Gardening with Children

Providing your child with the opportunity to grow food fosters a sense of responsibility and connection with nature. 

There are numerous ways to approach this activity, each with unique benefits. You can choose the most suitable method depending on your location and gardening context. While we won’t delve into all the possibilities, we strongly advocate for providing your child with the opportunity to grow food to foster a sense of responsibility and connection with nature and promote healthy eating habits.

Here are some easy ideas to get you started:

• Choose your space. If you have a yard, assign a portion to be your garden, get your hands dirty, and dig away! Don’t want to dig up your yard? Live in an apartment? No problem. You can also use containers or get a plot of land in a community garden.
• Choose your seeds and starts. 
  • Starts: You can find starts at a local farmer’s market or garden store. Starts literally mean that the plants have already started to grow, so that you can plant them directly into your assigned garden area. Strawberry or kale starts are easy to begin with.
  • Seeds: Radishes, peas, carrots, arugula, cucumbers, and tomato seeds germinate quickly. Read the seed package instructions. Some seeds must be sown indoors in early spring and then moved outside when it gets warmer, while others can be sown directly outside. 
  • Involve your child in every step. They can help buy the seeds or starts, plant them in your garden, gently loosen the roots of small veggie starts, and then place them in the dirt. They can cover roots and seeds with soil and help you water daily.
  • Teach your child about pollination and the importance of the sun and water. You can also plant flowers that are attractive to bees and other pollinators.

​The key? Have fun!!