When last did your kids get their hands dirty? One of the best ways to let kids learn about nature and enjoy it is through gardening. Gardening is educative for kids teaching them how food gets to our tables.
Gardening is fun and important for kids. Excited about teaching your kids about gardening but not sure where to start?
Well, let the kids get involved! Teaching kids about gardening is teaching them to appreciate and care for our planet. Gardening is vital and you can be sure your kids will follow that for the rest of their lives.
So, where do you start? What are the best plants to grow? How do you make gardening fun for kids?
Keep reading as we discuss how to start gardening with kids.
Teaching your kids gardening basics
The first step to start gardening with kids is to teach them the basics. What do you need to start gardening? Educate the kids on the basics. Tell them what plants need to grow. Following some useful resources about gardening will give you a quick start.
For plants to grow strong and healthy, they require nutrient soil, water, and sunlight. Educate the kids on how they can enrich the soil, grow seeds, water them, and much more.
Why do kids need to learn gardening? Tell them the why and share some little lessons on photosynthesis. Depending on the age, you can also educate them a little on soil science.
Let the kids pick their plants
Yes, it’s a lot funnier when kids get to choose their plants. This is a great stage to involve your child in the right type of plants to grow. Getting the child involved from the start gets them emotionally involved with the plants.
Are you planting seeds or seedlings? Try and show your kids how plants emerge from seeds. If you’re starting with seedlings, involve your kids. Take them with you to the nursery.
Selecting a plant is sensory. Kids need to see the plant and feel how it smells. Is it edible? What about the taste? This allows kids to pick their favorite vegetables, flowers, or herbs.
Allow your kids to make mistakes
Kids will always be kids and will make mistakes. It’s totally fine for kids to get messy and make mistakes. Let them have the freedom and get their hands dirty. The fun starts with kids getting messy and dirty
One of the best ways to gain experience is to have the kids learn from their mistakes. Did the plant die because they forgot to water it? That’s will be a vital learning experience. Next time they will be careful and ensure the plants are watered.
If possible, let kids have their own part in the garden so that they can claim their own. This will create a sense of ownership and help them take proper care of it.
Create a themed garden
Kids will love and enjoy working in a themed garden more than a simple normal garden. You can create a theme depending on what your kids love most. Do they love animals? If yes, then try and create an animal-themed garden.
Some great themes to consider are pizza themes, a chef themed garden, etc. You can even create a garden with flowers to attract bees and create a pollinator garden.
In the end, the idea is to have a garden that your kids will love and enjoy.
Let’s learn extra tips to get you started.
Tips and ideas to start a garden as kids
Starting a garden can be a fun and educational experience for kids. Here are some tips and ideas to help make the process easy and enjoyable:
- Choose a suitable location: Pick a spot that gets plenty of sunlight and has good soil. Consider the size of the garden and the plants you want to grow.
- Decide on what to grow: Choose plants that are easy to care for and grow quickly, such as beans, sunflowers, and tomatoes. Herbs like basil and mint can also be fun for kids to grow and use in cooking.
- Make a plan: Draw a simple sketch of the garden to help you decide where to plant each type of vegetable or flower. Label the plants and their locations.
- Prepare the soil: Remove any weeds, rocks, or debris from the garden bed. Add compost or other organic matter to the soil to improve its fertility.
- Keep it simple: Start small with just a few plants. As the kids gain experience, you can expand the garden.
- Make it a learning experience: Teach kids about the different parts of a plant, how they grow, and what they need to thrive. You can also talk about the importance of pollinators, like bees and butterflies, and the role they play in the garden.
- Encourage creativity: Let the kids decorate the garden with painted stones, birdhouses, and other fun accessories.
- Get help from the community: Consider starting a community garden where kids can join forces with other families to grow vegetables and flowers.
Starting a garden with kids can be a rewarding experience for everyone involved. Have fun and enjoy the process!