Making Gardening Memories with Kids
Sharing the beauty and joy of nature with our kids can create priceless memories. And one of the easiest ways to do that is by involving children in the gardening process. From seed to plate, kids can enjoy every step along the way and be a big help in the garden too. Here are a few ideas to help create great garden memories with your kids:
PLAY AREA
If you garden space allows for it, create a play area for the kids within the garden. Our very first garden was a community garden plot in Orange, California. I was a busy mom of two, and the girls would have to come with me, if gardening was going to happen. Fortunately, we were able to build small structures on our plots, and my husband built a sand play area (maybe 3-ft square) with lattice up the back and across the top. We grew morning glories on it, and my tiny girls happily played in the shade of the flowers while I gardened nearby. They would leave their play to “help” me occasionally. And they got accustomed to the plants and other friendly gardeners. They didn’t “do” much gardening, but the exposure and memories were priceless. And I liked having them near me to point out sprouts, wriggling earthworms, and pretty flowers.
POTTED PLANTS FOR CHILDREN
Potted plants are a great first introduction to gardening. It’s amazing what you and your children can watch grow in a pot…zucchini, tomatoes, marigolds, herbs, lettuces, blueberries, and so much more. Let your child pick a plant of their choosing at the local nursery. Bring it home and transplant it together into a larger pot. Then give your child responsibility for their special plant and guide them in the process of caring for it.
GROW FOOD THEY LIKE AND FUN CROPS
The motivation to garden is greater for kids, if the reward is a good one. Grow food they like. Brainstorm together what you should grow in the garden this year. You might have to set aside plans for multiple rows of lettuces and herbs to accommodate the sprawl of a watermelon vine, but the reward for your children will be well worth it! Corn grows fast and is a kid-pleasing crop. Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes are also a favorite with little ones. Radishes are quick, easy, pretty impossible to kill, and come in fun colors.
BUY CHILD-SIZE GARDENING TOOLS
Just as children enjoy helping in the kitchen or the garage with tools meant to do the job, just smaller in size, so they will enjoy having their own gardening tools. A watering can that fits small hands will be the most popular. Small rakes and trowels are great tools too. A bug-catching jar will help to inspire wonder and study in the garden.
GIVE CHILDREN PRODUCTIVE TASKS
Children like to feel the satisfaction of actually contributing with meaningful work. Give them gardening tasks at which they can succeed. Watering from their watering can is a good one. Cleaning out flower pots using a Flower Pot Cleaning Brush is another easy-to-accomplish task. Helping to plant seeds or seedlings is very rewarding. Putting weeds into a bucket and putting tools away are other great ways that small children can be productive in the garden.
GROW SUNFLOWERS
Growing sunflowers is incredibly fun and enchanting for kids. They grow fast and are nearly fool-proof. And they come in so many varieties! You can grow giant sunflowers that tower above even the tallest person’s head. You can grow classic yellow. If you have the space, you can grow a sunflower house (easy instructions can be found here). I prefer to grow sunflowers in non-standard colors: white, pink, bronze/orange (as above), and deep red.
LET KIDS PICK THE HARVEST
Kids have so much fun helping to pick the produce that they planted and grew. It is very rewarding to pick and eat the strawberries they have watched ripen on the vine. One of the most rewarding experiences is watching a child pull up a carrot. Make sure the ground is good and soft from watering or a recent rain, so that the carrots will pull easily. I love to see their eyes widen with wonder and hear the :”ooh’s and aah’s” of delight with each and every carrot that is pulled. Help them use a sharp knife to cut off zucchini and other squashes. And teach them to gently pull tomatoes and to recognize when they are ripe enough to pick.
TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO U-PICK FARMS
If you live in the city or don’t garden on your own, it’s still important and valuable that children know where their food comes from. And even if you do garden, many local farms will grow crops that you don’t, and a visit to them is a valuable way to support your local farmer. Use the Pick Your Own website to find a farm near you and more information about their u-pick times and crop schedules. It’s a great way to spend a day. Make plans to bring what you pick home and create something tasty in the kitchen together.
READ BOOKS ABOUT FOOD AND GARDENING
Go to your local library and check out books about food and gardening. Our children were delighted to read of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit squeezing under Mr. McGregor’s garden gate while Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail went off to gather blackberries. Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert was another favorite. And we loved Miss Rumphius, the tale of the lupine lady who spread lupine seeds in Maine just to make the world more beautiful. Older children will appreciate the Linnea books and the Little House books for gardening, botany, and food.
MAKE CLEAN-UP FUN
When it’s time to clean up from the garden, give all the plants a sprinkle of water…and maybe the kids too! And water never tastes as good than when its coming out of a garden hose after a hot day of working in the garden.
I hope you have found some fun ways to make great gardening memories with your children!
