The 1-2-3 Guide to Gardening for Kids

Children love to play outdoors in nature. Children who are naturally inclined to do everything with their hands are nothing less than great explorers.

And one great way to nurture this innate ability and fuel their desire to learn is to build a small garden with your children.

Gardening is a wonderful activity that not only helps children learn about plants and conservation science, but also develops skills such as patience, responsibility, care and affection for them. nature.

• Benefits of gardening
• How to create a garden
• Garden tools for children
• Vegetables that can be grown with children
• Fruits that can be grown with children
• Flowers that can be grown together with children
• Herbs that can be grown with children
• Garden crafts and activities for children
• Gardening books for children
• Gardening kits for kids

A truly enjoyable experience, gardening with children is a rewarding family activity!

Benefits of gardening

1. Engages all five senses

What better way to engage all five senses than gardening! Gardening engages the senses in a way that no other activity does.

Digging the soil, feeling the water, smelling the plants, tasting fresh produce and listening to the crunch of freshly picked vegetables all contribute to children’s sensory exploration.

2. Develops motor skills

It’s no secret that young children lag behind in the development of motor skills. Thanks to mobile devices and the lack of unplanned daily activities in the fresh air, gross motor skills have been seriously affected.

Gardening is one activity that solves this problem in the most natural way. Children love to get their hands dirty and play with water.

Gardening allows them to do both! Plowing the soil, creating beds, planting tiny seeds and handling tender seedlings are endless opportunities to improve motor skills.

Quick Tip: Make cute stuffed animals for kids to get them interested in gardening and plants in general.

3. Encourages healthy eating

Turn your picky eater into a healthy eater by growing fruits and vegetables together. Children are much more likely to eat what they have grown (or even picked!) themselves.

4. Build family bonds

Gardening provides a great opportunity for the whole family to work together. It’s a calming and deeply satisfying activity and a great excuse to get away from screens.

5. Educates responsibility and care

Gardening provides a great practical lesson in responsibility and care. Plants don’t grow overnight.

You need to take care of them and treat them responsibly. From watering to weeding, there are many things that need to be done before your plants produce fruit.

6. Develops scientific insight

Gardening allows children to observe plants and their life cycles and further analyze what conditions promote the best plant growth. Thus helping children to turn into little scientists.

7. Teaches practical mathematics

How deep or far should the seeds be planted? How many days until the plant matures? How many hours of sunlight does a particular plant need? How many times to water during the week? Gardening really is full of math exercises!

8. Creates environmental awareness

Children are more likely to care for their natural environment when they grow up tending their own gardens. This helps them understand the seriousness of environmental conservation and its consequences for the health of our planet.

How to start a garden

The first step in creating a garden is determining the location. You don’t necessarily need a large outdoor space to create a nursery for your children. With a little thought, even small spaces can be turned into blooming gardens.

Choose a location that gets enough vitamin D or sunlight. A bright, sunny plot about 3×3 is a great place to start an outdoor garden.

If you don’t have a backyard, look at your balcony and rooftops. These areas are usually airy and sunlit. A few thoughtfully placed pots can easily turn your balcony or roof into a green space.

Use containers to plant seeds and grow plants if you’re short on space. Clay pots, terracotta pots, old sandboxes are great options for pots. However, do not forget to choose a pot according to the plants you plan to grow in it.

The size of the pot should correspond to the size of the plant. As a general rule, the container should be about one-third the height of the plant (measured from soil level to the tallest leaf).

Your child will also need basic garden tools like rakes, spades, shovels, trowels and watering cans. Invest in kid-friendly garden tools that are child-safe and suitable for your little one’s little hands.

Armed with the right gardening tools for kids, the entire gardening experience can turn into a well-planned adventure.

Garden tools for children

1. GLOSAV 3 pairs of children’s gardening gloves

The first thing your child needs before setting off on a gardening adventure is a pair of good gardening gloves.

Designed for maximum comfort and flexibility, these gloves are breathable and keep your hands perfectly dry.

2. Children’s garden tools

This set is awesome! Armed with a canvas bag, it includes a watering can, spade, rake, trowel, washable apron, gardening gloves, plant pots and a pack of ten labels.

3. Gimars sturdy metal kindergarten tools

A cute complete garden set for young children, this is a versatile set of garden tools for children.

The tools are made of high-quality metal and plastic handles, making them durable enough for child-safe use.

4. Set of children’s garden tools Play22

A great set of garden tools for your little gardener to learn about plants and explore their yard.

This wooden garden set includes a spade, rake, spade and leaf rake. Strong and durable, this set is sure to get your child interested in gardening.

5. PiscatorZone Children’s Garden Tool Set

Made from harmless materials, this garden tool set is ideal for children. Rounded metal edges on tools ensure child safety and functionality.

The bag is ideal for small children and neatly holds all the garden equipment for children.

6. CUTE STONE Children’s garden tool set

We love this set of garden tools for kids. There’s a lot in this set – pushchair, watering can, gloves, hand rake, spade, double hoe, cultivator, hedge shears, washable apron.

The best part is this wheelbarrow is as functional as it is fun. A great choice for indoor and outdoor gardening.

7. Dimple Garden Wagon & Tools Toy Set

This is a great buy for your little gardener. Featuring eight garden tools, four pots, a water bucket, a spray bottle and a toy garden cart, this children’s garden tool set makes a complete garden gift for your little one.

8. A set of children’s garden tools B4MBOO

Are you looking for garden tools that are sturdy enough to fit little hands?

That’s it! Strong wooden handles, high-quality metal heads make these tools ideal for digging.

9. Melissa & Doug Happy Giddy Garden Tool Belt

This Melissa & Doug garden set comes with a handy garden belt and four tools. Great for both indoor and outdoor gardening, this kit is big enough to get young kids started gardening.

10. Colwelt Kids Gardening Tool Set

This super cute garden set for kids is an eye-catcher. The watering can is charmingly shaped like an elephant, and the water sprayer is packaged in the shape of a rotating flower. Sure to attract the attention of children, this garden tool set is suitable for young children.

11. G & F Products Children’s Water Bucket with Garden Tools

If you’re looking to add a few tools to your child’s existing (or practical) garden tools, we recommend this one. The set includes a shovel, a rake, a bucket and a cultivator. Packages that are enough to start planting with children.

Plants for growing with children

With your location determined, your pots selected, and your tools ready, it’s time to decide what to plant. When gardening with children, it is advisable to choose resistant plants with a strong smell and those that grow quickly. Another tip: use wood chips for mulch to create healthy soil for your produce.

Kids also love to snack on what they’ve grown, so choose plants that kids can eat too!

Vegetables for growing with children

1. Salad

Lettuce is easy to grow and matures within 50-60 days of the growing season. These plants grow in the shade and moist soil. It is a cool season crop, so the best time to plant it is February-April and September-November, when the temperature is not too hot and not too cold.

2. Radish

Radishes are another plant with a short growing season for impatient children. Radishes ripen quickly within four weeks. It is a cool season crop, so plant it in winter.

3. Snow peas

Kids will love these tasty snacks! Easy to grow and quick to mature, snow peas are an ideal garden vegetable for children. Their purple, yellow and white flowers will add beauty to your balcony or terrace garden and delight children. Sow them in mid-November to enjoy them until January.

4. Cherry tomatoes

They grow quickly and make a great snack. They are fun to grow and they look absolutely adorable! However, when planting cherry tomatoes, it is best not to use seeds, but their seedlings. These warm-weather vegetable plants grow well in pots and containers, so they’re a must-have for your indoor garden for kids.

5. Pumpkin

India is the second largest producer of pumpkin after China, so we highly recommend you try this vegetable! A pumpkin is a great option if you have an open space and a patient child. It takes almost three to four months to harvest this vegetable. But they are definitely worth the effort – especially during Halloween! The best time for sowing pumpkin is January-March and September-December.

6. French beans

These light vegetables can be planted in the August – September months of the rabi season. These climbers are great for snacking and packed with nutrients. Plus, your child will get a hands-on lesson in watching a climber grow!

Fruits for planting with children

7. Strawberry

Your kids will love growing their own strawberries. These delicate fruits can be easily grown in pots or in a small area. It takes about four to six weeks to harvest, and we’re sure your kids will love picking them from their very own strawberry patch. The best time for planting is October–November and April–May.

8. Lemons

These citrus fruits are best suited for outdoor gardens. They can be harvested year-round and require little to moderate care. Harvesting begins when the tree is at least 4 months or a year old, so make sure your child has enough patience. In addition, it is a great joy to watch them grow from seed into a strong lemon tree.

9. Pomegranate

Another fruit tree commonly grown in outdoor home gardens is the pomegranate. These flowering trees can be planted between February and March. Fruiting occurs almost 7 months after planting, so this fruit again requires a lot of patience.

10. Orange

Add a dwarf orange plant to brighten up your child’s gardening experience. These dwarf orange plants produce very sweet and beautiful fruit, but are extremely sour. Nevertheless, these orange plants will add color and scent to your garden.

Flowers for planting with children

11. Sunflower

Sunflower is the joy of every child! These flowers follow the movement of the sun, which makes them really fascinating for children. These bright yellow flowers can be planted in the plot or in pots, making them a great choice for gardening with children.

12. Marigolds

These beautiful yellow, orange and rust flowers will make a great addition to your garden adventure with the kids. These flowers are perfect for both indoors and outdoors and are easy to grow and care for.

13. Cosmos

These hardy plants are a must if you plan to add flowers to your garden. These are hardy self-sowing plants with pretty pink, red and white flowers. Truly low-maintenance, these flowers are ideal for children who are just learning the basics of gardening.

14. Rose

Троянда не потребує представлення – це король квітів. Choose the color of your child’s choice and let these flower fragments bloom in your garden. Їх можна легко посадити в горщики, а також на грядки. Обов’язково тримайте їх у сонячному місці, щоб рослина процвітала.

Herbs that can be grown with children

15. The Holy Basilica

Holy basil (Tulsi) is a staple plant in every Indian household. Packed with healing properties, these plants love sun and well-drained soil. Plant the seeds in early spring to welcome your plant into summer.

16. Mint

These wonderfully aromatic herbs grow well in cool climates. So plant them in fall in loose, well-drained soil. These plants love the sun, so choose a sunny place for planting in the garden.

17. Fennel

Another highly aromatic herb, fennel is known for its digestive properties. They are sown in the spring in loose fertilized soil. Water regularly to keep the soil moist to help your grass grow.

18. Lemon tree

This medicinal plant is a great addition to your child’s herb garden. These plants grow best in warm, humid climates and do well with natural fertilizers.

With constant effort and care, your garden will soon bloom and surprise your little ones. Gardening with children is a great way to spend time together and is very satisfying. Nothing compares to the joy of watching seedlings sprout from seed beds and grow into fruit/vegetable plants.

Be prepared to provide additional assistance depending on your child’s age. The last thing you want is for them to be overwhelmed by the task. Gardening is hard work. Not everyone likes gardening. Your child may not be ready to work with compost or weed. So offer help and lots of encouragement.

To keep your child interested, don’t forget to show off his work to family and friends. This will create a sense of pride and achievement in your children – the best form of motivation.

If your child is easily bored and doesn’t (yet!) have the patience to grow their own plants, don’t be sad. Instead, engage them in easy plant learning activities that will ignite their interest in gardening.

Having a baby is another way to warm your kids up to gardening. Here are some crafts that your little one is sure to love.

Garden crafts and activities for children

1. Pressed flowers

Pressed flowers make beautiful keepsakes and are super easy to make. All you need is a few sheets of old newspaper, cardboard and fresh flowers.

How to do it:

• Place a sheet of cardboard on the table.
• Cover a sheet of cardboard with two sheets of newspaper.
• Place the flowers on the newspaper.
• Place the flowers on two sheets of newspaper and a sheet of cardboard on top.
• Add a few books on top or put a composition under the mattress of your bed.

Your pressed flowers will be ready in 10 days or more. Carefully remove them. Your pressed flowers are ready! Use them to decorate bookmarks, packing slips or handmade cards.

2. Make a collage of leaves

This is a great craft for kids of any age who love to craft. It’s also a great STEM activity for kids. Collect fallen leaves of different shapes, sizes and colors.

Stick them on a white sheet to create an attractive leaf collage to showcase the variety of plants in your area.

3. Garden patterns

This is a great garden activity for young children that can be used as a practical math challenge. Let your kids be little garden explorers and collect as many unique things as possible from a nearby garden or park. Be it acorns, leaves, pods or fallen flowers and fruits!

Once your child has prepared their tray of garden collectibles, let them stamp them on fat play dough to create patterns. When you’re done with the pattern, spread the play dough out in a sunny spot to dry.

4. Do-it-yourself natural brushes

Children love colors! But this time, instead of regular store-bought brushes, let them paint with grass and leaf brushes.

What you will need:

• Grass
• Leaf
• Twigs
• Sticks
• Rubber bands
• Tape

How to do it:

Step 1: Ask the child to collect fallen leaves, branches, grass from the nearby garden.

Step 2: Using tape, make small neat bunches of grass or leaves that will be the head of your DIY brush.

Step 3: Secure the grass/leaf head to one end of the wooden stick with rubber bands. That’s it! Your natural brushes are ready.

Let your child use them to paint their heart and reveal the artist within.

5. Get composted

Composting at home is a great way to show your love for the planet and keep kitchen waste out of landfills. Composting is also a great science activity for kids and a hands-on lesson about nature’s self-sustaining ability to recycle.

6. Make a stuffed animal

A scarecrow is an ideal garden product for every child. These cute little scarecrows are just right for your gardens. And if you have a luxurious outdoor garden, we advise you to simply increase its size.

7. Pots painted by hand

Brighten up your garden with these hand-painted pots. We are sure that your child, having made his own hand-painted pots, will definitely want to start planting.

8. Do-it-yourself bird feeder

A homemade bird feeder is sure to attract beautiful birds to your garden. A simple homemade bird feeder is made from readily available recycled materials and is a quick fix.

What you will need:

• Foam sheet/empty toilet paper roll
• Dough (atta)/peanut butter
• Mixed grains: we chose millet and wheat.
• Twine

How to do this:

Step 1: If you’re using an empty toilet paper roll, you don’t need to do this. My Lo wanted to use a styrofoam sheet, so we rolled it up and stapled it together to resemble a tube.

Step 2: Make two holes opposite each other at one end of the tube.

Step 3: Pull the twine through the holes and set aside.

Step 4: Now ask your child to roll out the dough and make a really big chapati. My son loves doing this and it’s great practice for fine motor skills.

When your boyfriend makes the chapatti, ask him to lightly wet the tube/paper roll with water. Now we stick our chapati on the tube.

I asked my son why we used water and he said that water makes the dough sticky.

If you use peanut butter, have your child spread a nice thick layer on the tube.

Step 5: After you have glued the dough onto the tube, cut off the excess and have your child roll it out in the tube. grain Children have a lot of fun watching how the grains stick to the dough. When there are enough grains on the feeder, select a branch and hang it.

Easy peasy and fun! Be sure to keep a certain distance from the bird feeder so that the birds will enter it. You don’t want to scare them off by being too close.

9. A product in a fairy garden

This is an incredibly charming product that you can do with children. This little fairy garden is sure to delight your children and add charm to your garden.

10. Garden of paper plates

Paper plate gardens are a great craft for younger children that develop fine motor skills and creativity.

Explore nature with these great children’s gardening books. Like gardening, these books are a great way to get away from the screen and engage children in a meaningful way. And yes, they improve your child’s literacy skills.

Gardening books for children

1. Parts of plants

Immerse yourself in plant anatomy and learn all about plant parts, classification and more through hands-on experiments and exercises. This book takes hands-on learning very seriously and makes learning fun!

2. In the garden

This is a great gardening book for children. Follow the life cycle of a garden as the author takes you through the different seasons and the plants that grow in those seasons. This book is an excellent addition to the science curriculum.

3. The Little Gardener – helping children communicate with the natural world

A wonderful gardening book for children, Little Gardeners is ideal for parents and carers who are considering starting a garden with their children.

With detailed instructions, tips, anecdotes, and seasonal activities, this book introduces readers to the natural environment and the beauty they see.

4. We are gardeners

This New York Times bestseller perfectly sums up the family gardening experience. This is a sweet book that teaches children many subtle but important life lessons. Beautifully illustrated, this book makes a great addition to gardening books for children.

5. GROW: How we get food from our garden

Grow is a delightful rhyming book, the perfect gardening book for young children. Brilliantly written, it documents how food actually grows. It’s sure to improve your child’s understanding of how we actually get our food!

6. Rainbow stew

This is a great book aimed at introducing preschoolers to gardening. Not only that, it also encourages children to eat a variety of vegetables. The simple rhyming and plot make it a great read for young children.

7. Farmer Bear’s garden

A great read about gardening and sharing, Farmer Bear’s Garden is a heartwarming read. Easy to understand language combined with beautiful illustrations make it a worthwhile read.

8. Book “Flower Alphabet”

This book will turn your child (and you!) into a flower lover. A great picture book to learn about flowers, this is an informative read. Perfect for small children!

9. The book “Vegetable Alphabet”

Learn all about gardening in a fun way with this Vegetable Alphabet book. A great start to learning about unusual vegetables.

10. My garden

This is a story about a little girl who helps her mother in the garden. But everyone likes to do things their own way! A fun tale perfect for every child, My Garden is a creative take on what a garden could look like.

11. An interesting garden

Another New York Times bestseller, The Curious Garden is an interesting and exciting story about a young boy named Liam. Steeped in environmental themes, this book teaches important lessons about hard work and how an idea can make a difference.

12. Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt

This is a great book to expand your child’s horizons about what might be living in their garden. This will help children understand the cyclical nature of our seasons and how gardens change with each cycle. A great, informative read!

13. Gardening projects for children

This great gardening science project book has practical ideas that are easy to implement. Packed with 60 projects and nearly 500 photos, this is a great buy for the gardening enthusiast.

14. Roots, Shoys, Bucket & Boots

Plant a garden with the kids and connect with nature. Filled with gardening activities with kids, this book will help you connect and build deeper bonds with your child.

15. Garden magazine

Keeping a journal is a great way to document your gardening journey. Designed for ages 8 and up, your kids will love this journal.

16. A Green Place to Be

This book is an artistic history of the creation and evolution of New York’s Central Park. Filled with interesting information and wonderful illustrations, it captivates its readers and builds on their knowledge of Central Park.

17. Berries, nuts and seeds

If your child is interested in berries, nuts and seeds, then this book is just for you. Packed with information and facts, this book is a souvenir to remember.

18. An extraordinary gardener

A moving book about how intentions can shape the world. This is a must read and is a great gardening book to help your kids create their own garden.

19. Harlem Grown

An inspiring picture book will enchant you. Adapted from the true story of Tony Hillery, this book is loved by children and adults alike. It’s about how an idea and effort can go a long way toward achieving the incredible.

Related: Check out biographies for kids to inspire them and make them believe in the power of their dreams.

20. Life cycle of plants

Explore the life cycle of plants through experiments and crafts to make learning practical and last a lifetime. Packed with information, exercises, and worksheets, this e-book is the perfect choice for kids who want to learn how plants grow.

While these guides will get your kids ready to practice their gardening skills, the following list of gardening kits for kids will help your kids put their newly acquired skills to good use.

These gardening kits for kids are ideal if you are short on space or don’t have a dedicated garden space for your kids. These indoor garden kits are sure to please your kids and inspire them to create their own mini gardens.

Gardening kits for kids

1. Set for painting flowers and plants

This set includes a tin planter, plastic liner, soil, 3 flower seed bags, 3 DIY mushroom cutouts, 12 color paint strips, 2 brushes, a paint palette, 3 wooden plant markers, a spade, a watering bottle and a beautiful instruction booklet.

A complete planting kit, it makes a great gift for young gardeners.

2. Yadoker Gardening Mini Science Kits

This gardening kit comes with a grow light to help your plants grow better. A quirky take on traditional planting kits, this kit also includes a ruler for timely plant height measurements. Suitable for both outdoor and indoor gardening.

3. Set for growing Sunflower Garden

Living up to its name, the Sunflower Garden Grow Kit helps your child grow five different types of sunflowers. We love its biodegradable cups and discs with coconut palm soil. The seeds are close to 90% similar, making this set worth the money.

4. Starter set of GARDOOK seeds

If you are looking for a garden kit for the experienced gardener and enthusiast, this kit is a great buy. This complete herb seed starter kit contains 100 pots to help you get the most out of your gardening efforts. This is a great addition to your outdoor herb garden.

5. Botany – a set for an experimental greenhouse

This botany kit is a great starter for hands-on botany lessons and experiments for kids. Step-by-step instructions and a simple guide make this set a hit with kids who like to experiment.

6. The Path to Hydroponics Kit and Gardening Journal

This kit is designed for children ages 8 and up and helps kids grow plants hydroponically. A great addition to your indoor garden, this kit is a hassle-free way to grow plants.

7. 4M Grow-A-Maze Green Science Kit

This wonderful set of STEM toys will impress not only children but also adults. Create a maze and watch your plants grow in it! This fun gardening kit is sure to keep your child engaged.

8. Engino Botanic Laboratory

Build your own fully functional greenhouse and watch your seeds grow. Suitable for ages 12 and up, this STEM toy beautifully combines hands-on engineering and plant science.

9. Transparent container for compost

Explore the science of composting with this STEM toy that actually lets you watch the decomposition process. Composting has never been more fun!

10. Sets for fairy gardens. Children’s gardening

What could be more magical than children building fairy gardens? The lights and music in the set make this gardening set really dreamy and like a fairyland. Fun and engaging, this kids gardening toy is perfect for toddlers.

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Source: The 1-2-3 Guide to Gardening for Kids