5 Ways to Garden with Kids

Written in partnership with KidsGardening

Introducing kids to gardening at an early age inspires lifelong curiosity and appreciation for the natural world. It also provides countless benefits to their mental, physical, and emotional development.

There are so many lessons to be learned in the garden, along with opportunities for kids to explore the world through all their senses while encouraging discovery, engagement, and fun!

Whether you have a backyard, front yard, balcony, patio, or a sunny windowsill, there are lots of ways you can squeeze in a few “gardening moments” with your kids every week.

Here are 5 easy ways to introduce your kids to gardening:

Read together!

Reading books and exploring gardening through pictures and words help kids better appreciate the natural world that they have access to in their daily life. Some great lists to start with are:

Start small

You don’t need a garden to start growing! From a simple seed viewer using dried soup beans to a grassy plant pal, you do not need a designated space or fancy supplies for gardening activities. Activities like these are excellent opportunities to practice making observations.

Befriend a plant!

Select a plant at your home (indoor or outdoor) or in your community (such as a street tree or one at a local park or natural area), and visit it at least monthly to make observations. Help your child make their own garden journal to track findings through notes, pictures, or photos. At the end of the year, talk about how your plant has changed through the seasons.

Get involved in your community

With a bit of searching, you are likely to find local garden enthusiasts in your community who would love the chance to share their love of gardening. Try starting by searching for local public gardens, community gardens, or Master Gardener programs.

Start container gardens

Container gardens are the perfect way to start your garden adventures. A container garden can be as simple as a few pots of herbs in a window or as elaborate as an array of large outdoor tubs with plants that rotate seasonally. Just about anything that can hold soil and has drainage holes can make a space for a plant to grow. A simple 5-gallon is a great way to dig in!