How to get your child excited about gardening?

START WITH SMALL PROJECTS

Keep in mind that young children are not yet old enough for big projects. Their attention span is still short and they cannot yet follow the concept of long-term work and reward. In other words, don't start with a project that is too big!

Start with small projects that they can follow and enjoy. If you like, you can start with potted plants rather than a garden. Or you can limit yourself to a single garden bed, or give each child one plot with one crop.

Such goals will be more realistic, so they will hold their attention and help them stick with their goals and (literally) reap the rewards!

 

 

GIVE THEM A SAY IN THE PROCESS

One good way to get a child excited about gardening is to give them the chance to take part in every step of the process. Let them choose what they want to plant, such as a snack they like. If a child likes flowers, help them choose a variety that blooms in their favourite colour.

Also suggest a crop that will lead to an activity they enjoy, such as pumpkins that you can carve into a lantern together before Halloween.

 

 

LET THEM ENJOY THE REWARDS OF THEIR WORK

Make sure the children fully enjoy the fruits of their labour. Enjoy the food from the garden together and involve them in cooking. Show them how to pick vegetables in the garden, wash them and prepare them.

Try making a recipe from the food you grew together, such as a pumpkin pie or a pizza with homemade tomato sauce.

If your garden also has flowers, make a bouquet for the home and share flowers with friends. Your child may also enjoy making a flower book and pressing the flowers they grew in their first garden plot.

 

 

CHOOSE PLANTS THAT MAKE GOOD SNACKS

If there is anything more fun than watching your garden grow, it is being able to eat food you grew yourself. Children love eating food from the garden. Plant a variety of fruit, vegetables and herbs that the children can pick and enjoy whenever you are out in the yard. Among the most popular are tomatoes, strawberries, carrots, leafy greens and even edible flowers.

 

 

GET THEM THEIR OWN TOOLS

Get them their own tools, such as gardening gloves, a bucket, a hoe and a spade. This will help with their independence and motivation. They will take on growing plants as a personal project and will be even prouder when their plants finally bloom.

Skip the cheap plastic versions for kids and get them real tools they can work with effectively - just make sure you supervise them so they don't accidentally hurt themselves.

 

The Fudge children's gardening gloves will help here – comfortable nylon protective gloves will shield your little one from dirt as well as from physical injury. Because they also have a latex coating on the palm, things won't slip out of their hands, and the extra layer provides additional protection. They are available in two sizes for younger and older children, and in three colour combinations. You can see all the options here.