At the Islamic Cultural Center School, our Early Education Program is guided by the belief that children are naturally curious and driven to grow and develop. One spring morning, when teachers asked our youngest learners, “What would you like to do if you could do anything you want?”, their answer came quickly and joyfully: “We want to grow a flower garden!”

This heartfelt declaration became the beginning of a deeply engaging project that blossomed into so much more than a garden. It became a living example of project-based learning in action—where children’s ideas take center stage, and the curriculum grows organically from their curiosity.

A Project Rooted in the Children’s Voices

Here’s how the project unfolded:

The Spark: Teachers invited children to imagine what they would love to do. The idea of growing a garden captured everyone’s excitement.

Planning Together: The children discussed where the garden could be. They agreed: the roof was the perfect place.

What to Grow?: After much debate, they decided it would be a flower-only garden—no vegetables, no herbs, just the beauty of blooms.

Designing the Dream: Children collaborated to draw their ideal garden. The final shape? A heart. They also included a bench, a slide, and a hiding spot in their sketches—visions of a place that would be beautiful, playful, and peaceful.

Making Choices: They selected eight flower beds, carefully deciding on the colors and layout. Then they split into eight groups, each group becoming caretakers of one bed.

Learning Along the Way: As the big plans took shape, children began studying the parts of a flower, what plants need to survive and thrive, and practiced daily care with their own little pots in the classroom.

Real-World Problem Solving: When the flower beds arrived, we discovered they weren’t suitable for rooftop use. This turned into a learning opportunity. The children were part of the conversation as we researched alternatives and chose white, rooftop-safe beds.

Teamwork: When the new beds arrived, the children didn’t wait—they put them together themselves, using their hands and teamwork to assemble the containers that would soon hold their flowers.

Community Collaboration: Word of the project reached the school board, who generously offered their gardening expertise. Together, we planned a special planting day.

A Joyful Afternoon: On the big day, with soil, flowers, tools, and eager hands, children and board members planted the beds. Joy, learning, and shared purpose filled the classroom.

The children sketched a heart-shaped layout and added playful touches like a bench and slide.

Alongside planning, the children studied plant life.

They also studied how to care for their pots in the classroom.

They put the garden beds together themselves.

Why Project-Based Learning Matters

This flower garden is more than just petals and soil—it represents the heart of what project-based learning offers to young children. In this approach, learning is not something handed down to children; it’s something they build themselves through real experiences and meaningful engagement. As they imagined, planned, and brought their garden to life, our students were learning how to ask questions that matter, how to collaborate with their peers and adults, how to solve real problems, and how to make decisions that shape their world.

They experienced what it means to take ownership of a shared vision, to see an idea move from a sketch to a living creation. Along the way, they discovered that their thoughts and voices have power—and that learning can be filled with wonder, purpose, and joy. Project-based learning nurtures curiosity, deep thinking, and a lasting love for discovery—qualities that will continue to bloom long after the last flower fades.

What happens when children lead their own learning? They light up. They take ownership. They care deeply.
What do they gain? The ability to think critically, work with others, solve problems, and find joy in discovery.
Is it just about flowers? No. It’s about listening to children’s voices, letting their ideas grow roots, and watching them blossom into thoughtful, capable learners.
Why does it matter? Because when children learn this way, they don’t just remember facts—they remember how it felt to learn, and that feeling stays with them for life.

A Seed for the Future

This project is just the beginning. The flower garden is the first seed of what we hope will grow into a larger rooftop garden—a space designed by and for children, with learning, beauty, and belonging at its center.

At ICC School, we believe in listening deeply to children. Sometimes, all it takes is one simple sentence—“We want to grow a flower garden”—to grow something extraordinary.

It All Started with “We Want to Grow a Flower Garden”

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Islamic Cultural Center School