As parents, one of the greatest joys we can experience is sharing our own hobbies and interests with our children, and introducing them to the activities that make us happy. During the summer months, gardening can be a great way to relieve your own stress and also teach your kids about the importance of patience, a gentle spirit, and growing something from scratch. There are a few ways you can allow and encourage your little ones to get involved - and interested - in your gardening activities this year. Whether you grow flowers, vegetables, plants, or simply tend to the landscaping around your home, there are so many opportunities to help your child use their creativity to lend a hand.
1. Let them choose colors, plants, or seeds! This can allow them to feel ownership over what you plant and grow throughout the season, allowing them to keep track of progress and feel pride when something blossoms. 2. Get them their own set of garden tools. Like this one, from Amazon. Gifting them a set like this can help them feel inspired to leverage their new tools to play in the dirt, sand, or garden. 3. Let them make messes. Especially if you have a Lessy Messy trunk mat or play mat on hand. Messes like dirt, seeds, and mulch can be easily shaken out from clothes and our washer/dryer friendly products before tossing directly into the wash. In the end, they’ll make precious, messy memories. 4. Create a chart to track garden progress. You can help educate your kiddos on the growth process of your plants, fruits, vegetables, or herbs by choosing a day of the week to create journal entries with drawings and notes on their development. 5. Let them name each plant. Kids often grow much more interested when something special is given a name - this isn’t just true of their family pets, as it applies to plants as well! Let them name certain plants after their favorite cartoon characters, superheroes, or friends, and watch their attention grow. 6. Teach them about garden pests and insects. When growing anything, it’s likely you’ll encounter bugs, weeds, or other critters. This makes a great learning experience for your little one, as you can teach them about how to prevent damage to your plants. 7. Give them free reign of their own mini-plot. Depending on your space, you may want to dedicate a special space in the garden, on the patio, or in the window sill just for your little one to grow their own plants. This added ownership can go a long way in helping them feel invested in the outcome!
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