Although many children have an innate curiosity about nature and are known to follow adults around the garden and "help," some kids need a little more coaxing. Below are a few favorite tips for introducing children of all ages to the world of growing plants. According to
Gardening by the Yard host and super-cool dad Paul James, the best way to teach kids about gardening is to get down to basics--dirt and water.
Mud-Pie Magic
To get started, soak a spot of ground, provide a few pie pans, some spare utensils and some water, and "let the little ones go," says James. (Admittedly, this may be difficult for some parents and grandparents to watch, as the children are bound to make one huge mess.)
Once the mud pies are formed in the pans, encourage your little gardeners to decorate their creations with a variety of flowers, leaves and seeds. Talk about things along the way--the colors of the flowers, the size of the seeds--and without even realizing it, the kids will learn something about gardening.
Starting Small
Next, get children planting. Find something they like to eat that grows relatively fast, like broccoli and potatoes (try purple, white and yellow varieties, just to keep things interesting). Construct a small plot just for them to grow their crops in, get out the kid-sized gardening tools and let the children dig holes for the potatoes and transplants. If the rows aren't straight, don't worry about it--though you may need to make some adjustments if the plants are placed too close together or if the potatoes are dropped too deep.
Compost Capers
If you don't have space for a separate garden spot, then use your compost pile to teach children about gardening and the importance of recycling. Let them bury kitchen scraps and other items in the pile, or invite them to help you turn the pile periodically. It won't be long before they begin to see how much fun messing in the dirt really is.
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