What better way to raise your kids’ awareness of the world than introducing them to gardening? Allowing them to learn about how nature works, where their food comes from, and the animals around them is one of the most powerful lessons we can give.
Yet, while we can see the benefits to learning and health, getting kids out in the garden and getting buy-in from your little people is challenging. Here we offer some hints and tips that might help your young people understand the value of gardening.
Buy them their kid-sized equipment
Kids love nothing more than owning something from the adult world. While you might not want them to have a fork and trowel set meant for adults, and that huge watering can is too big, you can buy child-sized tools. When you are out in the garden, encourage your children, from a young age, to join you in playing in the soil and splashing water around the garden.
If you give them the toys and make your gardening seem like play, there will be a natural connection between the outside and having fun.
Give them their seeds to plant
Many of us remember the time when we grew cress as a child. We planted the seed in a tub, put it on the windowsill, watered it, and were awed by the shoots that appeared.
You can do the same exercise in your garden by giving your children a place where they can dig and plant seeds. Children love to make holes, and you can help them create the right depth. While playing in the dirt, your kids will also be developing fine motor skills from the activity and seeing how nature works.
Grow food, pick food
One of the best ways to intrigue kids is by growing food and then allowing them to choose from the garden what you are having for tea. Part of life is understanding where your food comes from and how it nourishes us. By planting vegetables and fruit, you can get your kids out picking lunch and teach them the value of the nutrients in this fresh produce. You might even find yourself surprised at the taste of freshly grown produce.
A kid’s favorite activity is likely to be popping out into the garden with you and popping a cherry tomato or strawberry into their mouth straight from the plant. Seeing the end results of the hard work in the garden is a great motivator to continue.
Get out there as a family
Making the garden a social place where everyone plays a part ensures it is happy. Even for adults, the maintenance of the garden can be drudgery. So, making it something you do as together time can make it special. If encouraged from an early age, kids thrive when hanging out with their parents or guardians. You will be the role model, showing them how to make your garden grow, and, in the process, you will be creating shared memories.
Build them a hidden fort
Gardens are always best when there are different areas of interest available. Having sections of your garden that you can use for different purposes enhances its value to you and your family. Besides planning your adult spaces in the garden, you might want to give over an area to the young people.
One great way to make this fun is to use canes or trellis to build a fort or a hiding place where they can sit, play, and observe wildlife. Building this fort with your child will help them feel ownership and want to spend time out there.
Don’t worry about dirt!
One of the best things about gardening for young people is getting royally dirty – and it is allowed. Worrying about mud getting on clothes will ruin the experience of gardening for children. So, give youngsters permission to get as dirty as they like as they work alongside you in the garden. Better still, make a big deal of getting dirty yourself. Watching adults relax under some of those strict social rules builds bonds with children, as they see you having fun and relaxing too.
Summary
As with anything, getting kids involved means making it fun and helping them feel like they belong. Therefore, being a part of their time in the garden will make it a special memory and something they cherish doing.
