This post may contain affiliate links. Full privacy policy and disclosure here.
Gardening has a lot to offer your children, and it can provide kids with a better understanding of the world around them, and encourage them to spend time outside and in nature. It is also a way to teach children about patience.
A lot of people assume that patience is something you are either born with or not, but this is simply not true. You can learn to be patient or to become more patient, and gardening is undeniably one of the best ways to do this.
Adults often learn this as they age, and children can also be heavily involved in the art of gardening, too. It may be the perfect way to teach your kids to show that extra bit of patience and passion in other areas of their life.
Spark Interest
The first thing you need to do is to spark your child’s interest in gardening and the natural world. Unfortunately, if they aren’t interested, there is very little chance of them going through with all of the maintenance needed to keep a healthy garden and to grow the sort of product you may be hoping for.
Sparking their interest could be as simple as visiting some other beautiful gardens or watching influencers and YouTubers who have created incredible gardens. Often, seeing the end result can be the inspiration that children (and adults) need.
Give Your Children Their Own Garden Space
This is a great way to trust your child and get them involved in gardening, by letting them have their own little garden space.
You can implement a landscape design that sections off a separate garden of their own, even if it is small. Something like a vegetable or flower patch can be a good way to get started, and this way there isn’t too much commitment needed from kids in terms of watering and looking after the space.
Children having their own little corner means that they also are more likely to take ownership, a bit like they may do with their own decoration of their bedroom, for instance.
Kids can set themselves a project which may involve growing things they can give to others like fruits or flowers.
Let Your Kids Use Easy-to-Handle Garden Equipment
Kids will also enjoy the trust that is given to them if you let them use some equipment. Some of this can be very fun for kids, and things like spray nozzles to water their own plants can be enough to help spark their interest.
You can also let them use tools such as trowels that can help them to learn more about gardening and precisely what is needed to get the most out of the land and natural space around them.
Choose High-Interest Plants
Some plants are more exciting for children than others, there is no denying it. Things like sweet peas, poppies, and snapdragons can be great for teaching your kids gardening, and though they will have to be patient, some of the best high-interest and attractive plants and flowers don’t take too long to grow.
A lot of fruiting plants can also be of high interest, which leads us nicely to the next point…
Eat the Fruits of Your Labors
Imagine being able to prepare a meal using ingredients your kids have grown in the garden. This provides a huge reward for kids and helps them to understand the reasons why people spend a lot of time gardening. The end result can be fantastic.
If you are focusing on things like fruits, vegetables, and herbs, you can incorporate these into your children’s diet, and they will undoubtedly be proud of the fact they have been able to create meals for themselves from their own little patch of land.
Salad leaves, peppers, and many hardy herbs can be great options to grow in your garden in the spring and summer months particularly, plus they can be healthy and tasty.
Visit a Botanical Garden
Magical botanical gardens can be some of the most beautiful places to spend an afternoon with your children, and it is bound to leave them with a lot of ideas for what they may want to do with their own patch of land.
