Here is an article I wrote, that was published last summer. My kids (16 & 11) help with the garden and even add ideas for new ones. There is nothing that I do in my gardens that I don't let them help with.
Gardening with Kids
I can’t remember a time that gardening wasn’t a part of my life. The memory of my grandmother walking with me along the edge of her gardens and stopping to pick a weed or a beetle off a plant is one of my most favorite. My mother gardens as well, although she claims to have a black thumb. But the biggest part of my gardening experience is what I have discovered since having children. First, I just grew vegetables in the summer so I could provide my children with healthy foods. Then, I discovered that they wanted to garden, too. My son wanted his own tray of seedlings to start in the spring and was overjoyed when those seedlings flowered in the summer. He would run to the garden everyday to water and check the progress of “his” plants, simple Bachelor Buttons. What a joy to see this excitement.
If you want to garden with your children I have some simple suggestions:
1. Be prepared. If you want to garden with kids be prepared to do most of the work, and be patient, as that seems to be in short supply with kids and gardening.
2. Keep it simple. Children cannot comprehend the process of a second year bloomer like hollyhocks or honesty, they need to see a return on their investment in a short period of time or they lose interest. Some seed companies offer seeds designed for children.
3. Give them their own tools. I have a bucket I keep my garden tools in, so I had to provide my children with their own tools of the trade.
4. Consider the idea of a theme or a color scheme. Using color or a theme gives kids a plan to follow. This year we are putting in a fairy garden and water pond. The kids have picked flowers and statues that they think will fit in with the theme.
5. Include them in every step. Check the packages to make sure they will provide what the kids are looking for. I let my kids pick out their own seeds and plants.
6. Make it fun. Look for arts and crafts project that you can do anytime, like a rainy day. They will not enjoy gardening as much if they only have to do the work, like weeding. We made wind chimes and stepping-stones last year, and even gave special stepping-stones to grandma for Mother’s Day. There are several ideas for stepping-stones on the internet.
If you introduce children to the joy of gardening, and make it an experience they will want to repeat, you will be proud when you see your little gardener learning and having fun doing so, not to mention all the beauty your gardens will bring you in return. Happy Gardening!!!
He was only 2 at the time. Last year he help plant, beans, potatoes, pumpkins, zuchinni and swiss chard.
