It is good to see the children’s involvement with environment-friendly activities. One such activity that children could do in their own backyard is gardening.
photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography
With the environmental problems we see each day and the fact our children tend to sit more than in the past gardening can provide exercise, fresh air and teach the importance of nature and be fun at the same time.
Gardening with children can be a way to teach them about soil, how things grow and to appreciate all types of life. Gardening can also be fun if set up properly.
Benefits of children gardening.
Children learn in an indirectly way the wonders of science like the plants life cycle and how humans impact environment both positively and negative. They can have a first hand experience on the miracle of life through a seed. There is amazement and wonder in a Childs face as they watch a seed sprout and harvest their first produce.
Watching a seed grow into a tree or a sunflower is almost a miracle to a child. Given time, kids will learn to love plants and appreciate the life in them. Gardening could actually help simulate how life should be treated — it should be with care. The stages of gardening, proper water, sunlight, air and soil help to teach that life has a cycle. And this cycle applies to plants, animals and people’s lives. Those cycles can easily be applied to human necessities, i.e., water, shelter, air, food. By simply weeding out, one could educate how bad influences should be avoided to be able to live life smoothly.
Gardening can reduce stress because of its calming effect. And children unfortunately have much more stress and choices in their lives at a younger age. Gardening has been used as therapy to children who have been abused or come from broken homes. It helps build one’s self-esteem.
You can also use gardening as a way to spend more time with your family. You can talk while watering the plants or you can work quietly beside each other. And if you plant flowers and vegetable that are different or fun the children do not see the garden as work You may also be surprised what you learn from talking with your children in the garden.
Making Gardening fun.
Gardening can be work but there are a few ways to make it easier.
- Mulch the ground for less weeding and watering
- Grow you garden in containers
- have a childrens mini garden, keep is small and simple
- Have a rain barrel close by for easy watering
- Plant a theme garden like a touch me garden, pumpkin patch or sunflower house
- Grow one of your children’s favorite vegetables or plants
- Grow a unique plant like a gourd of flowering vine
- Let the children sell any extra produce or flowers. They can make a little spending money while learning.
Growing a garden will help kids become aware of their environment’s needs. It may be an interest that will stay with them the rest of their lives. Just remember to make it fun and keep it happy.
One on my nephews favorite gardens was the sunflower house. They could play in it and use it as a fort of cabin and also watch all the sunflowers, flowers and gourds grow during the season. In the fall they sold gourds and later decorated them.
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