Whether you believe sustainable living is vital for our planet's longevity or you simply enjoy a flourishing landscape, you won't regret making gardening a family affair! Cultivating a love for plants and home-grown food in your children creates sweet memories for everyone!
Perhaps the most significant benefit of gardening with your children is the opportunity to work alongside them, showing them the joys of hard work and responsibility! When planting flowers and seeds, younger kiddos can use kid-friendly tools to play in the dirt next to you, pick weeds with you, or decorate garden areas with rocks and leaves! The best part is your little one's creativity and imagination will likely take over as they explore, create, and learn! And what kid doesn't love to get a bit dirty?!
If you have older children, you may find that they enjoy learning about plants' life cycles, where our food comes from or how it grows, and what is necessary for plants' health, like watering and weeding! Try to work with them, so that they can learn from and imitate you. Best of all, you may be surprised to find out picky eaters are more likely to try a veggie they grew themselves!
Curious which veggies you can plant late in the summer?
Nervous about handing the reins over to your toddler or grade-schooler? Gardening or hardware stores have plenty of small, plastic pots and dull, plastic tools for the younger ones. Letting kiddos pick out and plant seeds in their own planter will instill greater joy and responsibility! If they are a bit hesitant to join you, try and find something that suits their style, like watering, picking a bouquet, or decorating stepping stones! As long as you spend time together, the goal is achieved!
In the end, it may take longer to get the job done, but it is worth every second. You may be surprised at how planning, sweating, working, and succeeding together bonds you as a family! Take it as an opportunity to encourage your kids daily, explaining how the work they do results in a gorgeous landscape or healthy meal! Harvest time instills a pride like no other!