Planting can be a great activity for a fun and meaningful learning experience for your child. Gardening offers your child the opportunity to learn about the life cycle process, as well as independence, care taking, responsibility, and environmental awareness. Introducing your child to gardening also increases their awareness of how food is grown and the importance of our environment.
Planting Basics
The first and most important thing to decide when beginning a garden is where your plants should grow. Ideally, the plot of land should be in an area that gets lots of sunlight. It is also important that the soil quality is good so that the plants have the best opportunity to grow.
Dig up and till about 6 to 10 inches of the soil, and add a few layers of organic material or mulch to strengthen the soil.
Have a look at the space you have and draw up a plan for the garden. Plant the tallest crops along the north side of the garden, descending in height to the south side.
If there isn’t space in your yard for a garden, use plastic or clay planting containers instead. Make sure the containers have good drainage. If your child is growing their plants in containers, plant in ready-to-use potting soil and water them regularly.
The basic planting tools your child will need are spades, trowels, hoes, rakes, and watering cans.
Kid-Friendly Planting Tips
A great way to pique your child’s interest in gardening is to assign a patch of the garden or a container to them. A 3×3 foot area is perfect to start with, and your child can decide what they want to grow without affecting the rest of the garden according to this top garden website.
Purchase child-sized garden tools to ensure your child’s safety and ease of use.
Children love exploring, so turning the garden into an adventure will get them interested in the process. Set up a teepee or some vines on a trellis for your child to enjoy.
Keep it fun. This is the top tip for planting with kids. When giving your child instructions or guidance, keep it fun, light, and simple to understand.
Plants for Kids to Grow
When choosing plants to grow, it is essential to select plants that your child will enjoy growing. Children love plants that are easy to recognize, grow quickly, and have strong smells.
Choose plants that have bigger seeds so your child can handle them more easily. Pea, sunflower, squash, and pumpkin are great plants with larger seeds.
Plants that can be eaten are also loved by children. As the veggies grow, your child can pick them and eat them. Snow peas are a great choice.
If you child is still learning the patience skill, plants that grow quickly will keep them interested. Radishes, lettuce, and cherry tomatoes are hardy plants that grow fast.
For little ones, growing plants that they recognize – such as potatoes, carrots, and pumpkin – will excite them.
Children enjoy sensory experiences, and planting crops with various textures will take them on an exciting journey.
Teaching your child a skill and hobby that involves them using their hands, senses, brains, and common sense is a great way to get your child out in the sunlight and fresh air. What’s even better is that they can reap the rewards of their hard work too. When their plants are ripe, they can use them as toppings on a pizza – a fun and delicious way to show off their accomplishments.