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10 Fun Ways to Introduce Your Kids to Gardening

Gardening teaches patience, precision, and is filled with rewards when you’re able to enjoy the fruits (and veggies) of your labor. Find easy and enjoyable kid-friendly gardening projects to cultivate their curiosity and creativity.

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Photo: Emily Fazio. From: Emily Fazio.

Gardening: A Great Way to Get Your Kids to Eat More Veggies

Kids are more likely to eat the things that they grow. If you have a picky eater, letting them grow their own plants might be just the trick to get them interested in trying new foods. It teaches them how things grow. Did they realize that carrots and potatoes grew underground? Did they know that beans can climb high? Consider growing foods that they’ve never tried before — like leeks — as well as fruits and vegetables that you can eat straight off the plant, like cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, blueberries or spinach.

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Photo: Emily Fazio. From: Emily Fazio.

Show Them How to Start Seeds

Seed starting is a great small motor sensory project for toddlers and young school-age children. Teach them how to make small seed-starting pots, or use peat pods or even upcycle ice cube trays. Show them how to moisten the soil, and then place 2-3 seeds per space. It may take 5-10 days for some seeds to sprout, but waiting for it to happen and watching the growth is exciting for budding gardeners.

how to start seeds indoors

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Photo: Emily Fazio. From: Emily Fazio.

Allow Them to Choose the Plants

Browse the nursery together. Whether you’re looking to plant an herb garden or make a pretty arrangement for the container garden on your front porch, let your child pick and choose what plants they like best. Take the time to show them what will thrive best in your environment (full sun vs. shade, for example), and don’t be too surprised if all of their picks have purple flowers (their favorite color, of course). Let your kids care for those baby plants all season long.

how to design a container garden

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Photo: Emily Fazio. From: Emily Fazio.

Plant an Indoor Garden

Choose a selection of plants like succulents, or cacti or keep a small planter of herbs on a windowsill. Let them experience the maintenance process — from transplanting to watering and managing sunlight — and let them happily take ownership for the well-being of their own garden.

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