what to teach kids about gardening

Essential Pointers for Teaching Your Kids How to Garden

• Teach your kids the basics of soil care If you leave in an area that floods often, that may be a good starting point to teach your kids why gardening is necessary. ...
• Let them try light gardening activities Here is a list of child-friendly gardening activities that your kids can try: ...
• Child-proof your yard ...
• Bring them to a farmers market ...

Full Answer

How can I teach my child to start a garden?

When it comes time to transfer the seedling (or the seed) to the soil, cut out each little egg holding portion and let your kids plant the whole thing into the ground. The carton will disintegrate and no seeds or seedlings get lost in the transition. Include wildlife in your child's gardening experience.

Why should Kids Help in the garden?

Instead of just being something that makes their fingers “yucky” working in the garden shows them how useful dirt is to life. When kids help in the garden throughout the planting season and the summer they understand what it takes to grow, and not just plants.

How do you decorate a small garden for kids?

Design a garden plan. Decorate the garden with your kids' art and craft efforts. After you've made the objects, or purchased some at the garden center with your kids' agreement, have the kids decide where they'd like the garden decorations to go.

What lessons can we learn from the garden?

Big lessons can be learned in the garden about life and the lifecycle of plants, bugs and animals is one of them. From new baby rabbits (that you want to keep out) to mature bees carrying honey back to the hive and to the life of the plants themselves, they can literally watch life happen in the garden.

What lessons does gardening teach?

7 Life Lessons Your Garden Can Teach YouLearning to look at things from a different perspective can save you a lot of heartache. ... Optimism is important. ... The most beautiful things in life are sandwiched between a rock and a hard place. ... It's okay to be alone sometimes. ... Every good thing requires hard work.More items...•

How do children benefit from gardening?

7 Practical perks of gardening with kidsIt encourages them to eat healthier. It makes some intuitive sense. ... It provides engaging, moderate exercise. ... It builds a sense confidence. ... It develops STEM & analytical abilities. ... It relieves stress. ... It improves focus & memory. ... It positively impacts mood & psychological wellbeing.

How do I introduce my kids to my garden?

Here are some tips on introducing simple gardening to your children or starting a vegetable garden of your own.Start small. ... Try container gardening. ... Encourage exploration in the dirt. ... [Read: Do you need to give your kid a bath every night?]Help children plant fun plants. ... Don't forget about the insects.More items...•

What do children learn about gardening?

Gardening helps with prereading skills and developing children's vocabulary. They can practice drawing and writing. Graph and chart different leaves or growing habits. Physical activity from turning compost, digging, raking and so on help burn calories, improve behavior, and grow kid's healthy bodies.

What is importance of gardening?

Gardening is a great form of exercise. Besides obvious weight lose benefits gardening has been proven to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and decrease depression.

Why should students learn about gardening?

Gardening helps children become environmental stewards. When children start reaping the food and flowers that come from a garden, they realize a garden's impact on them and their impact on the garden. Once they have this tangible experience, it is much easier to teach them to care for the environment.

What are gardening activities?

12 Fun Garden Activities To Do With Your KidsEggshell Countertop Garden. This one is an easy and fun activity for your younger gardeners. ... Vegetable Scrap Regrowing. ... Toilet Paper Tube Seed Starter. ... Grow Potatoes in a Ball Jar. ... Sprout Some Seeds. ... Plant a Tree. ... Make a Butterfly Puddle. ... Build a Sunflower Fort.More items...•

What is a garden?

noun. a plot of ground, usually near a house, where flowers, shrubs, vegetables, fruits, or herbs are cultivated. a piece of ground or other space, commonly with ornamental plants, trees, etc., used as a park or other public recreation area. a public garden.

How do plants grow for kids?

1:273:46How Does A Seed Become A Plant? | Backyard Science | SciShow KidsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFor energy it's like the little baby plant has its own backpack of snacks. So the embryo keepsMoreFor energy it's like the little baby plant has its own backpack of snacks. So the embryo keeps growing and taking in more water until the seed coat cracks open and embryo kicks out a kind of a foot.

Why are plants important for kids?

Plants are the main food source for living things, including humans. Plants provide us with many vitamins to keep us healthy. Green plants are the only living things that can make their own food. Plants harness the energy that shines down on the Earth each day as light and use it to make their own food.

Why are community gardens important for kids?

The purpose of a school or community garden project? To help grow healthy kids. Not only do students get to plant, hoe, pick, rake and tend the garden — they get to learn all about healthy food and where it comes from. Plus the outdoor garden provides a stimulating, invigorating break from the classroom.

How do you introduce a garden?

Starting to build a garden can be both exciting and daunting....18 Gardening Tips For Beginners In IndiaPick the right spot. ... Pick a type. ... Work on the soil. ... Grab basic gardening tools. ... Pick your plants. ... Plan It Out. ... Garden Beds. ... Plant With Care.More items...•

How do you garden with preschoolers?

8 Simple Gardening Activities for PreschoolersGarden Fantasy Creation. Set aside a part of your garden for your child to create a garden theme. ... Make a Scarecrow. ... Make Growing Greeting Cards. ... Make a Bird Feeder. ... Egg Box Caterpillars. ... Grow and Make Your Own Soup or Salad. ... Grow a Bean Seed. ... Grow a Grass Head.

How do I start my first garden?

How to Start a Backyard GardenDetermine your climate zone. ... Decide what to grow. ... Choose the ideal garden location. ... Acquire basic gardening tools. ... Test your soil. ... Make your garden bed. ... Decide whether to grow from seed or transplant seedlings. ... Plant your seeds or seedlings with care.More items...•

How do you start a vegetable garden for kids?

0:573:47How to Plant a Vegetable Garden for Children Step by Step - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTake your plant turn it upside down and just plop it into your hands the roots look perfect there'sMoreTake your plant turn it upside down and just plop it into your hands the roots look perfect there's no need to do anything else except put it right in the hole.

What type of food is easiest for children to grow indoors?

Herbs, tomatoes, and peppers are very easy for children to learn to grow when just getting started with gardening.

How does gardening improve your child’s mood?

Scientists have discovered that the mycobacterium in potting soil can improve brain functions while boosting your child’s mood. The mycobacterium v...

How does gardening help a child’s development?

Children can learn new skills, have fun, play, and develop self-confidence by spending time tending plants and growing their food in the garden. Mo...

Why is gardening important for toddlers?

Gardening provides a great introduction to the environment around them. Children can learn about many different flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Be...

What makes gardening a good activity for children?

Gardening with children provides them with skills to help your child's development. For example, gardening is a great physical development activity...

What to do with kids in the garden?

Include wildlife in your child's gardening experience. Add a birdbath, bird feeder and feeders for any furry wildlife such as squirrels, hedgehogs, possums, or whatever it's okay to attract to your yard. If you have space, include a small pond for fish. Children will love the experience of seeing animals in the garden.

How to make a garden?

Make things for the garden. 1 Turning an old tire into a garden bed or plant protector 2 Making herb or plant markers from iced confectionery sticks 3 Painting a planter or flowerpot container in bright colors and designs. Be sure to say how pretty their own flowers would look inside it. 4 Make a scarecrow to frighten away the birds; or make bird frighteners using old CDs, bits of unwanted foil and clothing, etc. 5 Make a dangling decoration from shells, beads and pebbles, using thread or fishing line. 6 Turn coconut shell halves into seedling pots––clean the inside, paint the outside like a face and anything that sprouts will seem like hair. 7 Make a bird feeder 8 Design a garden plan.

How to teach kids about native plants?

Talk to your kids about the importance of native vegetation in gardens. Explain that while it's fun to grow flowers and veggies, care needs to be taken to prevent non-native plants from escaping the garden and invading the local environment. Show them how to control weeds and how to keep strong growing plants under control. Explain to them why you cannot grow some plants in the garden, such as plants that are considered to be invasive species. Encourage them to learn as much as possible about native plants and how to care for these.

How to encourage a child to water plants?

Buy a pretty watering can which suits the child's size and strength. This will encourage him or her to keep watering the growing plants.

How to keep kids excited about trees?

Consider planting a tree for each child born. At each birthday, note the child's height and the tree height and keep comparing these as each child grows. This can be a lovely way to keep your child excited about how things grow.

How to keep kids interested in something?

Whenever planning anything, work out the fun angle, to keep your children's interest engaged.

How to make a kid's face light up?

Try growing some root crops. It's great seeing a kid's face light up when they pull a huge carrot or potato out of the ground!

How to determine the pH of soil?

Once you’ve picked out a space, prepare the land for gardening. First, use a soil pH test kit to determine your soil’s pH. Every plant has its preferred pH range . The pH level will tell you how acidic or alkaline the soil is, on a scale of 0 to 14 with 7 being the neutral marker.

How to keep soil from falling out of a pot?

To prevent soil from falling out of the drainage holes, place newspaper or paper towels in the bottom of the container before adding soil. If your pot is especially deep, feel free to put a layer of gravel in the bottom to take up some space. Choose a potting mix that is lightweight and drains quickly.

How long does it take for a cherry tomato plant to produce fruit?

Cherry Tomatoes: One plant produces juicy, crunchy tomatoes all year long. From seed, a cherry tomato plant starts producing fruit in about two months and requires a trellis. Strawberries: To grow strawberries, start with an established plant, since starting from seed could take more than a year to produce fruit.

How to start a farm for kids?

To start, research easy and fast-growing crops. Put together a list of 5 to 10 plants with pictures. Then, let the kids choose their favorite three to five. As a general rule of thumb, you don’t want to start by growing too many things—it can be overwhelming for new farmers.

How big should a garden be for a family?

A 100-square-foot garden should be big enough to produce a steady supply of fresh vegetables for a small family. But a 500-square-foot garden is recommended for a family of four and should provide enough leftovers to share with friends.

How to grow a plant without soil?

Growing jars sprout seeds without soil, letting you and your children get a feel of how exciting it is to watch plants grow. Pick up some sprouting seeds and soak them in warm water in a glass mason jar overnight. Drain the water with a cheesecloth.

Why do children care about gardening?

As children put more time and effort into gardening, they’ll care more about the results, learning to love and respect Mother Nature’s beauty. Later in life, they’re more likely to respect nature, opening the doors to contributions to conservation efforts or careers in agriculture.

How to help children learn about gardening?

Of course, another great way to help children learn about gardening and expand their knowledge of the topic is by reading garden related books to them regularly and assisting them with reading as they get older.

What can you do in the garden to learn about science?

Science in the garden can be as simple as exploring an old bird nest you find or broken eggshells, playing in mud and seeing what happens when mud sits out in the sun, or learning about garden helpers by exploring earthworms . Other simple science activities include:

What to feed ants in the sand?

Have “buggy snacks” with ants on a log/in the sand (raisins, celery, peanut butter, graham cracker), spiders (Oreos and pretzel sticks), butterflies (pretzel twists and celery or carrot sticks), and snails (celery, apple slices, pretzel pieces, chocolate chips, and peanut butter) Make snacks for the birds and other garden wildlife.

How to make 3D flowers?

One neat project is to make 3D flowers. Use cupcake liners, coffee filters, and large paper doilies. Color or design them however you want and then layer them (doily on bottom, coffee filter middle, and cupcake liner on top) with glue. Also glue on a stem and add leaves.

What are some sensory bin ideas?

Other ideas for a sensory bin include: Adding different leaves to explore and identify.

How to make sensory bins for kids?

There are so many sensory bin ideas you can do for children to allow them to explore using their senses and get hands on with the garden theme. Give them their own container full of soil, some sticks, and rakes to create a garden. Use sand and rocks to make a Zen garden. Let them actually dig and get their hands dirty, add seeds to examine and explore with, help them plant their own seeds, or add fresh smelling flowers.

What do kids like to do?

Arts and Crafts. One thing all children love to do is arts and crafts, so this hands-on learning is definitely going to engage them. You can paint rocks to make them look like ladybugs or flowers, make papier-mâché watermelons, use Play-Doh to either construct your own items or add garden themed cookie cutters.

Why is gardening important for kids?

Teaching kids about gardening is a great way to help them develop a number of important life skills. Generally, when children participate in gardening and grow their own food, they are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables (Bell & Dyment, 2008). They will have the opportunity to expand their understanding and to better communicate about their knowledge of the world, as well as to develop their ability to communicate and manage their emotions. Furthermore it helps children to develop self-confidence and initiative, as well as science, maths and literacy skills. This all helps them to be more successful in school and in the wider world (Miller, 2007). Children who participate in gardening tend to have improved attitudes towards education and also improved achievement in science (Klemmer, Waliczek, & Zajicek, 2005).

Why is collecting seeds important?

Collecting seeds is a great way to teach kids about gardening, as they will be able to see how the plant reproduces the seeds from which it was grown . It is also interesting for children to see the wide variation in the shapes and sizes of seeds. They will learn that they don’t necessarily correlate with the shape and size of the plant that is grown! Additionally, it is a great way to begin to look at how seeds are dispersed.

Why is it important to press healthy soil onto your hands?

Giving the soil what it requires to stay healthy makes gardening easier for you and your kids. Healthy soil is a crucial aspect of cultivating a healthy and prosperous garden.

What are the nutrients in soil?

Some of the secondary elements to look for include magnesium, calcium, sulfur, boron, copper, and zinc.

Why is gardening important for kids?

Through gardening, a kid becomes a grower of things, a great plant parent, a responsibility holder, and much more. Gardening, for kids, is just as empowering as pretending to fight off dragons to save their princess.

Why are shears important?

Shears are an important tool only after your plants are fully grown and require maintenance. Unfortunately, there are safety hazards associated with letting your kids use them so be sure to guide your kids on how to use them for safety. You could also check out the different types of gardening shears to choose from.

What do kids learn from gardening?

Through gardening, kids learn to be responsible otherwise their garden won’t survive. There are numerous responsibilities that gardeners must take on which translate to the real world. The idea of waking up every day to water crops, taking time to remove weeds, and harvesting on time. There are many opportunities for a kid to learn the true definition of responsibility.

How to grow crops with kids?

Some soils are rougher than others and need supplementing with soil from a separate area or purchased soil. Take a handful of soil and if it feels hard, dense with clay or feels extremely dry, then it might not be well suited for growing crops. However, poor soils could be easily fixed with effort, time, and some organic matter. Ideally, gardeners want their soil to be practically black and hold just enough moisture. You will obviously feel the difference when you press healthy soil onto your hands.

How to prepare kids for the future?

The easiest way to prepare kids for the future is to teach them how important responsibility is. The last thing you want is a kid who misses payments, shows up late for interviews, wrecks relationships, or forgets to feed their pet because they do not feel responsible for these actions.

What do kids need to know about gardening?

When kids help in the garden throughout the planting season and the summer they understand what it takes to grow, and not just plants. They begin to understand that plants need nutrients from the soil like the nutrients they get from Miracle-Gro Garden Soil. And, just like them, they begin to understand that plants need water ...

How does gardening help kids?

Gardening can be a complete sensory experience for kids. Growing plants isn’t about just digging in dirt, although that’s a great way to experience using the touch sense, but kids can use all their other senses while learning how to grow their own food. Site plays a huge role as they watch their plants get larger and larger with the help of Miracle-Gro soils and plant food. Later in the season sound comes into play as bees and bugs fly around the plants, and of course taste comes into play when they get to experience the delicious fruits of their labor (pun intended).

Why is gardening important for kids?

Environmental responsibility. Just as they learn responsibility for the life of the plants, gardening teaches kids to be responsible for the environment too. Taking care of the beds so that they can be sustainable year-after-year is a hugely important piece when providing a home for plants that will be good.

What can we learn from the garden?

Everything has a season. Big lessons can be learned in the garden about life and the lifecycle of plants, bugs and animals is one of them. From new baby rabbits (that you want to keep out) to mature bees carrying honey back to the hive and to the life of the plants themselves, they can literally watch life happen in the garden.

Why is it important to grow your own food?

Learning to grow your own food encourages you to eat it. As you and your family eat more and more fruits and vegetables as your garden produces they may be experiencing new foods for the first time and discovering new favorite foods too .

Why do we assign one vegetable to each child?

Each year, we assign one vegetable to each child, so they can take ownership and be responsible for the outcomes. Gardening is a great teaching tool!

Is gardening a good activity for kids?

I think gardening is the perfect activity for kids. My son loved helping me to plant our window boxes in our yard.