In previous blogs, we’ve covered the importance of getting your kids out and gardening. But how can you get your little kiddos as excited about gardening as you are? Getting your kids enthusiastically gardening and growing food might feel a bit out of reach, especially with spring quickly approaching us here in Guelph. Worry not, however: it’s easier than you may think! Here are a few of our best tips and tricks for getting your little ones excited to grow food with you this year!
Starting seeds is a magical way to get your little ones sucked into the world of gardening and growing food, and an absolutely perfect project to take on this time of year. You can set your little one up for success by creating a kids’ garden kit out of egg cartons, seed starting mix, small handheld garden tools and gloves, and a selection of seeds for them to begin growing. If your kids are a little older, let them choose what they’d like to plant, but for younger kids, we suggest picking out a few different varieties for them to try! Peas, sunflowers, and squash all have chunky seeds that are easy for little hands to grab and are incredibly satisfying to watch grow.
To help show your children what happens under the soil while their seeds start growing, lay some radish or marigold seeds on a wet paper towel for a few days so they can germinate. Once they begin to develop roots, your kids can plant and tend to their sprouted seeds as they grow and begin producing food!
Creating a kids’ garden in a separate bed or section of your garden is an excellent way to get your kids excited about gardening and growing food. If your kid feels ownership over their own garden, they’ll be more excited than ever to get their hands dirty growing their very own veggies! They can even help you get their garden set up in the spring. After all, what kid doesn’t want to go out there and stomp around in mud puddles?
Once your kids’ food garden is set up, be sure to get them some flower seeds, too! Growing flowers is a fantastic opportunity to teach your tots about the wonders of pollination, yet another one of many great educational benefits of gardening with your kids.
While gardening with kids can produce countless moments of magic, it’s important to also include them in some of the less-than-fun chores to show them everything that goes into growing hard-earned, sun-ripened garden food. While this may seem counterproductive to getting them excited about the garden, chances are that you’ll both end up having just as much–if not more–fun playing chore-oriented games than actually growing food! See who can pull the most weeds in ten minutes, have fun getting dirty while spreading compost, or play kitchen scraps cornhole, throwing them onto the compost pile and watching them break down. Your options are truly endless when it comes to turning boring chores into kid-friendly games!
On top of all the fun ways you can get your kids excited about gardening and growing food with their hands in the soil, adding a little flair to the garden is sure to further engage your kiddos! Hummingbird and bird feeders are great for sparking a love of nature by bringing wildlife into your garden space for your kids to admire firsthand. Wind chimes, meanwhile, delight folks of all ages and add a touch of whimsy, as do small water features. On the other hand, a great pair of gardening clogs go a long way! If you’re looking to add a bit of kid-friendly pizzazz to your garden this year, we at Royal City Nursery in Guelph have a wide range of options; come by with your kid and check them out!
We can sometimes get so far into our gardening groove that we forget the ultimate purpose of our vegetable gardens: to eat the food we’ve spent all this time growing! When your kids’ vegetables and flowers have fully matured, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of their labour. This is also the perfect opportunity to teach your children basic cooking skills. Let the older ones chop vegetables and give little ones a mixing spoon so they can see their hard-earned harvests transform into delicious, healthy food!
After this season of gardening and growing food, your kids will gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of nature, hard work, and where their food comes from. Seeing your children growing before your very eyes as they learn more about gardening and the world around them is simply unbeatable. If you’re eager to get your kids interested in gardening and growing food, Royal City Nursery in Guelph is your one-stop shop! Stop by with your kiddos today to see what we’ve got in store.
