Gardening With Kids – Making It A Fun Family Activity!

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Gardening with your kids is a great family activity. It’s gets them off the couch, away from the electronic devices and outdoors to enjoy nature. Gardening with kids can teach a lot of great lessons. Children like to learn by doing. And, if they are anything like my children were when they were young, they love to play in the dirt. Planting a flower or edible garden together with them can accomplish all of the above.

Gardening also helps teach an important life skill…responsibility. Giving them the responsibility for watering, weeding and maintaining their garden also fosters a sense of accomplishment when the garden flourishes. It also teaches them the importance of taking care of our environment. Teaching them the basics of gardening will help them gain a better appreciation for this beautiful plant we live on.

Here are some gardening tips to help cultivate a positive experience for them:

Set Them Up For Success
Choose flowers or vegetables that are easy to grow. Starting your plants from seed is an excellent science lesson. Your child can watch their plants sprout within a matter of days. You can even turn it into a science experiment. Plant two different types of seed and see which one is quickest to sprout. It’s cool! Once mature enough, they can then be transplanted into your flowerbed or garden.

Here are some easy to grow flowers and vegetables to try with your kids.
Be sure to read the seed packet or plant tag for proper planting and care instructions.
Sunflowers
Zinnias
Marigolds
Vinca
Lettuces
Radishes
String Beans
Strawberries

Give Them Their Own “Plot” of Land
I’m not talking acres, just a small section they can call “their own” to plant and care for. This reinforces that valuable responsibility lesson I spoke about earlier. Another good idea is to buy them their own kid-sized gardening tools and supplies like a watering can, hoe, spade, and kneeler. Let them dig in and use them (with adult supervision, of course!)

Show It Off
Kids love to be the center of attention. Be sure to take lots of photos of their garden’s progress. Make a photo album or shoot a video. Make these memories last a lifetime. Post their success on Facebook, share it on Instagram, and Tweet it for all the world to see. This is a proud kid/parent moment.

Take It In The Kitchen
If your child planted an edible garden, find a kid-friendly recipe you can make together using the fruits or vegetables that he or she picked. It can be simple like a salad or side dish. This will really allow them to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Gardening with your kids is an rewarding experience. It is an awesome opportunity to spend quality time together as a family while teaching them valuable skills. The key is to have fun! Do you plant a garden as a family? What types of plants or edibles do you grow in your family garden? I would love to hear from you.