Gardening is an activity for the whole family to enjoy and create family togetherness too! It also gives parents gratification to watch their children grow along as the garden grows.
Think about it. Kids (if you can get them away from video games) are truly gardeners at heart. They are naturally curious, they like to imitate their parents and they like to learn by doing. And, perhaps most important it is no secret that kids LOVE to play in the dirt. These characteristics are perfect for gardening.
The garden can be an excellent learning experience for kids. I suspect this is why so many schools are developing outdoor classrooms to teach kids about the outdoors.
From gardening, one can learn about the outdoors as well as responsibility and satisfaction of caring for something while observing it's growth cycle firsthand. Gardening could also be a great way to introduce fresh new fruits and vegetables to kids. Typically, if kids put the energy into growing something, they are more apt to eating something new too.
To get kids interested in gardening, start off small. It could be something as simple as a cherry tomato plant in a container on a patio or deck to start the passion for vegetable gardening. If your kids love or show an interest in flowers or wildlife, start a theme garden. Creating a theme garden can be as easy as finding a sunny spot in the landscape and planting a Lantana to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Also, you can add to vegetable gardens and theme gardens each season, which will keep the kids interested in learning about their own garden. Keep it simple and keep it small to start. The object is to get the kids interested in gardening.
Master Gardener Tommy Nobis of Buck Jones Nursery in Woodstock, GA suggests the following helpful tips for gardening with kids.
* Give them their own gardening space. If you have more than one child, make sure to give each one their own garden plot or container.
* Start from seed. Kids will learn more by seeing the growing process when it begins from a seed.
* Give them real tools. The cheap plastic tools for kids are sometimes worse than no tools at all.
* Show off their work. Give friends a tour of the kids' gardens when they come over. Take pictures periodically of the garden space and send it to friends and family members. Share pictures with the kids (or have the kids take their own pictures periodically). This will help kids recollect where they started and how far they have come in the process. If the kids have "show and tell" at school, let them take some of their harvest to school to show their classmates.
* Showing attention to your kids' work is a great motivator for kids to stay involved with their gardens.
Some starter plants for kids might include:
SUNFLOWERS. They are easy to start from seed. Kids love watching the sunflowers grow to the sky and they will enjoy watching the birds have a morning sunflower snack.
BUTTERFLY BUSH. There are many sizes and colors available on the market. They are easy to grow and look great in any landscaping scenario. Even greater, they can be cut down in the winter and they come back every spring. The kids will love watching the butterflies and hummingbirds all summer long.
MINT. Pot mint in containers. Kids can choose from apple to peppermint to chocolate mint and tons of other types.
CHERRY TOMATOES. Great source of vitamin C. Easy to grow from seed on the kitchen window sill. Red, black, yellow or golden color cherry tomatoes are available.
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