With so many indoor distractions these days, it can be difficult to getting Kids into the Garden and motivated to go anywhere that doesn’t involve a screen or playing with the latest gadgets and high street toys. Not to mention all the after school clubs, extra curricula activities, and other hours dedicated to developing their potential. But did you know that you can develop their personal skills and give them a sense of responsibility without having to drive across town to their latest after school club?
Kids into the Garden
Yes. It’s called, gardening!
Here you’ll find some helpful tips for getting your kids into the garden – and not a smartphone in sight!
Read all about it.
Don’t drag them straight out into the garden; chances are you’ll be fighting a losing battle! Did you know that reading and talking about gardening is the perfect place to start? Better yet, sit and watch some gardening for kids videos on YouTube together. They can quickly absorb information about what needs to be done and they can find out all there is to know about plants and trees before putting it into practice. You can find more information about trees here.
Let them be kids
Ask them to plant seeds exactly 3ft apart and covering seeds with the exact amount of soil is only going to make them frustrated. Yes, gardening is an art but letting your kids make mud pies, play in the dirt and explore the earth and water in your garden is a great way for them to enjoy gardening and enrich their senses too.
Start out Small
Tackling a hedgerow or a particularly weedy area of your garden that requires a lot of hard work might not be the best place to begin your gardening journey together. You could either set aside an area in a flowerbed that’s just for them. Or get some brightly coloured plant pots of containers for them to use. It’ll give them a real sense of responsibility and because containers dry out quickly, they’ll need to water them more.
Tools
You might not need a garden fork or rake for your container garden, but giving your child something simple like a set of gardening gloves will really affirm that the work they’re doing is important.
Pick fast growing plants
Nothing grows overnight but choosing plants that are keen to get moving will help your child see the reward of gardening. Plants like sunflowers tend to grow quite quickly, and if you decide to grow some tomatoes your little one can eat them straight from the vine and enjoy all their hard work in one simple bite.
Gardening with your children teaches them:
- Responsibility
- Patience
- Sustainability
- Nutrition
- Science and how the earth works
Remember, your littles ones aren’t just making mud pies and growing seeds. They’re actually growing their own personalities and cultivating their own life skills. Helping them to develop their green thumb will give them confidence, patience and other real life skills that will help them grow to be better adults!
Have fun!
