Starting a garden is a rewarding task. There is a lot involved when you first invest time into gardening but in the end it brings many benefits including fresh and healthier food and it can even bring in the benefit of a little extra cash.
Getting your kids involved in the gardening process is even more rewarding. The kids learn responsibility, patience and the way nature works.
But how can you start the kids on their adventure into gardening? Here are a few ideas.
Give Kids the Choice
Giving kids a voice in design and choice in the garden matters. It will make them feel like the garden is a more personal experience to them.
Even the younger kids can have a choice with parental encouragement. Allow the younger kids to choose which vegetable to plant in their garden this year. Or allow them to help with the seed buying at the plant nursery or home and garden store.
The smallest decision can help a kid grow to love the gardening experience.
Give Kids a Garden of their Own
Give the kids a small garden area of their own even if it is just one small pot. Help them decide what would go best in that small plot.
Don't make the area too big or the kids may soon get too overwhelmed. The size of the garden depends on the kid. Bigger kids can handle more and thus should have a bigger area but no more than three or four feet wide.
Give Kids Garden Jobs
Assign garden jobs and chores just as you would any chore. Watering, putting away tools, and weeding are just a few chores that most kids could do on their own. Other jobs such as tilling and transplanting could be done by older kids.
Garden Science
Kids seem to have a fascination for science and how things work. Get the kids involved in the garden by showing them the science of plants.
It doesn't have to be elaborate science either. There are experiments you can do right in the garden or on the back porch. Plant different varieties of plants and see which grow better. Try different soils and see which plant grows faster and healthier. What about saving seeds for next year? There are so many different science activities that could be done in the garden.
Continue the Cycle
Start the kids early in life and they might just grow up to continue the tradition with their own kids. The cycle will continue and perhaps you can garden with your grandkids someday.
Katina Mooneyham is the contributing editor for Little Gardeners (http://www.gardenandhearth.com/LittleGardeners.htm)at Garden and Hearth.com. She has written various articles on gardening mostly about gardening with kids. She maintains a blog on gardening at http://littlegardeners.blogspot.com.
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