How to Involve Your Kids in Growing Herbs

As a mom, I spend most of my time with my kids. I pretty quickly learned that if I wanted to enjoy my favorite hobbies that I would have to get my kids interested in them, too. As soon as we got our kids hooked on fishing, we were able to go fishing more often. The same magic happened with growing herbs. My kids went along with me to a class on growing herbs last year. Once they left with their own pots of chocolate mint, rosemary and basil, the roots of growing herbs had taken hold.

The variety of shapes, textures, colors and of course aromas offered by herbs are naturally attractive to kids. Herbs stimulate their sense of sight, smell, touch and taste. We grow some herbs in our family garden but most we enjoy potted on our porch and we have a few in our kitchen. With children, out of sight is often out of mind and so growing herbs close by to where they play and cook, keeps them in mind and in use.

I have a few tips to make growing herbs personal for kids. One idea that always seems to encourage ownership and nurture of plants is to allow them to paint and decorate the pots. Whether it's a collage of color or delicate design, painting the pots makes it personal for kids. Adding craft googly eyes to pots gives them character and for those kids who just love to tie things, adding ribbon bows is fun too. My kids also like to intersperse rocks they've found in the river or shells they've collected at the shore in around their plants.

The most fun tip for enjoying growing herbs with kids is to encourage them to name their herbs. Kids love to name things. We have Rosalina Rosemary, Carlotta Chocolata Mint, Thumbelina Thyme, Beatrice Basil, Oscar Oregano, Sally Sage and Lovie Lavender

When we are cooking together I can simply say "Who'd like to see what Thumbelina Thyme has to offer for our chicken today?" or "Does Rosalina Rosemary have anything she'd like to give us for our omelets this morning?" Little feet scamper and little hands always return with a bounty, accompanied by proud smiles.

My kids were glad to learn that basil would become pesto, a favorite pasta accompaniment. I loved it when they made the connection that the sage smell of our kitchen soap was the gift from growing herbs, not a factory lab. We also hung a drying ring in our kitchen and experimented with drying oregano, sage and thyme. By growing herbs and drying herbs children can see the plant and process that produces what they've only experienced in a spice bottle.

This is a great time to start thinking about planting an herb garden with your little kitchen helpers. Soon it will be time for bowls of berries and homemade ice creams that just love to be joined by mint. If I could have only one herb to grow with my kids it would be mint because they enjoy picking it and savoring it as is. Lemon Verbena is also a favorite as the leaves permeate the air with a delicious, lemony fragrance and the blooms attract our friends the butterflies. A sprig livens up any vase of hand picked flowers. In the kitchen can kids can enjoy adding lemon verbena to drinks, shakes, fruit desserts and ice creams.

If you have cheese lovers at your table they may also enjoy sprinkling dried sage on their cheese. My children are fond of adding fresh basil to bowls of grape or pear tomatoes. It's funny. Getting kids to try "green" herbs always seems easier than getting them to try green vegetables. Growing herbs with kids gives them an easy way to add homegrown to any meal or snack they help to prepare. Consider growing herbs together with your kids this year.