Gardening isn’t just about growing flowers and vegetables – it’s a gateway to nature for our children. In a digital world that frequently has our children hooked on their electronic devices inside, getting them outside and developing a green thumb can create a sense of wonder and responsibility in them.
A recent study reports that three-quarters of UK children want more time in the great outdoors, and gardening is a great way to give it to them. Here is how you can help your kids connect with nature while learning valuable lessons about healthy foods and the wonderful world around them.
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Give Them Tools
It’s no secret that children like their own items rather than sharing them, but getting them their own with garden tools makes even more sense. Child-sized tools are specifically designed for budding gardeners, and you can make them even more attractive by picking them in their favorite colors.
Think lightweight trowels, rakes with blunt tines, and watering cans with shorter spouts. These will help empower your children without putting them at risk of injury. They will also make them feel valued participants and create a sense of responsibility for the growing saplings.
Create Their Own Space
Carving out a dedicated area in your garden for your little gardener will allow them to learn from their mistakes and help them feel more independent. This could be a small, raised flower bed or a few containers on a sunny patio.
Allow them to personalize their patch with colorful pots, miniature fences, or even a miniature scarecrow. String up some outdoor garden lights to add a touch of magic in the evenings and let them grow what they’re interested in.
Grow Foods They Enjoy
Getting our little ones to eat vegetables is an age-old struggle. In fact, a third of parents have concerns about their children’s diet. You can make things easier for yourself by growing vegetables that you know they enjoy.
Opt for fast-growing vegetables like cherry tomatoes, peas, or radishes, and let them have their first pick of flowers to plant. They will experience so much joy from picking a juicy tomato they nurtured themselves!
Use What You Grow
Celebrate your combined efforts and let your children feel accomplished by cooking meals together with the vegetables you grew together. Teach them basic cooking techniques and simple dishes such as tomato salads or boiling some peas. This connects the dots for them to show how their gardening efforts translate into delicious, healthy food.
If you’re growing flowers, pick the best blooms with them and display them proudly in your home, whether on the dining room table or the mantlepiece.
