Would you love your kids to be as interested in gardening as you are? To know the feeling of fulfillment that comes with growing your own vegetables from seed or watching your yard explode with colorful blooms throughout the growing season?
It is important to impart the knowledge and vested interest in growing our own food and the feeling that comes with spending your time connected to the earth. There are many activities out there to help give your kids a budding interest in all things plants. Here are some ideas to help your children spark an interest in digging in the dirt!
1. Go Shopping for Gardening Supplies — Just For Them
You can surprise your child with their own gardening supplies, but we are partial to making them part of the experience so they can pick them out themselves! Helping your child pick out their own set of garden supplies (designed for little hands!) is practical because they won’t be fumbling with tools that are too big for their hands, leading to a more pleasant gardening experience. It can also help them feel more committed to the process, knowing that these tools are just for them. Include a watering can, shovel, hoe, hand rake, trowel, and gloves that show off their personality. You may also opt to get a little garden tote to keep all their tools in one place.
2. Get Them Excited About Gardening Ahead of Time
Try to boost the excitement factor by gathering some fun books to read before you get started gardening together. It is a lifelong learning process, and reading books is one of the best ways to get some quality time together while also having fun learning about plants. Plus, there are so many great gardening books for kids available these days!
3. Start Off Their Gardening Journey From Seed
Kids are more likely to become invested in gardening activities like growing their own vegetables if they can see the process right from the beginning. As a family, you can sit down and decide what they would like to eat that summer, and then you can head out to select their seeds and seedlings together. Of course, you will want to talk to them about what flowers or vegetables are easier to grow, which can also lead you down the path of talking about how much sunlight and water they require.
4. Select A Space In Your Garden That Is All Theirs
Giving your child their own garden plot instills a sense of ownership, responsibility, and excitement surrounding the start of their gardening journey! Just make sure that it’s not so big that it overwhelms them.
With their new tools, seeds/seedlings in hand, it’s time to start digging in the dirt! Give them a hand in preparing the soil, talk about how to space plants and all the other fun stuff that comes with starting your garden — and then let them experiment a little!
5. Make Garden Maintenance & Harvest Time Fun
If you hope to instill a lifelong love of gardening in your child, make sure that you and the family have fun together while you’re doing it. Set up a daily schedule to water your plants together, perhaps set aside a particular time on Saturdays to do some weeding together, and then once their harvest starts to set in, pick a snack from the garden together!
Interested in learning more gardening activities you can do with the kids here in Illinois and Indiana? Stop by one of our Alsip Nursery locations! Our knowledgeable staff will happily share some more tips and tricks to get you stocked up for a successful gardening season.