It seems that just working in the garden will motivate your children
to garden with you. Whether they are mimicking your every move or
gardening on their own, it is a wonderful way for them to learn.
From preparing the soil, selecting the plants, planting the seeds
and watching them grow, to finally harvesting the crops, gardening
is great family entertainment.
Planning:
Keep two factors in mind: How much space is available for the garden
and the ages of the children. It is wise to intensively care for
a small space rather than overwhelm both you and the child with
the weeds that will grow in a bigger area.
Kids Like Instant Gratification:
This may not come as a surprise to most parents. Choose plants that
appeal to sight, feel and smell. Try to give ownership to your children
of their own garden plot. This makes them feel even more committed
to the growing process. It is also fun to plant fast-growing seeds
that germinate quickly. Such plants as radishes, beans and sunflowers
are easily recognized when they begin to grow and sprout.
Tasty Plants are a Great Motivator:
Great examples of these are strawberries, raspberries, grapevines,
carrots and sugar snap peas. Kids get hungry while playing outdoors,
so why not let them grow food they can pick right off the plant
and eat. These are probably the healthiest snacks they will ever
consume.
Say No To Pesticides:
Look for disease and pest resistant plants for a child's garden.
Children love to touch and fingers often end up in their mouths,
so organic and pesticide-free plants are safest. Vegetables that
are fairly problem-free include beets, carrots, cucumbers, onions,
peas, radishes, spinach and rhubarb.
Time To Plant:
For younger children, soil preparation may be the most fun part
of gardening. For two to four year olds, planting half the packets
of seeds and one to two plants each of tomato and pepper creates
a big garden. You can help children five to eight years old grow
a larger sized garden with a greater variety of full-sized plants,
such as lettuce, radishes, carrots, squash and herbs. And do not
forget multi-colored flowers, which are always favorites. Older
children can begin to grasp plants' differing needs as well as the
insects that live around and on them. It is also fun to experiment
with growing something new.
Pumpkins - A Must:
Kids love growing pumpkins, which last well past the gardening season.
Your children will love to brag about the enormous pumpkins they
have grown, but be prepared for the large amount of space required
in your garden for these.
Dried Flowers and Crafts:
You can take flowers that you planted in the garden and turn them
into a craft project. The list is endless when it comes to creating
crafts with dried flower arrangements: Decorations, gifts and more.
Just clip the flowers at the stem, wrap a rubber band around the
bunch and hang them upside down until dried. Another fun idea is
pressing flowers. Just pick and press the flower in a old telephone
book. Add extra weight with bricks and have glue and frames nearby
to create a beautifully finished picture. Another fun project for
kids is to help build and paint a birdhouse. Birds and other backyard
wildlife are fascinating to watch and give children an appreciation
of nature.
