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Are you seeking some inspiration to get your children interested in gardening? There are many ways to introduce them to the joy of flowers and vegetables and give them a fantastic healthy hobby that will hopefully live with them their whole lives.
1. Kids love instant gratification
Whilst most plants take a while to develop, it’s a great idea to give kids the chance to create a garden bed with some ready grown plants. Let them select some flowers from a local garden centre that way there is instant gratification. Flowers teach children about colours and shapes and provide much enjoyment whilst they are waiting for other seeds to sprout.
2. An edible garden helps fussy eaters too
Not only does a vegetable garden help educate, but it also is a fantastic way to encourage kids to eat their greens. They will be so proud of their hard work and amazed when a little seed develops into a bean or lettuce that they will be far more inclined to taste it. Don’t forget about edible flowers too such as the nasturtium.
3. Create a fairytale garden
Gardens are also wonderful platforms to create magic and mystery. Re-create the famous Jack and the Beanstalk fairytale by planting a magic bean engraved with words and images. When it grows it will reveal the hidden message and develop into a bean vine just like Jack’s did (ok maybe not that large!). Fairies and fairy doors are also fantastic additions to a miniature garden world. The best part is children can create their own magical space without any rules.
4. Give kids their own tools and gardening clothes
There is nothing better than having your own outfit perfect to get outside and get dirty in. Kids love to dress up so why not get creative with an old shirt, pants, gumboots and a hat and equip them with their own gardening tool set that’s perfect for their hands and safe to use.
5. Short sessions full of encouragement
Children tend to have a shorter attention span than adults so keep that in mind when allocating tasks and setting the timeframe for the gardening session. Make sure you are full of praise and encouragement too. Don’t be too pedantic about flowers being positioned in perfectly straight lines or too many vegetable seeds being dropped into one hole. Make it a fun, enjoyable and creative activity and you’ll find that their level of interest will be retained for far greater. Giving your child the opportunity to explore and learn about plants, garden creatures and nature is fantastic. Not only will it give you the chance to bond but they will learn so much more from doing than just being taught.
Amanda Delatycki is the owner of Live Love Bean – Magic Beans. Unique gifts that continue to give.
