How to Start a Garden with Your Kids

Do you want your kids to connect more with nature? Start small in your backyard first, and see my tips on How to Start a Garden With Your Kids.

See my list of Fun Spring Activities for Kids for more spring ideas.

Getting started with a garden can be a delightful family activity. Kids love getting their hands dirty with soil, and watching plants grow from seeds stimulates curiosity and excitement in them.

This outdoor activity with kids teaches them patience, responsibility, and the importance of nature too. Imagine their joy when the first sprouts appear. It’s a great way to spend quality time together while learning about their surroundings.

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Benefits of Gardening with Kids

Gardening can be a fantastic hobby for your energetic kids, offering them a chance to get their hands dirty while being productive. It all starts with simple tasks like planting vegetable seeds, which can be as enjoyable as educational.

This fun outdoor activity aims to teach kids about nature while instilling essential life skills. It helps children understand how plants grow and thrive. Watching plants go from seed to full bloom can be a magical experience for your little gardeners.

Another objective is to encourage responsibility and patience. When children care for their gardens, they learn the importance of consistent care and attention. It shows them that great things take time and effort, and then they quickly realize the joy of seeing the fruits of their labor.

It also promotes physical activity and healthy eating habits whenever your kids get involved in planting, weeding, and harvesting, which keeps them active.

Recommended Gardening Books

Here are my top recommended books about gardening for kids, perfect for nurturing young green thumbs and encouraging a love for nature.

National Geographic Kids Look and Learn: In My Garden (Look & Learn)Gardening for Kids: Learn, Grow, and Get Messy with Fun STEAM ProjectsLet’s Get GardeningHello, World! Garden Time: A Book of Plants and Gardening for KidsThe Best-Ever Step-by-Step Kid’s First GardeningGardening Lab for Kids: 52 Fun Experiments to Learn, Grow, Harvest, Make, Play, and Enjoy Your Garden (Volume 24) (Lab for Kids, 24)

 

What is the best plant to grow with kids?

We were blessed this year and now have the space to plant our garden. Since I didn’t know how to start gardening, I had to do some research first.

I went to the library and got out these beginning gardener’s books. This one was my favorite: Northeast Fruit and Vegetable Gardening. It has lots of pictures and gets straight to the point.

I’m a beginner and not looking to do anything fancy. My goal was to do all the research to help my children start a garden. My oldest (M1) read my books and learned quite a bit.

Luckily, we already had a garden plot ready for us to use from the previous owners. We bought a mix of peat and compost and worked it into our soil.

We wanted to do things that I knew we would eat, so I first thought of tomatoes and cucumbers. Green beans are supposed to be easy, so I wanted to make sure we would end up with something to eat.

Hubby and I also love fresh herbs, so we decided to grow cilantro Thai basil, and my mom brought me some herbs from her garden as well.

We were limited by the types of things we could grow since I didn’t start them indoors in the spring, and there isn’t much variety at our local stores regarding fruit. M1 did pick out some cantaloupe seeds.

We are on a budget, so we must sow our seeds instead of buying plants to transplant into our garden. ***Look at that gardening terminology; it sounds like I know what I’m talking about, lol.

Recommended Gardening Tools

This delightful assortment is designed to transform your little ones into enthusiastic gardeners. From colorful trowels and rakes perfectly sized for small hands to adorable watering cans, each item makes gardening fun and educational.

Sereniseed Certified Organic Vegetable Seeds (10-Pack)CUTE STONE Kids Gardening Tool SetLittle Gardener Tool Set with Garden Tools Bag for Kids Gardening – Kit includes Watering Can, Children Gardening Gloves, Shovel, Rake, Fork and Garden Tote Bag-Children Gardening All in One KitDuckura Kids Gardening Tools Set – Gardening Set for KidsHome Prefer Toddler Sun Hat UPF50+ Kids Wide Brim Bucket Hat Boys Fishing Hat with Neck Flap (Mint)Finderomend 1.5 Liter Metal Watering Can,Iron Art for Kids Children Garden

 

How can your kids help in gardening?

I had the kids help me sow the seeds. After reading the instructions, the kids helped measure and space the seeds and rows apart. We planted three seeds together and then went according to the seed spacing measurements on the package.

We measured the first couple and then eyeballed the rest. The kids love watering the garden. However, it has been so rainy here the past few weeks that we haven’t had to do much.

The plants are looking good, and the seeds have started to sprout. I had M1 help me mix the fertilizer and apply it as well.

Recommended Spring Printables

Use these fun printables for your kids to grow more appreciation for flowers and enjoy springtime. You will see how they will love working with flowers!

We have a garden calendar to keep track of when we need to apply fertilizer, which is about once a month until we get some fruits, which will then need to switch to every 2 weeks.

If you don’t have a garden in your backyard, try doing it in some containers. We planted the herbs in containers, which is super easy and easy to care for as well. You just have to make sure you keep them well-watered.

If you get your children involved in the planning stages, they’ll be just as excited as you to garden. We eventually will need to start thinning our plants, but I’m looking forward to some yummy goodness that we’ve grown ourselves.

Fun Spring Activities To Try

Here are more fun spring ideas to do with your children who love doing activities during this beautiful season, whether indoors or outdoors!

• Goopy Grass Sensory Play
• Printable Spring Play Dough Mats
• Gardening Worksheets for Kids
• Gardening Books for Preschoolers
• Gardening Gifts for 10-year-Olds
• Up in the Garden Down in the Dirt Printables by Crystal and Comp
• Gardening with Kids by Homeschool Preschool

Gardening with your kids isn’t just about growing plants—it’s about increasing memories and important life skills! So be quick to grab your gloves and your little ones and start the adventure of gardening together with the family. Happy planting!