! Looking for a heartfelt last-minute gift idea? Check out our DIY Last Minute Holiday Cup Ornaments tutorial. Perfect for gardeners of all ages and easy to make!

Join us in Cultivating Positivity: Our mission is to empower "gardeners" of all ages with a vocabulary, mindset, and tools to manage stress, grow through challenges, and stay grounded in gratitude. Our social media and #PullYourWeeds® Blog is always featuring helpful content for families and educators, ranging from creative crafts, family-friendly recipes, mindfulness exercises, gratitude practices, to grounding techniques. We invite you to follow us along, like, comment, or share @youareagardener #pullyourweeds on our social media pages- Instagram, Facebook & YouTube. Let's work together to create a brighter future by nurturing confidence, kindness, inclusivity, positivity and growth! Here are some of the ways you can help us grow and spread seeds of positivity: Follow us on our social media platforms to stay updated on our latest content and initiatives. We are active on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Like and engage with our posts by commenting and sharing them with your friends and family. Your engagement helps us reach a wider audience and spread our message of positivity and self-care. Share our content with your network. If you find our posts helpful or inspiring, please share them on your social media channels or with your community. Explore our #PullYourWeeds® Blog for a range of helpful resources for families and educators. We feature various crafts, family-friendly recipes, mindfulness exercises, gratitude exercises, and grounding techniques to help gardeners of all ages lead a more balanced and fulfilling life. Spread some seeds at your school-Book an assembly, workshop, or professional developmemnt program for your students, families and teachers. Join us in Cultivating Positivity with You Are a Gardener! Follow us for helpful content, engage with our posts, and spread seeds of kindness and growth. Together, let's create a positive cultural shift and brighten our future. Join us in Cultivating Positivity and let's grow!

Wrapping It Up: As we wrap up the year, we want you to know how much we appreciate your support and all your holiday orders. We've experienced tremendous growth throughout the year, and we owe it all to you! Our mission to empower children, families, and educators with seeds of resilience, mindfulness, gratitude, kindness, and inclusivity has reached far and wide, and we're grateful for our network of supporters who are helping us grow. We can't wait to see what seeds will sprout in 2024. May the magic and joy of the season fill your hearts with happiness and warmth as you celebrate with your loved ones. Celebrate the season with You Are a Gardner® as we reflect on a year of growth and gratitude. Wrapping It Up with love and appreciation! 🎁✨🌱

Discover the perfect gift this holiday season: You Are a Gardener® Children's Book. Plant the seeds of empowerment, gratitude, and mindfulness in young minds. This holiday season, give the gift that keeps on 'digging' by purchasing a copy of our book. This is a gift that is perfect for children, families, teachers, and counselors. Our book has a timeless message that empowers gardeners of all ages. It provides readers with the vocabulary, mindset, and coping skills to manage big emotions in a mindful way, while staying rooted in gratitude. Although it may seem like a children's book, the message it conveys is ageless. By gifting a signed copy of You Are a Gardener®, you are planting the seeds of an evergreen and ever-growing present that will keep on giving. *All holiday orders must be placed by December 18th for Christmas deliveries.* The Gift That Keeps on Giving: You Are a Gardener® Children's Book

Hey gardeners, how 'ful are you this holiday season? Get into the holiday spirit with our free holiday coloring sheet! Perfect for children and adults, unleash your creativity and have fun this season. Celebrate some of our favorite and festive words with our free holiday coloring sheet for gardeners of all ages to enjoy at home and in school! Click on the image to download your free printable this holiday season! Happy holidays, gardeners!

Decorate for the Holidays with Dried Orange Fox Decorations: Dried fruit is a fantastic way to add a touch of festivity to your holiday décor. From dried orange slice garlands to rustic ornaments, the possibilities are endless. Today, Gardener Kelsey is showing us how to create dried orange slice fox ornaments in honor of our lovable mascot, Foxie. These charming ornaments look great on their own, strung together as garland, or tied with potpourri in a bow. This is the perfect holiday activity for gardeners of all ages! Scroll down to watch gardener Kelsey's video, to get the step-by-step instructions and scroll all the way down to collect your Gardening Tool badge for this activity! << PRESS PLAY TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE GARDENER KELSEY'S DRIED ORANGE FOX DECOARTIONS >> Get into the holiday spirit with our adorable Dried Orange Fox Decorations! Learn how to make these charming ornaments with gardener Kelsey! Gardener Kelsey's Dried Orange Fox Decorations Craft: What you'll need- -Oranges -Black & White Paint -Hot Glue -Ornament Hooks or String -Parchment paper -Access To An Oven Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Cut oranges into 1/4 -1/8 inch slices. Then cut 2-3 orange slices into 8 pieces (for the ears). Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Don't overcrowd the slices. Bake for 2-4 hours flipping every 30 minutes. Time is determined on thickness of slice. You want the juices to be totally evaporated and the oranges hardened. Once cool, you can hot glue on two ears to your orange slice. Once fully dry (not sticky) and cooled, use your paint to make Foxie's face. Once paint is completely dry you can put an ornament hook or string through the top to use as a tree ornament or window hanger. You can also poke a hole through the top of each slice and string together to use as garland. These slices also look beautiful in a bow of potpourri or as table settings tied around a napkin. Note: for younger gardeners please have adult supervision. Hey gardeners, did you make Gardener Kelsey's Dried Orange Slice Fox Decorations? If so, congratulations, you just collected the 'Orange Slice Fox Decorations 'Gardening Tool Badge'! --> Click the badge to download a pdf sticker for your Gardening Tool Badge Collector Sheet! Decorate for the Holidays with Dried Orange Fox Decorations

Kelsey Jordan (aka Gardener Kelsey), our illustrator, videographer, and overall creative collaborator, has been a constant support throughout our journey. She's been cheering us on from the sidelines and behind the camera since the very beginning, and has been there for us for every single on of our entrepreneurial encounters. Her patience never wears thin (even during hours of filming hello gardeners®) and her hard work has helped turn our dreams into a reality. Gardener Kelsey, thank you for supporting us, sharing your talent with us, dreaming with us, creating with us, and growing with us. You truly are a master gardener...(literally and physically)! Are you ready...it's grow time! All our love & gratitude, Gardener Shanna, Gardener Anna & Gardener Aidan P.S. -Wacth some of Gardener Kelsey's videos on YouTube...click here!

Growing Strong: You Are a Gardener Turns 6 It all started six years ago when our family planted a tiny seed - You Are a Gardener®. As a grassroots and self-funded organization, we have since blossomed into a platform dedicated to empowering children, families, and educators alike. Our mission is to empower gardeners of all ages with a vocabulary, mindset, and tools rooted in gardening concepts, to help build a resilient generation of future gardeners. We are grateful for every accomplishment and especially for connecting with over 10,000 students over the last 6 years. Thank you to all our gardener friends and family for supporting us on our journey. We look forward to much continued growth! At the root of it all, You Are a Gardener® was written for and inspired by Gardener Anna and Gardener Aidan when they were 7 and 5 years old. It was created as a tool for our family to find healthy ways to manage stress, while staying rooted in joy and gratitude. If you have met these two, you know. They are the true definition of gardeners; open, honest, kind, communicative, confident, resilient, inclusive, grateful, and so much more. By using our gardening vocabulary and tools, our family was able to keep the lines of communication open daily, manage big emotions in a healthy way, and develop positive strategies to grow through challenging situations. Anna and Aidan's eagerness, hard work, and enthusiasm played a major role in the triumph of our company and are still growing strong today. Photos from 2017 during the concept to creation process of You Are a Gardener® Growing Strong: You Are a Gardener Turns 6

What Is Mindfulness : The Benefits of Being Mindful for Gardeners Emotional Well-Being : Simply put, mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment, without focusing on past or future thoughts. It's about acknowledging our emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations while being aware of our surroundings. A helpful and easy way to practice mindfulness is to pause and engage our senses. It helps to draw our attention to the present moment and bring awareness to our current surroundings. Introducing a mindfulness activity sheet can be useful both at home and in school for kids of all ages. Mindfulness activities have been proven to be an effective tool for promoting emotional and mental wellbeing in children. Incorporating mindfulness activity sheets into a child's routine can be a simple and effective way to plant seeds for daily practices. Today we are sharing a helpful 'What Is Mindfulness' SEL Activity Sheet to use at home or in school for gardeners of all ages. Scroll down for your free printable and scroll all the way down to collect your Gardening Tool badge for this activity! << CLICK THE ACTIVITY SHEET ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE MINDFULNESS ACTIVITY SHEET TO USE AT HOME OR SCHOOL! >> Whether it's at home or in school, giving kids the tools to manage their thoughts and feelings can set them up for success both academically and in other areas of their lives. Here are some reasons why introducing mindfulness activities can be useful both at home and in school for kids of all ages: Reduces stress and anxiety: Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing and meditation, help kids to be more present in the moment and to focus on their thoughts and feelings. This can help gardeners to feel more calm and less anxious (weeds to seeds)! Improves concentration: Mindfulness activities require children to focus their attention on the present moment and to tune out distractions. This can help to improve their concentration and focus, which can be beneficial both academically and in other areas of their lives. Enhances social and emotional skills: Mindfulness practices can help children to develop self-awareness, empathy, and compassion. This can improve their ability to communicate and connect with others (pull your weeds), which can be especially valuable in school and in social situations. Promotes better sleep: Mindfulness practices can help children to relax and to release tension, which can lead to better sleep at night. This can help them to feel more rested and refreshed in the morning, which can improve their overall mood and energy levels. Develops resilience: Mindfulness practices can help children to develop resilience and to cope better with challenges and setbacks (weeds). This can improve their ability to bounce back from difficult situations and to persevere in the face of adversity (weeds to seeds). Practicing mindfulness can significantly improve a gardeners emotional health and well-being at any age. When we are mindful, we become better equipped to manage our emotions, rather than our thoughts trying to take control. This can help us to respond to situations in a more considered and thoughtful manner, rather than reacting impulsively. Mindfulness can also help reduce stress, anxiety and depression, as it encourages a greater sense of calm and self-awareness. Practicing mindfulness can lead to more positive relationships, as it helps gardeners to be more present and attentive when interacting with others. Incorporating mindfulness into our daily routines can have a profound impact on our emotional well-being and quality of life. Hey gardeners, did you do our What is Mindfulness Activity Sheet? If so, congratulations, you just earned yourself the 'What Is mindfulness 'Gardening Tool Badge'! --> Click the badge to download a pdf sticker for your Gardening Tool Badge Collector Sheet! What Is Mindfulness: Discover the power of mindfulness for children's emotional well-being. Learn how to practice mindfulness and download a free activity sheet. Start today! You Are a Gardener® goes beyond the pages of a children's book, it is an entire movement dedicated to empowering children at home and in school with a vocabulary, mindset and tools to manage stress and big emotions. Join our community and embrace the power of turning challenges into opportunities for growth through connecting children, families and educators with a shared emotional language. Through our inspiring #PullYourWeeds® initiative, we encourage children and adults alike to identify emotional obstacles and transform them into seeds of resilience, strength, and personal development.