The nice weather is here. Following this confinement period, you decide to make a garden. Why not get your kids involved?
Studies show that gardening can reduce anxiety and stress, and it brings joy and comfort. Even if your children are very young, they are little sponges that soak up all of your stress and insecurity. They, too, need to relieve this stress and replace it with positive feelings.
How can you get them interested in gardening? Here are six tips to help you.
Get them involved
Involve your kids from the very start. Ask them what they would like to grow in their garden. Look for variety within the things they like. For example, if they want tomatoes, plant cherry tomatoes and yellow tomatoes. This way, you’ll feed their curiosity, and they’ll be eager to see what grows.
Make them involved in taking care of the garden. Put a water bucket next to the garden, and let your kids fill up their watering cans and water the garden themselves. Show them how to remove weeds and let them help you.
Give them their own space
Set aside a small section of the garden for them to use. They can plant whatever they want, whether it be flowers or vegetables, and they are in charge of maintaining it. By being responsible for this little garden area, kids are more motivated to take care of it, and they feel pride in seeing the final result.
Small and simple
Don’t see things too big. Of course, if you have been gardening for a long time, plan out your garden the way you usually would. But the kids’ designated space should be small, to avoid discouraging them. Don’t focus on productivity. The important thing is to have fun together.
Encourage creativity
Show your kids that there is room for creativity in the garden. Ask them to paint rocks to make plant markers. Depending on their age, they can write the plant names by themselves, or you can help them.
If your kids like building various things, ask them to build a low stone wall around the garden or to weave a small fence using branches.
Quick results
Since kids like to see results fast, make sure you add fast-growing elements to your garden that you can eat quickly. Lettuce and certain herbs such as mint can be eaten on the spot, and they grow in no time.
Theme
Create a theme for your garden. For example, you can make a pizza garden. Plant everything needed to make pizza, like tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, oregano, basil, and even wheat for the dough.
You can also create a flower garden to attract certain insects, such as butterflies or bees.
Have fun!
Remember, gardening is an opportunity to spend quality time with your children. Have fun, and help them build memories they’ll cherish for their whole life.
