Many people grow gardens to have a sustainable food source that provides their family members with healthy produce. While it’s an incredibly useful hobby to take part in, it can be challenging to get children interested in maintaining plants.
Fortunately, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Try these six gardening tips that are sure to get the whole family involved.
#1- Demonstrate First
If your children are new to gardening, start each step of the process by demonstrating how to perform tasks. Once they’ve seen your example, let them try on their own.
#2- Let Kids Make Choices
Let your children decide which plants they want to start. It’s a good idea to buy seeds that do well in your specific zone, but other than doing your best to ensure you’ve got area-appropriate seeds, leave a lot of the choice in seeds up to the kids.
#3- Give Everyone Their Own Tools
Make sure that everyone who is participating has their own tools to work with. Children will likely get bored and lose interest in a project when they have to wait for the rest of the family to use a single set of tools.
#4- Assign Spaces
To ensure each child has the opportunity to explore and enjoy experimenting with a new garden, give each family member their own space to work with. Not only does this help promote the idea that each child is growing plants on their own, but it also protects each child’s space from interference.
#5- Help with Schedules
Once the planting is done, help your child keep up with watering, weeding, or composting schedules. After a couple of weeks, the behavior will become a habit and you likely will not have to remind your child to take care of their garden section.
#6- Combine Fun and Function
Along with planting food, it’s also a good idea to plant a few items that are already grown (such as shrubs and flowers). This way, the children can have a bit of instant gratification and something pleasant to look at while they wait for their seeds to sprout.
Not only is gardening a process that encourages families to work together, but it is also a skill your children will be able to take with them into adulthood. It’s an excellent way to bond with your loved ones this summer, especially if you plan to stay home during these months.
