Gardening for Children

Now that spring is here, many people are putting in their flower and vegetable gardens. A good thing to do is teach your children how to garden also.

You can start small with small clay pots and a few small plants (seedlings). These plants can be easily maintained and easy to move around. Since children have short attention spans, these type of plants work best.

If you have older children, you can take a small corner of the yard or garden and proceed to develop a small plot for them. Let them know that this is Helen's spot or Timmy's' garden. You might even put up a small sign with their name on it. This will help cultivate their ownership in the garden. They know it is their very own.

The five best vegetables to plant, that grow just about anywhere, are Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Yellow Squash, and Green Beans. These are refereed to has the Fab Five. They grow rather quickly and can produce some very nice veggies. Children will just love the idea of growing their own food. They will be even prouder, when they get to eat it with you.

It teaches children to be responsible and to establish routines for weeding and watering. These can carry over to other chores or small jobs that they have to do. You can remind them each day that it takes work and being responsible to have a successful garden. You can teach them the proper use of the tools that will need. too. You will have to teach them the concept of using tools safely. You will teach them the proper way to water their plants. They will learn that they need water until they are strong enough to survive on their own. You will have to show them how to use stakes and metal cones for the tomatoes.

Another idea is to have them make small signs that mark where certain plants are located in their garden. This will help them with plant identification, too. You can teach them the various stages that plants go through and the time it takes for each plant to reach maturity. They will learn that veggies don't grow in plastic wrappers like they see at the store.

It is very important that you teach them to be patient. Growing plants, till the food is harvest, takes time. You might even compare their success with yours. You can have them give them to their grandparents, older brothers and sisters. Grandparents always enjoy this. You might even take pictures for scrapbooks or just for them to show to others. This helps give the child a sense of worth.

At the end of the gardening session for the day, you can teach your children to put up their tools properly and clean themselves up. It is a good way to teach hygiene,too.

If the gardening goes well, you might even think about purchasing books that they can read during the winter months. This not only educates them but, motivates them to think about and plan for the following summer. You can even incorporate math. When you go to the market, ask the children to see what the prices are for the different vegetables that are sold. This way the children will develop an understanding for the value of vegetables.

All these things are very important. However, the best part is that it is fun. It is a way to bond with your child. This is something all together different than just playing soccer or ball. It is a sharing of many different ideas. Yet at the same time, you are having quality time with your child.