What kid doesn’t love playing in the dirt and getting messy? Gardening is an ideal activity for children, and has the benefits of being relaxing, having built-in rewards, and, if you are planning a vegetable garden, encouraging healthy eating when your kids eat the (literal) fruits of their labors.
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If you are fortunate enough to have a yard, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start tearing up a section! If this is your first foray into gardening, start small so you don’t get overwhelmed. If you are a long-time gardener, mark off a plot that belongs to your child… and stay out of it! That part is theirs, and while they will appreciate some assistance and advice, allow them to tend it on their own. If you step in and take over, that sense of ownership will be gone, and they will lose interest.
If you live in an apartment, try your hand at some container gardening. You can place boxes and large pots out on the deck, and grow everything from hanging tomatoes to miniature roses. If you are really short on space, a small herb garden in the windowsill will do just fine. This project has the added benefit of being available year-round.
Who doesn’t love getting new toys? Try to get your little gardener some tools of his or her own. Having something that is exclusively theirs will increase their enthusiasm for the project. Most gardening stores, including home improvement stores, sell kid-size tools in fun colors and designs, even featuring popular characters kids like. Put together a set with a watering can, trowel, and even gloves and clogs in kids’ sizes. A set like this would also make a great birthday or holiday gift.
Allow kids to have some say in what they are planting. Visit the library and look at some books on gardening together to get some ideas. Make a list of plants they would like to try out and then take them to the nursery. Let them poke around a bit. Read the tags on the plants and talk about what kind of care would go into them. You may need to subtly steer them in the direction of plants that grow well in your climate, but allow them to decide. You may want to consider visiting a nursery that specializes in local plants to narrow the playing field a bit.
The most rewarding part of gardening is the harvest. If you are growing flowers, have the kids put together bouquets to give to family, friends, neighbors, teachers… whoever they can find. It will give them a sense of pride in their hard work. If you are growing fruits and vegetables, dig in! Eat your treats straight off the plant, toss tomatoes in salads, or serve strawberries with ice cream. You’ll be amazed by what a formerly picky eater will devour when she grows it herself.
Your kids will be delighted when new green shoots come up, when colorful blossoms emerge, and when bright berries are theirs for the picking. You will be amazed by the care and delicacy with which they treat their plants and they will develop an appreciation for the natural world.
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