Getting Your Kids in the Garden 101

May 29

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School's out! The sun is shining, the grass is green, and your kids are energized! What better way to bond with your children than by growing and building something together in your beautiful backyard. Not only will it be fun and keep them entertained, but it will also teach them a few important things on their way to having the liveliest play area in the neighborhood. It is a simple 4 step process for you to get this fun bonding into motion.One of the most important things in growing a garden is knowing what exactly you should be growing and what the best things are for you and your child to be growing together. You want to pick flowers, vegetables, or herbs that your kid will be excited to see grow. Choose ones that have color! We recommend radishes, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and sunflowers. Nothing says summer quite like sunflowers! Make sure you still talk it over with your child because he/she might have a flower or vegetable in their mind they would like to grow.Next, you will need to gather your supplies. To assure that your child is feeling included in everything, we recommend having them pick out their own tools as well. They'll enjoy it much more if they are beside Mom or Dad working hard with their own tools. Now, ideas for where exactly you will be planting this garden!! If you have an old sandbox the kids don't use anymore, that is an ideal place to start your garden. It is important to pick a place that you and your child can both maneuver around easily. If you are looking for a less permanent or mobile garden, plain ceramic pots work perfectly fine, and gives children the chance to be creative and decorate the pot however they please! The necessary supplies list includes the seeds, small pots, extra soil for re-planting, and a small shovel. Don't forget this step because you won't get too far without it! :)Once you have all the supplies, you need to make a "layout" for your garden. Decide specifically where each plant will be and then decorate place markers for each species to keep them organized while they grow. This step is great, because it is yet another opportunity for your child to be involved in the process. It's important to keep them entertained, interested, and active with their minds!Now, you can get to the really fun part of getting dirty. It's time to plant! Take the plants from their starter packs and transfer them to their containers, and add more soil around each plant to pack it in tightly. Mark each plant with your plant markers, and watch them grow!It is a fun and amazing time to bond with them and it will teach them some very valuable lessons. It will show them how to take care of something and nurture it. They also will learn the positive effects of working hard and finishing what they say they will do. When your plants are fully grown, you both will be able to see the beauty that has come from such a special time together! Happy growing!