Gardening With Kids
Spring is officially here and we are so excited to spend time outside enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather! Spring is also a great time to start a garden; whether you have a green thumb or are just getting started we want to share some ideas for parents/caregivers who want to try Gardening with Kids!
What’s so Great About Gardening?
First of all, why should you garden? Gardening, as we know, primarily takes place outside and nature is so good for our bodies! Fresh air and sunshine are sure to turn any frowns upside down. With gardening you are spending time outside and also digging in the dirt. This is healthy! Almost all Kids LOVE getting their hands and feet in the dirt and it is actually shown to improve health and immunity. Along with the health side of things, the plants that you grow can provide healthier food choices for you and your kids.
Gardening also helps kids (and you!) learn. You can talk and learn about so much while working with plants. Learning about the water and sunlight that each plant needs, discussing photosynthesis, why worms are good for plants, and so much more!
Getting Ready:
Pick a Plot:
Before you are ready to dig around in the dirt you need to have an area picked out, the right tools for gardening, and, of course, the plants to grow!
Start with choosing a location for your garden. If you have a lot of space in your yard choose a place that receives maximum sunlight. If you don’t have as much space to spare, consider starting small and planting in pots or other containers.
Your child can pick out potential containers for plans like plastic buckets, old shoes, or even a toy truck (as long as there are holes for drainage!). Depending on your garden layout consider giving a small plot (or container) just for your child to use. This will give them ownership and also keep them focused on a smaller portion if you are trying to grow a bigger garden!
Tools:
A great way to get your kids involved is giving them their own gardening tools to work with. Having a shovel, hoe, and gloves that fit their little hands can make a huge difference in their excitement. Check out these options on Amazon for garden tools and gloves!
What to Plant:
As long as they have enough time to mature before the fall frost, seeds can be started in the garden practically whenever. The seeds should be larger to accommodate small fingers—the smaller the children, the bigger the seeds should be. Here are some ideas for good and easy seeds to grow!
If you want to grow veggies try out Peas, Beans, Cucumbers and/or Corn. These are all easy to grow and yummy too! Squash and Pumpkins can be great for growing for decorations or for eating and if you just want to grow some beautiful flowers we suggest trying Sunflowers or Morning Glories!
All of these plants germinate and grow quickly which will make them more interesting to watch!
More Garden Ideas:
Theme Garden:
Consider creating a theme garden! This can be a lot of fun when gardening with kids; check out these fantastic ideas from Kids Gardening.
“Alphabet Garden - Try to use plants whose names start with the different letters of the alphabet.
Butterfly Garden - Include plants that will attract butterflies to your yard.
Book Garden - Pick out a book with a garden theme and then try to recreate it such as Peter Rabbit or Tops and Bottoms.
Dinosaur Garden - Grow plants that were around when the dinosaurs were alive like ferns and horsetail.
Giant's Garden - Plant varieties which will grow super big like giant sunflowers that reach 15 feet in height and pumpkins that grow to 150 pounds.
Miniature Garden - Plant varieties that will stay really small like baby carrots and tiny pumpkins.
Pizza Garden - Grow all the ingredients to make a pizza including tomatoes, wheat, basil, oregano, peppers and onions.
Rainbow Garden - Use plants whose flowers or leaves show off the different colors of the rainbow including red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.
Salad Garden - Grow all the ingredients to make a tasty salad like lettuce, carrots, radishes and cucumbers.
Salsa Garden - Grow all the ingredients to make your own salsa including tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and peppers.
Sensory Garden – Select plants that engage your senses such as plants with soft leaves or herbs with scented leaves.
Zoo Garden - Include plants who share names with animals like lamb's ear or catnip.”
Digging Garden:
If your kiddo enjoys digging, make a bed specifically for digging where they can play in the mud and excavate without damaging the seedlings. To create more textures add some earth mover toys and a pile of rocks and sticks (bigger rocks are better because they stay out of little mouths).
Creative Gardening:
Looking to get a little more creative with your gardening? These ideas take a bit more time and effort but can further foster your kiddos sense of wonder and adventure in the great outdoors. Encourage your kids to construct fairy houses out of natural materials so that the pixies can assist with garden maintenance. Adding living structures to your garden, such as bean teepees, squash tunnels, and sunflower houses, can make it a fascinating and imaginative play area for kids. Squash tunnels make for comfortable hiding places where kids can explore the vivid blooms and lush foliage while remaining cool from the sun. With their climbing vines and leafy canopies, sunflower houses provide a natural, sun-dappled haven, and bean teepees offer hidden alcoves for imaginative play. - ideas from The Ultimate Guide to Gardening with Kiddos.
We are so excited to start our garden this year and hope that these tips help you on your way to gardening with your kids!
Do you have any other tips for Gardening with Kids? Dm us on Instagram, we’d love to hear about them!
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