A student of Ideal Preparatory and High School in Begunbari tends to a vegetable garden.

In a bustling corner of Dhaka’s Hatirjheel area, four young students are redefining childhood pastimes – trading mobile games for vegetable cultivation, guided by YouTube tutorials and sheer curiosity.

Their story, blending ingenuity and environmental stewardship, highlights how social media is empowering children to turn digital learning into real-world action.

Last September, Tamim, 11, Nazim, 12, Alamin, 10, and Robin, 10 – students of Ideal Preparatory and High School in Begunbari – stumbled upon a lakeside cleanup effort by a local man planting vegetables.

Intrigued, the friends decided to replicate the idea but faced a hurdle: none knew how to farm.

“We started watching YouTube videos on sowing seeds, preparing soil and pest control,” said Tamim.

Using pocket money meant for snacks, they bought red amaranth seeds and began their experiment.

Digital lessons

The journey wasn’t smooth. Initial attempts saw insects devouring seedlings, prompting frantic Google searches for solutions.

“We learned to use organic pesticides and fertilizers from videos,” Alamin explained.

Their persistence paid off: today, the quartet confidently tends to red amaranth, radishes, tomatoes, and beans.

What began as a secret project – meeting with parental skepticism – has now earned family support.

“When we brought home fresh vegetables, everyone stopped scolding us,” Alamin laughed.

For Robin, the shift was transformative.

“I used to play mobile games all day. Now, I’d rather work here,” he said, gesturing to the lush plot he shares with his friends.

Parents, too, notice the change. “They don’t mind me using my phone anymore because it’s for learning,” he added.

The boys’ initiative has even attracted institutional support: after media coverage, the Department of Agriculture provided them with seeds for red amaranth, okra and tomatoes, expanding their garden’s diversity.

Ripple effect

Their success has inspired neighbours like Ismail Mia, a van driver, and his eight-year-old son Ahadur Rahman.

Ismail, who cultivates 22 vegetable varieties nearby, mentors the boys while reviving his own rural farming roots.

“I help them with seedlings, and now others are joining too,” he said.

Ahadur, mentored by his father, proudly tends to lentils and spinach.

“He doesn’t ask for my phone anymore – he’d rather plant,” Ismail remarked.

The children’s story underscores a growing trend: social media as an educational tool for hands-on learning.

Educators and child development experts have long warned about screen time’s pitfalls, but this case flips the narrative.

New blueprint for urban youth

Despite their progress, challenges persist.

Polluted lake water and limited funds restrict fertilizer use, while balancing schoolwork and farming demands discipline.

Yet the group remains undeterred.

Nazim, preparing soil for new seeds, grinned: “We’ll keep learning from videos. Maybe one day we’ll teach others too.”

As Dhaka grapples with shrinking green spaces and screen-addicted youth, Tamim and his friends offer a hopeful counterpoint.

Their fusion of digital literacy and environmental action not only greens the city but sows seeds of resilience and community spirit—proving that sometimes the best classroom is a lakeside garden.