Getting children into gardening – where to start?
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Getting children into gardening – where to start?
Children love getting their hands mucky and a garden is a brilliant playground for children of all ages. Gardening can be the perfect activity to help develop a child's love for the outdoors and for all the family to do together. As well as great health and focus benefits, it's also a fantastic way for children to learn about nature whilst having fun and it can be a very rewarding experience for them and you!
Getting started is much easier than you think and with these top tips, your kids will have green (or muddy) fingers in no time:
- Give them room to grow
Make sure you give them their own garden plot. By giving children their own space to plant and grow they'll feel responsible and proud when their plants and flowers flourish.
Top Tip:
If you are limited with space, try giving children a corner of a container or even just one plant or flower to nurture at a time.
- Quick wins
Plant something which grows quickly, children can be inpatient and you'll find it easier to catch their attention and keep it if they see results, and fast!
Top Tip:
Try planting seeds such as cress and sunflower seeds, they provide great results without too much nurturing and are a great way to explain the process and stages of growing.
- Herbs and veggies
Once your children have had some practice at planting and growing, why not try planting herbs or vegetables? This is a great to keep them interested and excited about what they can grow next.
Top Tip:
Once the herbs and veggies are fully grown try cooking and eating them, it helps children learn where food comes from and it's a great way to encourage children to eat veggies and try new foods!
- The tools to succeed
Make sure you give your children the tools they need to succeed (literally). It's important to get some mini-tools suitable for children as they can really help build a child's sense of independence as well as their physical movements.
Top Tip:
A great place to start with these would be a watering can, set of hand tools and a pair of colourful gloves, children love to dress the part and they will show more interest in gardening if they have all the gear!
- Keeping them interested
It's important to not only introduce children to gardening but to also ensure they have a sustained interest as believe it or not, not all of them will be engrossed straight off the bat. Keeping things simple and varied can be a good way to keep children interested longer. For example; building a compost heap, making plant labels, taking photos and even searching for creepy crawlies.
Top Tip:
Planting different species of plants, vegetables and herbs can help teach children about sustainability and ensures they have something growing all year round.