Garden Kid

Gardening Fun With Children

Do you recall your very first plant? Your first garden? Perhaps it was the geranium seeds you planted in a milk carton or Styrofoam cup as part of a class project. Perhaps, if you were lucky, it was your own corner of your parent’s garden, staked out and set up just for the plants that you chose. My own garden memories include experiments with watermelon seeds (under the back porch where no one would step on them – and where, with no sun, they never grew), orange seeds (the ones in the garden never sprouted. The one I started in a paper cup on a window sill still grows in my mother’s back yard) and packets of all sorts of flower seeds.

A garden grows memories.

Instilling a love of gardening in children gives them a lifelong gift on which they can draw – for pleasure, for sustenance and to add creativity and joy to their lives. There are so many garden-related activities and experiments that you can do with a garden. It boggles the mind that so many resources and references to gardening with children concentrate on ‘building a sunflower house’ when there are so many more creative ways to introduce children to the pure fun of gardening.

Packets of seeds that are labeled ‘kid gardens’ are one way to go about it – they do usually contain seeds for plants that grow quickly, at least in grownup terms. For a child, though, ten days is an eternity. Instead, take a trip to the local nursery with your child and let them pick one or two flats of flowers already in bloom. Invest a few dollars in a garden trowel and fork, and help your child transplant the seedlings into his own flower bed. That’s the sort of work/reward ratio that a child understands: one afternoon of digging and planting equals a flower garden. As the weeks go on, you’ll find their interest is maintained because they’re into the FUN part of gardening – watering, picking, and enjoying.

When they’re ready to start from seed, include them in early spring seed starting. Instead of buying plants, let them plant them inside to be ready to transplant in a few weeks. Take a tip from science teachers everywhere – plant several flats in regular trays, but plant one very special ‘demonstrator’. Fill a glass with soil, poke seeds down into the dirt against the side of the glass and put it on a sunny windowsill. Your child will have the fascination of watching what happens underground as his seedlings grow – the seed pod splitting, the roots spreading, and finally, the miracle of the first tiny shoots pressing upward toward the light and heat.

There are other very easy gardening projects that yield quick results for children, projects that have the bonus of being ‘winter-ready’. Cut up a potato, making sure that each chunk contains at least one eye. Plant it in a cup of dirt with the eye facing up – and watch it grow. You can do the same with an onion – just bury the onion in soil with the crown showing. It will only take days for the shoots to turn green and begin growing.

For more fun gardening ideas for kids, pick up a science activity book. You’ll find a world of growing and gardening experiments that children can try, including the ever popular ‘cucumber in a bottle’ trick.

About the Author

Shaan Randow

Benefits Of Gardening For Kids

Apparently, we can see how nature is treated these days. It is a sad thing to know that people do not pay attention so much anymore to the environmental problems. What can we do about this? It's as simple as starting with the children. It is good to see the children's involvement with environment-friendly activities. One such nature-loving activity that children could easily get their hands on is gardening. Why should you consider gardening for your children?

Here are the benefits that gardening could easily provide the children with:

Gardening can teach you and your child about life and how to spend time with one another.

1. Science

In planting, children are indirectly taught the wonders of science like the plant's life cycle and how human's intervention can break or make the environment. They can have a first hand experience on the miracle of life through a seed. This would definitely be a new and enjoyable experience for the kids.

2. Life

Watching a seed grow into a tree is just as wondrous as the conception to birth and growth of a child. In time, kids will learn to love their plants and appreciate the life in them. Gardening could actually help simulate how life should be treated -- it should be with care. The necessities to live will be emphasized to kids with the help of gardening - water, sunlight, air, soil. Those necessities could easily be corresponded 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.

3. Relaxation

Studies show that gardening can reduce stress because of its calming effect. This is applicable to any age group. More so, it stimulates all the five senses. Believe it or not, gardening may be used as therapy to children who have been abused or those who are members of broken homes. It helps build one's self-esteem.

4. Quality Time with the Family

You can forget about your stressful work life for a while be soothed by the lovely ambience in the garden. You can play and spend quality time with your children. You can talk while watering the plants or you can work quietly beside each other. The bottom line is, always do what you have to do, together with your kids. You might discover a lot of new things about your child while mingling with them in your garden.

Let kids become aware of their environment's needs. And one way to jumpstart that environmental education may be through gardening. It's hitting two birds with one stone -- teach them to respect life while you bond with them.
About the Author

by George Hapgood

A Child's Garden

A garden - the perfect, outdoor summer classroom. In a medium that is hands-on and does not have to be censored, a garden can keep your child learning and curious during the summer and possibly sow the seeds of a lifelong hobby, interest, or even vocation. Of course, science is the obvious "course" in the garden with botany, biology, horticulture, and ecology lessons already prepared. Math, art, literature, and even social studies activities can also be integrated into your gardening "curriculum."

It's all there in your own backyard if you have a garden. If not, you can create container gardens using interesting finds and recycles for containers. Even old shoes and boots make interesting containers.

Less expensive than video games, with a garden, you actually get a return on your investment (a lesson in economics!) with the beauty and fragrance of flowers, the harvest of fresh vegetables and the pride of creating and growing a garden. Family togetherness and serenity are additional, intangible benefits from garden activities.

A child's garden is just that - a place for a child to observe, explore, and interact with nature in its purest form. It doesn't have to be large; in fact, small is good, so that it is not overwhelming or intimidating. As the child and his or her interests grow, then the size of the garden can grow also. Child-sized garden tools help master the chores in the garden, making them more like fun than work. Even old spoons can be "'borrowed" for small hands to use for digging.

Getting started is simple - a small plot of dirt or potting soil, plastic pots or clean yogurt containers, and a variety of seeds are the basics - nothing elaborate or expensive. A garden is not for instant gratification. Instead, it encourages and teaches patience as we check, double check, and even triple check to see whether the seed treasures we buried in the soil have peeked out from their hiding places. However, fast-sprouting, quick-growing plants are best for younger children to maintain their interest. Sunflowers, radishes, marigolds, lettuce, gourds, beans, and nasturtiums are good for first-time, eager gardeners and are almost fail-proof.

A seed is a promise for the future. From all sizes like specks of dust, barely visible to the unaided eye, to baseball-size coconuts, they hold all the genetic information and nutrients to help fulfill the promise. Just add soil, water, light and TLC. Tiny seeds can become jumbo, heavy weight tomatoes or huge pumpkins that can grow into the pump"kings" of the garden.

Garden "families" that have giant as well as miniature members are fun for children and can teach them the variety and diversity of similar plants. Tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, pumpkins, and zinnias all have both jumbo and pixie sizes, plus they are easy to grow. Children can practice measuring and weighing pumpkins, watermelons and tomatoes during their growth cycles, while the prolific zucchini is especially noted for its length. There are many contests for the biggest specimen of these plants where young gardeners can show off the fruits of their labor. At the other extreme are the miniatures - patio or bite size tomatoes, "baby" basketball-sized watermelons, and mini pumpkins that just fit a small hand.

These plants also provide other fun diversions for children in the garden. Some boast nontraditional colors like orange tomatoes and ghostly white or gray pumpkins. Melons, pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers are excellent for "tattoos" or autographs. Just gently scratch your name or a design in the fruit when it is small. As it grows, the "tattoo" or signature will grow and expand with the plant.

The fast-growing sunflower can become a yardstick to compare a child's height with the sunflower's growth. When the sunflower head is just taller than the child, mark his or her height on the stem with a bright ribbon. Watch as the ribbon grows higher and higher as the sunflower eventually towers above the child. Sunflower heads also make interesting autumn decorations and good bird feeders to invite birds to your yard in the autumn and winter.

Every child needs a magical, enchanted place to daydream, imagine, and make-believe. A towering teepee of beans, nasturtiums or any fast-growing, climbing plants provides a perfect child's retreat. A simple frame can be made with six bamboo poles or even broom sticks approximately six feet long. Plant the base firmly in the soil in the shape of a "C." The opening will be the door. Tie together at the top with rope or old nylon hose. Plant beans, nasturtiums, morning glories, or other vining plants at the base of each pole. For an "indoor - outdoor" carpet, plant shade-loving grass seed inside the teepee and you have a shady retreat perfect for picnics, games, tea parties, reading, or even a camouflage fort.

The garden is a dynamic microworld that changes seasonally, daily, and even hourly. Simple activities from the "good old days" like a garden scavenger hunt, fashioning flower dolls from hollyhock blossoms, crafting miniature boats from pea pods, or making seed collages and pressing flowers can encourage creativity and pass the summer hours while making pleasant memories for the future.

A Garden for Children - Any Age

A Movable Garden that contains all your child's favorites. Gardening is not just for adults - in fact, children love getting down in the dirt, digging, giggling, and just feeling the warm earth. Having their own very special garden is a great way to get little gardeners started, older children adding their favorites, and adults watching, enjoying and learning as well.

Turn a wagon into a garden patch and other great gardening ideas.

If you have an old "red" wagon, sand box, or toy box, simply drill some holes in the bottom for drainage. Fill with good potting soil either bought or from your own garden. If it has wheels - all the better. If not, maybe adding some is not too difficult. This way the "moving garden" can go where the sun is, stay out of the thunderstorms, and be a focal point wherever your young landscaper thinks is appropriate. Make sure that the soil is kept damp. Not too much water and don't let it dry out either.

What to plant: bedding plants are interesting because they are quick growing and filled with blooms, but miniature sunflowers, and marigolds as well as pansies and other fast-growing flowers will do the trick. Even put in some "veggies". Cherry tomatoes, green peppers, bush string beans, and other good things to eat that your child can watch and enjoy. Herbs work too, such as parsley, chervil, etc.

How about a salad wagon? No, not at your local deli - right there in your yard, on your patio, or porch or even on your balcony. Fill with tomatoes, lettuce of different varieties, radishes, onions, and even a cucumber or two. Just enought to fill the wagon and then let your "gardener" get the salad for mealtime. Now that's a great way to get them to enjoy a healthy salad - they grew it, believe me they will eat it.

Whatever "type" of movable garden you help your child create, it's fun, not a lot of work, and kids get to watch things grow and even harvest them. Just don't plant anything that could be dangerous to inquisitive youngsters, like hot peppers. Spend a little time in the garden with your family - you won't regret it. ENJOY! ©Arleen M. Kaptur 2003 April

Gardening for Kids

Children are continually bombarded with advertising for fast food and unhealthy treats. One of the most important lessons you can teach them is how to tend and grow their own food from the garden.

There are plenty of quick and easy projects that the children can get involved in. The projects will teach them about nutrition, nature, recycling and organic gardening. That's a good outcome!

The no dig garden is a particularly good project for children because the garden can be built and planted in just a couple of hours. You do not have to prepare the garden for weeks in advance, as with other growing methods. There are detailed instructions for building a no dig garden on my website (www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com). If a full on garden seems too ambitious at the start, try something simpler.

 

Growing bean shoots is the quickest way to grow edible things. In just a few days, the kids will be able to pop fresh bean shoots in a salad or sandwich or just eat them as they come. This will also work with alfalfa, cress and snow pea seeds. Put the seeds into a clean, wide mouth jar and place a mesh material over the mouth. It must be a material that water and air can pass through, but not the seeds. A bit of discarded pantyhose secured with a rubber band will do. Soak the seeds overnight in water. Next morning, drain the excess water and place the jar on its side in a bright room, near a window. A couple of times a day, re-wet the seeds, drain and return to the bright space. The seeds will sprout and grow very quickly and within a few days will be ready to eat.   To propagate your own garden seedlings build this portable greenhouse! Wash a 2Lt plastic bottle (soft drink or soda water type) and using a knife or sharp scissors, cut it in half along one side. Force it open and fill one side with good quality potting mix. Plant your seeds and water gently. A very light mixture of water and liquid fertilizer will kick start the seeds. Close the bottle back up and seal with tape. Place the bottle in a sunny position. Your seedlings should be well on their way and ready for repotting in 2-4 weeks.   Do you know very young children? Introduce them to Hairy Harry! Take one of those pairless socks every household has and sew on some eyes and other facial features. Put some lawn seed in the sock end and fill with garden soil, potting mix or compost. Fill the sock until the face is filled out and tie a knot in the sock, making sure the mix inside is packed tightly. Water the sock regularly, or prop it on top of a container with water. The loose end of the sock will act as a wick to draw up the moisture. Place in a sunny position. In a couple of days, Harry will have a full head of green hair! In a couple of weeks, he will be ready for a hair cut or styling makeover!   Children love eating things fresh from a garden. For convenience, you might want to plant close to the kitchen where the children can harvest items under your watchful eye. So consider doing quick growing plants in containers. Cress, radishes and lettuce will be ready the quickest in 6-8 weeks. Next in line are dwarf beans, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes and onion which will be ready in 8-12 weeks. Most others, including the popular carrots and potatoes will need 16-20 weeks to mature. You could be harvesting from this little garden for months! Encourage your children to nurture their little garden, which ever project you choose. It's a great way to teach them practical skills and fill them forever with the wonder of nature.   About the Author Judy Williams (www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com

Science can be fun

The learning process in children happens through play. During play the world is not so threatening. Kids feel safe, secure and capable. They explore on their own. There is an old Chinese saying: I hear and I forget. I see and I remember I do and I understand. Information and knowledge gained from hands- on activities and self discovery remains in the long term memory.

There is no need for a special place or equipment for teaching science to kids. Most of the materials and equipment needed can be obtained in home, school, grocery store or local hardware store. Science activity can be carried out with a single kid or group of kids. It can be carried out whenever you want or wherever you want. For example when there is nothing to do and kids are bored. When the weather outside is not friendly. It can be carried out in the kitchen, in the garden, nature hikes, beach trips etc..

Science experiments in our house started in the kitchen. One day when I was baking cookies, my kids were helping. Curious as usual, they started asking questions. "Why do we add sugar?" "Why do we add eggs?" "Why do we have to add baking powder?" At that moment a bulb lighted in my head. We made some cookies without baking powder and compared. This became a hobby. We started experimenting with lot of things, sometimes purely on impulses. But we sure enjoyed that time. Some examples that quickly come to mind are: a) one day when we were folding laundry, some clothes had static. They made small cracking noises and stuck. We had fun learning and experimenting with lot of other things that produce static electricity. b) When we had gone to the beach we started talking about the sea/ocean water being salty and how salt is extracted from the sea water. Kids brought some sea water back home and placed it in sunlight in a shallow tray. In 2-3 days the water evaporated and they collected the salt crystals. The satisfaction in self discovery is incomparable. Without any prompting from me kids also experimented if saltwater freezes faster or tap water.

Looking at their interest, pretty soon me and my friend got together and started doing planned experiments with our children in a group setting. Kids enjoyed them and looked forward to the experiment days. Volcanoes and slimes were a lot of fun. When we did an experiment on coloring daisies, (white daisies if placed in colored water, pick up that color. In a few hours their petals start showing the color in the water) it did not end there. Pretty soon more flowers got experimented on and then came the question "Why some flowers pick up colors faster than the others?" One day while we were weeding in the garden we had an amusing finding. There were lots of Lady Bugs on one particular type of weed. That led us to the information on how and why certain bugs favor certain plants or animals. Similarly different kinds of rocks found in the garden piqued kids interest and we ended up doing a project on rocks.

I was happy to see that I had achieved what I was aiming for: 1) Questioning of observed events leading to finding information. 2) Promotion of independent thinking and reasoning process in the versatile young minds.

This first step "Science is fun" can be followed by the next more exciting step, where kids learn that "Science is also an adventure and challenge." It often requires some detective work and it requires learning of a methodical step by step approach to solve problems. This approach is called "The scientific method." The steps in a scientific method can be roughly outlined as follows. 1) If you have to solve a problem start by collecting data. Read books, talk to people, and make observations. 2) Brainstorm- Spend time looking over and understanding the information collected. Have discussions if you are working in a team. 3) Make predictions. 4) Design and carry out experiments. 5) Analyze your results and derive conclusions.

It is a lot more fun to do these activities in a group or as a team. Parents or friends can be very good companions. As kids grow up participation in "science fairs" can also bring a good learning experience. So parents get involved with your kids science activities and share with them the excitement of being a scientist and an explorer. Kids will know that science can be fun. Once they get interested they will keep thinking, investigating and inventing for ever.