QUINCY, Mass.— Stop & Shop is giving kids a reason to play in the dirt with its first-ever Grow & Learn Program developed to teach little gardeners how to grow their own vegetables and herbs. Starting this month and while supplies last, Stop & Shop will be giving away FREE seed pods and activity books to customers. The seed pods, which feature 20 different varieties of vegetables and herbs, will be available by the indoor or outdoor floral displays for customers to take as they exit the store at Stop & Shop locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. The program runs in Connecticut stores from May 29-June 24, as long as supplies last.

“We know many parents have had to take on the role of teachers while at home, and we’re excited to offer this fun educational activity for families to enjoy together,” said Gordon Reid, President of Stop & Shop. “The Grow & Learn program is a no-cost way to teach kids about how the fresh produce they see in our stores is grown.”

In addition to the activity booklet, customers can track the progress of their seedlings with Stop & Shop’s Grow & Learn app. Available via the Apple App Store or Google Play, the free app unlocks a digital garden, where kids can watch their plants come to life through augmented reality while they learn tips, tricks, and recipes that they can make with the vegetables and herbs they grow. With information on each plant from broccoli to tomatoes, plus interactive word searches and more, kids will have everything they need to watch their garden spring to life.

For more information on Stop & Shop’s Grow & Learn Program, visit www.stopandshop.com/growandlearn. To download the Grow & Learn app, visit the Apple App Store or Google Play.