Anyone who regularly spends time in a garden knows this: Gardening is not just a hobby. It’s a way to form a deeper connection with and appreciation for the natural world. The sooner in life one begins to form this connection with the workings of nature, the better one can understand one’s place and one’s role in this incredibly intricate web we call life. All of this is to say—get your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and neighborhood kids out and exploring the world of gardening as soon as you can.
With the best of summer still ahead, now is the perfect time to get them in the garden and appreciating all it has to teach them. And with just the right approach and some garden projects, they won’t even know they’re learning and growing while on their summer break.
Why Gardening is Good for Kids
Often adults will come at the topic of kids and gardening from their point of view. Gardening is an activity to keep kids busy. There may be a gardening class or camp that occupies their time (and frees up your time). And you can always use an extra pair of hands to help weed and water.
But instead let’s look at gardening from the perspective of it being a benefit to the child, not the adult. Sonya Harris, teacher, founder, and CEO of the Bullock Garden Project, says there’s so much more going on for toddlers and younger children than meets the eye when they are in the garden. “When you give children experiences with lots of bright colors, different shades, and time outside, you’re also engaging them in employing all of their senses to help them learn and navigate the world around them,” Sonya said. She gives the example of teaching her young niece about using snips—that they’re sharp, how to open them, what they are used for, that they’re to be used only with an adult present, and so on. “Kids are actually getting language development, skill development, fine motor development, because of all of the muscles that you need in your hands to do this trimming, and it actually helps contribute to handwriting and motor skills. You’re introducing this to them at a very early age.”
Tweens and older kids benefit by being involved in issues involving garden planning and problem solving. “Teenagers might be a tougher sell,” Sonya says, “but if you present the opportunity to them, they’ll take it, especially if you show them that you trust them with it. I think that’s really big.”
The Adult’s Role
Sonya’s primary piece of advice on how adults should approach getting kids involved with the garden is for the adult to not overthink it and to take yourself out of their narrative. “Just let them have at it,” she says. “Let them know that you’re there as a resource, then let them figure it out. They’ll come to you if they need to.”
Sonya’s additional tips are:
- Make the garden an accessible and safe space for kids based on their age.
- Include plants and accessories that are okay for them to touch (because they touch everything!).
- Give them their own space in the garden to do as they please.
- Give older kids a budget to see how creative they can be with limited resources.
- Explain to kids what you’re doing when you’re thinning, weeding, trimming, etc. and why.
- Don’t talk down to them, i.e. use the correct language and words for everything in the garden.
- Have them keep a garden journal where they can draw, press leaves, scribble, etc.
“We need to consciously unlearn the [gardening] process, so kids can have that full experience,” Sonya says. “Once you do that, you’re going to have these lifelong people who are actively engaged with the earth.”
Gardening Projects For Kids
For Younger Children:
Begin a child’s experience in the garden with a gardening project or two. Projects should be age- and attention span-appropriate to ensure both kid and adult have a successful outing.
- Planting Seeds. Choose fast-growing plants like radishes, beans, or sunflowers. These plants sprout quickly and provide immediate gratification. Do this in pots indoors or give them space in a garden. Extend the project by decorating plant markers.
- Watering … Anything! Give kids a lightweight watering can to water their seedlings carefully, or pour water over somewhat-wilty flowers to see how they rejuvenate—or make a puddle to stomp around in! It’s the practice of watering that is important to learn—and stomping in puddles is just plain fun.
For Older Children:
As children grow, so does their capacity to take on more responsibility and engage in creative projects.
- Grow the Three Sisters: Have them plant beans, squash and corn and explain how these crops nurture and support each other as they grow. Let them be responsible for their care and then have them harvest and help prepare a meal.
- Composting: Show kids how to collect kitchen scraps and yard waste to create compost. Explain the science behind decomposition and how compost enriches the soil. Get them involved by having them turn a portion of the compost pile.
For Teens:
This stage is about encouraging innovative thinking and helping them understand how they can contribute to a community through gardening.
- Get Them Building: Engage teens to solve problems by constructing garden structures like raised beds, trellises, or even a greenhouse. They’ll gain hands-on experience, learn practical skills and boost their confidence.
- Growing for Others: Help teens understand that they can help others by growing food for food pantries or by assisting elderly neighbors with their gardens.
Learn More and Get Involved
Sonya Harris started the Bullock Garden Project in 2013 as a garden at the school where she taught, hoping to provide her students with alternative ways to learn math. BGP has since grown into a non-profit organization that helps establish gardens of all sorts throughout New Jersey. You can join the BGP Community wherever you may be to receive helpful tips, news and updates on their latest projects.
To learn more about gardening projects for children of all ages, KidsGardening.org has a wealth of resources, tools, and opportunities to get involved. Whether you are an educator or a parent/family member, KidsGardening.org will help you and the kids in your life get the most out of your gardening experience.
