Gardening with Kids

Spring is here, and the kids are ready to go outside and play. A great activity to share with your kids is gardening. There are so many benefits to getting your hands in the soil, engaging with plants and enjoying the benefits of being outside after a long winter.

Why garden with kids?

• Creates a sense of connectivity with the world and our responsibility to it. Gardening helps kids learn resiliency and problem-solving because not everything grows successfully, and they can decide how to pivot when that happens.
• Fosters initial interest in botany. Kids can learn the names of the plants they are tending to and have fun making signs for each plant.
• Outside time means less screen time! Also, gardening is an exercise in patience. Plants take time to sprout, and kids can learn not to get discouraged when things don’t progress immediately. Check out this fun article about gardening with your kids for more excellent reasons to get out and plant.
• Gardening, especially fruit and vegetable gardens, helps kids learn where their food comes from. 
• Growing your own healthy food makes access very easy for kids to pick it right off the plant and enjoy eating it, and kids are more likely to eat vegetables they picked than those you bought at the store.

Check out this article from PBS on how it affects your child's brain, body and soul.

How to Garden with Your Kids 

Babies, yes, even babies can garden. There are many ways that babies can be involved outdoors and in the garden. Sensory play allows them to wiggle their fingers and toes in the soil, feel the shapes of outdoor plants, see the colors of flowers and vegetables, and taste new vegetables or fruits that are soft or easy to cut. 

Toddlers who garden with their caregiver are excited to help and be more involved. Give them their own tools to investigate and emulate family members. Let them have a space in the garden to play at planting, or, if you bought pre-started plants, have them help dig the holes or place the plants in them. 

Preschool-age kids are not only excited to help but can even be given the task of tending their own small plant. With preschool-age kids, you can chat about what a plant needs to grow and spend time learning the names of different plants. Kids can try their hand at growing their own plant, such as a bean or sunflower seed, in a pot. These generally grow quickly and can get quite tall.

School-age kids have probably been exposed to plants in the classroom, so use what they learned to apply it to the home garden. They can have fun charting plant growth as a race to see which type of plant will become tallest, or they can be more involved with watering all the plants and maybe have an area all their own where they can plant and care for their favorite flowers or vegetables.

What do you need for gardening?

• Allow kids to plant for different yield times to provide instant gratification, including starter plants that fruit quickly, annuals, perennials and more.
• Mulching is important. It keeps the ground from drying out or becoming too hot for the roots. Mulching can be an opportunity for older children to get some energy out. 
• Supplies include shovels, pots (if container gardening), dirt, mulch, permanent marker, blank signs to mark plants, seeds or starter plants.
• These plants are easy for kids to grow and bloom at a variety of times:
  • Flowers
    • Marigolds
    • Zinnias
    • Nasturtium 
    • Sunflowers
    • Lily bulbs
  • Herbs and vegetables
    • Tomatoes
    • Lettuce 
    • Zucchini 
    • Chili/jalapeno peppers 
    • Jack-Be-Little pumpkins 
    • Green beans 
    • Beets
    • Basil

For more suggestions, check out our list of gardening e-books for kids. 

When to Start Planting

Here in Michigan, we are considered zone 6, so it is recommended to wait until after the last frost before doing spring planting. For many in lower Michigan, planting around Memorial Day is usually a safe time frame.

If you want to get a head start on your planting, begin seeds indoors around February. This gives the plants plenty of time to grow and mature before being added to your outdoor garden. 

Keep these handy tips nearby and have a wonderful year gardening with your kids!