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.

Watch our video

Growing to love…

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.

What people say…

Here’s what our survey of teachers who took part in 2024 had to say:

This has been a fabulous growing experience. The children have enjoyed nurturing their plants and we also had an in school competition which has proved a hit.

The tomato growing kits are easy to use and the children love the little booklets that accompany the growing kits, The teacher notes are really easy to use, even for non gardeners!

Kids loved watching the seeds grow. We used the resources to learn how to grow the plants and watched the videos to show us how to care for them.

I love this programme as it’s so easy to do and everything is supplied for the children to use.Its a great idea to get children learning how things grow.

We were amazed at the quality of the resources. Everything was included, different soil types to see the plants through various growing stages. Labels, seeds, greenhouses etc.

Absolutely amazing. The children have loved everything from planting to completing the sticker charts! Fantastic resources! Thank you so much.

Thank you for an amazing opportunity for our children. We look forward to participating again next year. Thanks again!

I found the whole project extremely useful and gave children hands-on experience of growing things from tiny seeds into plants and then being able to harvest the tomatoes at the end.

Resources for schools

In 2024 20,000 children across the UK 375 schools grew their own tomatoes from seed to fruit. They were joined by famous faces including TV Presenter Sam Nixon, Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins and Shaun the Sheep.

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.

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.

Checkout the 2024 guide

Digital flyer 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.

Checkout the 2024 guide

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.

Download tomato face mask

Download tomato crown

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).

Download pot sleeve

Intro to growing

Meet Chris and Sam who will be helping you along your growing journey

Watch Video

Sowing

Watch Chris and Sam’s video to help you sow your tomato seeds

Watch Video

Caring

Watch Chris and Sam’s video to help you care for your plants

Watch Video

Repotting

Watch Chris and Sam’s video to help you repot your tomato plants

Watch Video

Flower to fruit

Watch Chris and Sam’s video for tips on how to get plants home safely for the summer

Watch Video

Lesson plans

We have a set of lesson plans for years 1 – 6 for you to download and use.

Download lesson plans

Look at all the schools that took part in 2024

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