Gardening with Kids

Involving kids in the garden is a great way to not only foster some fond family memories, but to teach them some life skills as well.  With so many families living in the city, fewer and fewer kids understand where their food comes from.  Growing vegetables will help teach them about food sources as well as encouraging a healthy diet.  The planning, planting, tending and patience required to grow a garden are great skills to develop.  And when Mother Nature decides NOT to cooperate, well, that is a life lesson as well.  Here are some tips to get you started:

1.  First off, keep things low key.  Let the kids discover and learn at their own pace.  Different kids will take away different things from the experience
2. Start small.  Start with a plot of garden no larger that 50 or 60 square feet.  That’s plenty big enough to cultivate, plant, weed and harvest.  Think about kids “reach” and make sure the paths are 24 inches and the reach is no more than 24 inches.  Large pots on a deck or balcony work just as well.
3. Choose seeds that are easy to grow.  Good flower choices for kids are sunflower, daisies, black-eyed susans or colourful zinnias.  For veggies carrots, peas and beans are great choices. A great option for planting in pots is cherry tomatoes.  They are not only yummy but will add colour to your deck or balcony.  Pumpkins are also a favourite for kids to grow, ending with a Jack-O-Lantern for Halloween.
4. Let the kids do the watering.  Kids love water games so let them indulge their fun when it comes time to water.  Give a bit of supervision to ensure they don’t overdo it.
5. Personal the space with a painted rock or a sign with the child’s name.  Add a tiny fairy or gnome as a happy surprise.  Let the birds in on the garden by adding a birdbath. Or shoo them away with a homemade scarecrow.
6. Encourage them to make friends with the other creatures in the gardens.  Worms are our friends in the garden.  Butterflies and bees are essential.  Even the little garter snack is nothing to be afraid of.
7. When the time comes, have them help with the harvest.  The look of wonder on their faces the first time they see a carrot being pulled out is worth all the effort you put in.