Gardening is a fun outdoor activity the whole family can enjoy. If you have young children, you may be wondering how to involve them in gardening. Below are tips for gardening with children.
Make Gardening With Children Educational
Gardening with kids is a great opportunity to teach science. They can learn about what plants need to survive and begin to identify differences in the seasons. Incorporate these lessons into your gardening time to help children understand the water, soil, and the link between sunlight and photosynthesis. While doing this, you’ll also improve your home’s curb appeal.
Choose Nontoxic Plants When Gardening With Children
Keep plants that could be toxic out of your garden to create a safe space for kids to explore. Some flowers, like daffodils and foxglove, can be harmful if ingested. If you’re not sure about a certain plant, research it to verify it’s a safe plant for kids.
Gardening With Children Encourages Healthy Eating Habits
Learning about nutrition is a benefit of gardening with kids. Get kids interested in a healthy diet by planting edibles like string beans, tomatoes, and zucchini. Carrots are a good choice to plant because they survive in most climates and are fun for kids to pull from the soil. Pumpkins are also great for children because they have larger seeds and tend to sprout quickly.
Get Kids Involved in Garden Care
Although gardening with kids can be fun, it’s also a lot of work. Get kids involved in caring for their garden by teaching them basic skills such as weeding, watering, raking leaves, and cleaning gardening tools.
Container Gardening in a Small Space
You can garden with kids even if you don’t have a large yard. Use containers on the deck or patio for your garden. Choose large pots with good drainage and, depending on the plants, put the container in a sunny location.
Purchase the Right Gear
Get kids excited about being involved by allowing them to choose their tools. Buy gloves, shovels, and garden decor. Kids can paint pots or rocks to use in their gardens.
Check the Garden Daily
It can be challenging for small children to wait to see progress with their gardens. Have them check the garden daily: measure and record plant growth each week. Keep them invested by showing pictures or videos of plants in different stages of development.
Gardening with kids is a great activity for families. Children will learn life-long skills when you keep them involved in each part of the process.
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