With the use of developmental, social and fine motor skills, gardening can be a great tool for kids young and old. Use these creative and fun ways to get your kids involved in gardening and help them grow, too!
How kids benefit from gardening
Kids can benefit from gardening in many ways. Not only does it teach children patience, it helps to improve life skills, a child’s well being and forms a positive connection between the child and the environment.
Other ways kids benefit from gardening:
- Teaches kids respect for other living things.
- Requires a commitment toward something positive.
- Teaches cause and effect.
- Gets kids outside.
- Allows and encourages children to explore.
- Enhances fine motor skills.
- Forms early responsibility.
- Gardening teaches children to love nature and to care for our Earth.
Gardening teaches respect for the environment
Caring for a garden — big or small — is a teachable moment between parent and child. Children will not only learn the process of growing a flower, fruit or vegetable, they will get to experience the process using multiple senses. These experiences, along with hard work, encourages kids to respect their environment and learn how things within the environment work together.
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Healthy habits from gardening
Children are more likely to enjoy healthier foods if they grow them themselves. By planting and maintaining a fruit and vegetable garden with your child, he will feel a sense of accomplishment when there are results and be more likely to explore different tastes out of curiosity.
Tip
Visit your local farmers market with your child to experience a variety of garden-grown foods and flowers and to gain inspiration for your home garden.
Gardening locations for kids
Gardening indoors
When an outdoor garden is not a possibility, bring your garden indoors. The Miracle-Gro Windowsill Greenhouse acts as an indoor seed starter and encourages kids to learn about plant life cycles and photosynthesis.
Introduction to gardening
Introduce kids to the process of gardening and growing seeds with a kit like the Miracle-Gro 3-in-1 Gardening Set. Gardening kits come with everything you need to get started — and everything to get your kids excited about gardening.
Gardening outdoors
If you don’t already have a garden, start with a small outdoor space — a few large pots, a side yard planter or a wooden planter box.
Tips for gardening with kids
- Start as early as you can. Water houseplants and outdoor plants with your toddler, then work up to building your own backyard garden.
- Do your research ahead of time. Find out which seeds are best for your climate and time of year. You don’t want to plant an entire garden with your child only to find out it won’t grow properly.
- Keep covered and comfortable while outdoors. Keep your child and yourself protected from the sun’s harmful rays with sunscreen, wide-brimmed hats, gardening gloves and appropriate clothing.
- Make it fun. Plan and make dinners together with ingredients from your garden.
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