Growing to love…
We want kids to love vegetables. One of the best ways to develop that love is through growing your own. Veg Power has worked closely with our partners to develop a creative and engaging way for children to grow to love…vegetables.
Growing to love…
We want kids to love vegetables. One of the best ways to develop that love is through growing your own. Veg Power has worked closely with our partners to develop a creative and engaging way for children to grow to love…vegetables.
Why growing?
Research shows that growing vegetables is constructive for many reasons and that children are more likely to try the food they have helped to grow. In addition, encouraging engagement and bonding with the vegetable creates agency and a pathway to consumption. Learning all about how we grow food is not just good for children in terms of encouraging healthy eating, it’s important to develop their understanding of the food chain, climate, sustainability and our environment. Children learn by getting stuck in and getting their hands dirty! So, involving them in a growing project is ideal for their development. We believe it is essential that all programmes end with a child trying a vegetable.
Growing to Love…tomatoes at home
Your child has been growing their own tomato plant in school, which they have now bought home to continue the growing journey over the summer and witness the magic of nature. The plants can be grown outside in a garden, on a balcony or inside on a sunny windowsill. All they need is plenty of light and regular watering.
Here you’ll find lots of info, helpful videos, delicious tomato recipes, activities for the kids and competitions to win prizes.
Flower to fruit
The secret to caring for tomato plants is placing them in a sunny spot and regularly watering and feeding them.
Watch Chris’ video for more tips on how to take care of your plants over the summer.
Learn about different coloured tomatoes
Watch Sams’ video to learn all about the different colours of tomatoes.
Why not try some yellow ones in your next meal.
Learn about different types of tomatoes
Watch Sams’ video to learn all about the different varities of tomatoes.
Check out our recipe section to see which ones work best in different meals.
Learn about the health benefits of tomatoes
Not only are tomatoes delicious and versatile, they have plenty of nutrients and health benefits too.
Check out Sams’ video to find out more.
Take a look inside a tomato
Have you ever looked inside different kinds of tomatoes?
Watch Sams’ video to find out more.
Grow Chart intro
Your child should have bought their colourful grow chart home with them to place up on a wall.
Watch Sams’ video for tips on how to use the grow chart and tomato stickers.
Arts & Crafts
Get kids engaged and having fun.
Veg-based arts & crafts are a simple, gentle and fun way to get kids engaging with veggies in a positive way, laying the groundwork of positivity and familiarity in order to encourage them towards eventually eating the veg.
Growing to Love…tomatoes for schools
In 2023 Growing to Love… Tomatoes grew to 145 schools in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with 11,000 kids taking part and growing their own tomatoes from seed to fruit. This year it’s bigger and better with famous faces joining in, including TV Presenter Sam Nixon, Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins and Shaun the Sheep. More than 21,000 kids across the nation will be joining in the fun.
The growing kits include everything you need to grow your own tomatoes. Check out your teacher’s guide to make sure you’re ready to go.Theres a digital copy below.
The kids should plant their tomato seeds as soon as possible, once you have received the kits. Watch Chris and Sams ‘sowing’ video to help you get started.
Activities & Resources
Digital Teacher’s guide
Everything you need to know about growing your own tomatoes is included in your 28 page teachers guide. Scan the QR codes to watch instructional videos and use the planning pages to take notes as you go.
Digital guide for parents and carers
Send our digital flyer home to parents and carers at the start of term, so they know the kids will be growing their own tomatoes and will be bringing them home over the summer holidays.
Wall chart
Take-home reward chart & sticker pack which encourages the children to continue their growing journey over the summer holidays.
Stickers
Colourful tomato sticker packs encourage the children to use their charts
Arts and crafts
Our ever-popular Shaun themed vegetable crown and tomato face masks really engage the kids – requires scissors, paper glue or sticky tape and colouring pens, pencils or crayons (not supplied). 1 x crown per child included in kits.
Plant pot sleeves
Download and decorate our tomato themed plant pot sleeves. Requires printing, scissors, paper glue or sticky tape and colouring pens, pencils or crayons (not supplied).
Intro to growing
Meet Chris and Sam who will be helping you along your growing journey
Sowing
Watch Chris and Sam’s video to help you sow your tomato seeds
Caring
Watch Chris and Sam’s video to help you care for your plants
Repotting
Watch Chris and Sam’s video to help you repot your tomato plants
Flower to fruit
Watch Chris and Sam’s video for tips on how to get plants home safely for the summer
Lesson plans
We have a set of lesson plans for years 1 – 6 for you to download and use.
Look at all the schools taking part
FAQs
Is this suitable for children of all ages?
The programme has been designed primarily for KS1 and KS2 children at this time.
Is this programme compliant with curriculum standards?
Yes, all our work is supported by our in-house team and our expert advisors and although not intended to directly deliver a school curriculum the programme has been created with teachers to comply with the national curriculum.
When will we see tomatoes?
Tomatoes will likely start to appear from July onwards. This depends on when the seeds were planted and the weather.
How long does this take?
The whole campaign runs from April through to September / October depending on when the tomatoes are ready to harvest. The first part of the campaign takes place in school. The plants are then taken home for the summer holidays.
What if we dont have an outside space?
The tomato seeds have been selected so that they can be grown on window sills
Image Gallery
Video Gallery
Our Growing to Love content has been created with a donation from Hazera.
Our Partners
Shaun the Sheep and Shaun’s image are trade marks of Aardman Animations Limited 2024.