| gardening |
5 Tips for
Gardening with Kids
Photo by Filip Urban on Unsplash
• Let the kids choose what to plant . Whether flowers or food plants , allow children to make their own decisions ( within reason ) about what they would like to grow . This can help them engage in the magic of watching items they selected emerge from the ground and grow into their finished forms .
• Encourage exposure to unfamiliar plants that entice the senses with appealing smells and flavors . Herbs such as chives , mint and basil are good choices , or consider edible flowers such as pansies or violets .
• Set an example for your child to imitate by giving regular and proper care to your own garden .
After months of cool weather , the first hint of spring will likely have the whole family eager to dive into outdoor activities . This year , as you begin tackling the garden , find ways to get the youngest family members in on the action , too .
Not only is gardening an activity you can enjoy together , there are numerous ways to incorporate age-appropriate , teachable moments from counting and colors to responsible care of living things .
Remember to bring the lesson full circle by enjoying the bounty of your garden together , whether it ’ s a small hand-cut bouquet or a meal featuring your child ’ s freshgrown produce . Find more tips for gardening with your kids at eLivingtoday . com .
Creating a positive first experience with gardening can start with this simple advice :
• Dedicate a spot for a junior garden , which allows you to instill a sense of pride and ownership in the little gardener while protecting your own garden areas from ambitious young hands .
• Provide appropriate tools in child sizes . Just as you would teach a child the finer points of baseball using a bat and glove , demonstrate the joys of gardening with tools such as a rake , hoe and trowel , all of which can be found in sizes more manageable for little helpers .
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
86 MoultrieScene MAY 2022