If you want to teach your children to value nature around them and take it seriously, there is no better way than introducing them to the wonderful world of gardening from a young age.
Besides, your kids will love to get their hands dirty and play in the mud. They will also have the opportunity to learn valuable new skills and facts about greens while having fun.
There is always enough space for a garden
The best part about gardening is that it doesn’t actually require large, sunny backyard. You can create a small garden in a raised bed on your balcony or you can incorporate just a few plants – veggies in an existing landscape, i.e. in the corner of your outdoor area. Herbs, for example, are very easy to grow and need just a container, quality soil and a sunny spot so they are perfect if you don’t have much space. Also, planting edible vines on a trellis placed against an outside wall of your house is a great solution for the gardeners lacking space in their outdoor area.
Teach your children by showing them
Get your kids involved by explaining them the process of planting, (which we can refer to as the cause-and-effect) where they will learn how to be responsible, learn to understand and appreciate nature and become aware of where the food comes and how much effort you have to put into producing healthy food. Show them what it takes for a seed to grow, what happens from the moment you plant it until the fresh veggie on the table.
Opt for easy to grow greens
Make gardening a family bonding activity; teach your children how to plant sweet cherry tomatoes that they are going to love eating straight from the garden! Opt for veggies that are easy to grow without a lot of fuss such as radishes or zucchinis and explain how you are going to enjoy the fruit of your labour because they are a great return on your investment. Speaking of returns, you will also see how gardening can affect your child’s body, brain, and soul.
Go slowly and be thorough
It does sound pretty easy, but keep in mind that gardening is a lot of work and it can get really messy sometimes. There are many things that are out of your reach that can affect your wonderful garden, such as pests or weather but at the end of the day, you will feel it was all worth it. You will have to go slowly to make sure your children are following your step-by-step planting process, invest in quality garden equipment, fertilize the soil (with compost obviously), and protect the plants from the insects and pests.
Appreciate the benefits of gardening
You will see the benefits it has on your children – you will see them patiently nurturing their plants and you will see the look of satisfaction on their faces after they realize they’ve planted those cherry tomatoes and happiness with how sweet they taste. That will boost their confidence and teach them to appreciate the nature that gives us food. Plus, gardening is a great physical activity that will keep them healthy, happy, and exhausted just in time for the afternoon nap.
These are all simple things you can intertwine in your daily routine and create a great outdoor activity for your children. Teach your kids to be responsible and water regularly, harvest fruits and veggies, take care of weeds, learn how to compost and prepare the soil. It is also a good that you expose them to the sun and fresh air. But be ready with a rain jacket just in case it rains while you are gardening.
They will fall in love with nature and understand why we should take care of it, why should we become even more eco-responsible. And the most important of all, they will have so much fun gardening!
