Getting the kids involved

In these uncertain times, it’s now more important than ever to look after our health and well being. It has been proven that spending just two hours a week in nature can improve overall health and while most of now find we have a lot more time on our hands, keeping busy in the garden is a welcome distraction.

Getting the kids involved is a great opportunity for fresh air, exercise and keeping active as a family. Children love to watch things grow, so why not identify a planting area in your garden and show them how to plant seeds and grow flowers that provide nectar and attract butterflies and insects.

Kids will feel a strong connection to nature as they have a direct hand in its creation and have watered the plants and watched them grow.  It is very rewarding to see the fruits of their labour and even enjoy tasting them too.

Research has shown that children who garden make healthier eating habits and are more adapt at scientific subjects. Kids love watching new life spring from a seed, and let’s face it, they like getting muddy, too!

Top Tips for Gardening with Kids

• Start with growing projects that give fast results, seeds that emerge quickly and result in obvious growth.

• Give children ownership of their favourite trees and shrubs and explore the varieties that they like best.

• Incorporate fruit trees so that they can reap the rewards of their efforts when the fruit can be harvested.

• Encourage a wide experience of sowing seeds, bulbs, trees shrubs, flowers and all kinds of plants.

• Record the garden with photos or drawings of the projects they took part in, measure their growth against that of their favourite tree.

• Recycled container gardening is a fun a way to get kids involved and is a great way to reuse and up-cycle containers you would otherwise be recycling.

Gardening engages all sorts of senses and helps children to develop and recognise them without even realising. They can feel the texture of soil, seeds, flowers and petals. They get to smell all the amazing scents and see a wide variety of colours.

Growing any sort of plant or tree from the seedling or bulb stage requires daily attention and care. Children will quickly learn that they get out what they put in. If the plants aren’t regularly watered and taken care of, they won’t flourish.

Gardening offers so many fun and interesting opportunities for children, and teaches them invaluable lessons. They can learn about the different species of plants and what those plants need to help them grow. They also get to learn about the different seasons, weather and the affects they have on the plants too. Now the warmer weather has finally arrived, what better way to spend your time than enjoying some gardening!