The simple pleasures of gardening are wonderful to share with children of all ages. Preparing the soil, planting seeds or starter plants, watering and weeding and then watching the plants slowly grow into an
amazing variety of colorful flowers,
vegetables and fruits is so joyful. The lessons learned along the way of caring for plants, as well
of growing healthy food, are fun for
kids. Harvesting produce later in the
summer and fall and actually eating it
and or “putting it up” for later are lifelong skills. It’s also a great way to share time together as a family.
With all that said, planting a big garden isn’t for everyone. It’s a lot of work and a hefty time commitment, and some families don’t have the right site for a garden. If you don’t have a good garden site but would like to have one, look into renting a site in a community garden or helping out a neighbor or
friend with an already existing garden. It would be important for the garden to be close by, otherwise there is a higher chance it will get neglected and turn into a problem instead of a shared family activity.
Another option is to use several pots or planters to grow several “mini” gardens. It’s a great way to go if you and your family don’t want to commit to a big garden. Give each child his or her own pot, planter, or small area in the yard and let each choose the plants they want to grow. Teach and encourage them to care for the plants, but don’t take care of them for your kids. The loss of plants due to lack of care is a good lesson to learn. Each child could document what and when they planted by drawing a picture of the garden and writing the names of the chosen plants. The children can also write the dates when things were planted, when they were watered or fertilized, when the sprouts first appeared, what the weather was like, and any other significant information that would affect the plants.
Just watching and talking about the weather and conditions as the plants grow helps children understand the flow of nature, the many small things that change over time, and the overall seasons of the year. Children pay wonderfully close attention to the garden that they care about as it changes and grows.
Leave a Reply