Home and Living

What is more wonderful than spending some time in the yard, digging, planting, pruning, and then sitting back and enjoying the fruits of your labor – be that the edible rewards that fruit and vegetable bearing plants have to offer, or the reward of seeing a lush landscape grow and thrive before your very own eyes! Quite possibly the only think more enjoyable than doing all this with your own two hands is to get your kids digging alongside you.

Here are five fun and easy ways to incorporate kids and gardening:

1. Even if you do not have an extensive yard, your children can still enjoy some hands on gardening. Allow them to start with some easy to grow seeds, such as sunflower or avocado seeds, which may be done in your own kitchen. A flowerpot may be used to hold one to three sunflower seeds, which need to be tended until the little seedlings sprout and are strong enough to be planted in a larger container. An avocado seed may be suspended on a triangle made from three toothpicks over a water glass, with the bottom inch of the seed sitting in water. Your children will need to make sure that they replace the evaporated water in the glass consistently. Within about four to six weeks they will be able to see some roots sprouting from the bottom and a stem from the top. When the stem measures roughly six inches, it should be cut back to three inches. Since this may involve the use of a knife, younger children need to be assisted in this endeavor by a parent! Once the stem has once again grown and the roots have thickened, the seedling may now be planted into a large flowerpot or planter with a compost rich soil. Explain to your children that the top of the seed should remain exposed. It will now be their job to water the little tree consistently.
2. If you do have a yard, set aside an area for your children to call their own. In this little patch they may grow anything they like. Make sure you do not relegate them to the forgotten spot in the corner with the hard soil that is sitting in the midst of the unforgiving sun and is furthest away from the life-giving watering house. Instead, please give them a prime location, full of rich, deep soil that holds moisture well, in an area that is easily watered. Nothing will discourage a child quicker is a lack of success, and a garden where nothing – not even cacti- will grow most certainly does not offer any kind of success.
3. Consider planting a vegetable garden together. It does not matter if you will actually eat everything you are growing. As a matter of fact, neighbors will love zucchinis, tomatoes, eggplants, and pumpkins, and your children will not only learn how to garden, but they will also learn how to share what they grow!
4. For older kids who simply love art, a blooming flowerbed is a great way to get digging. Whether you start the plants from seeds or buy seedlings at your local nursery, children will love to see their efforts rewarded by fragrant blooms. This is also a great way to introduce your children to the different kinds of soils there are, and what can be done to enrich the soil. Since soil treatments sometimes require the use of gardening chemicals, the latter should only be applied with strict adult supervision and copious hand washing afterwards. It might not be a bad idea to use disposable gloves when handling chemical substances.
5. Purchase kid-sized gardening tools. Nothing makes a job more frustrating than having the wrong tool for the work! Do not expect your children to enthusiastically dig into the dirt if the shovel is too heavy, the rake to unwieldy for little hands, or the broom too tall for a proper clean up. Instead, visit your local big box store and purchase kid sized gardening tools and gloves, which may be had rather inexpensively.

As you can see, getting your kids to start digging alongside you can be easily and quickly done. Just make it a fun endeavor, allow them the success any gardener craves, and get some tools that are sized for their little hands. Above all, adult supervision is a must whenever chemicals of any kind are involved!