As the summer starts to make an appearance, it’s time to start thinking about how you and your family can take advantage of this good weather. One great option that you might want to consider is planting a garden together. And while this can seem like a big undertaking, the life lessons and skill your family can learn from gardening together can be invaluable.
If this is something you’re thinking about taking on, here are three tips for teaching your kids about gardening.
Allow Them To Pick What To Plant
Unless your kids have previously expressed an interest in things like soil, vegetation, irrigation or the like, you might find that it’s a hard sell to get your kids excited about starting a garden. But one way you can get them a little more easily on board, according to Debbie and Mark Wolfe, contributors to HGTV.com, is to let them pick what you plant in your garden.
Not only can giving your kids some control over what you have in your garden make them more eager to get involved, but it can also help them become more willing to care for the plants and vegetables and even eat the healthy foods that they’re able to grow. So if your kids want things like carrots, sunflowers, and watermelon, let them give those plants a try.
Don’t Forget To Teach About Pollination
It’s not just what acts of planting and caring for your garden that you should teach your children. Being in the garden is also a great opportunity to teach your kids about how the natural world works.
According to Jasmin Thankachen, a contributor to Seattle’s Child, since many children are taught to be afraid of bees, having your own garden is the perfect chance to teach your kids just how important bees are to the growing of plants and flowers. You can even go so far as to plant flowers that are known to attract bees so you can see this phenomenon in action together.
Make Safety The Priority
While gardening isn’t generally thought to be a dangerous pastime, when your kids are involved, you’ll want to be extra careful about their safety.
The Better Health Channel shares that some of the things you should be careful about when gardening with your kids are wearing the proper attire, not using chemicals, only allowing them to use equipment under supervision, and protecting them from the sun and any standing water you might have accessible.
If you’re considering starting a garden at home and having your kids play a big role in this endeavor, consider using the tips mentioned above to increase your chances of success.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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