Kids and Gardening: A Perfect Match for Fun and Learning
Kids and gardening go together like chocolate cake and ice cream. Not only is it a rewarding activity, but it’s also less expensive than you might think. By taking advantage of recycled and upcycled materials, you can create a beautiful garden that provides hours of entertainment and education for your children. Plus, it just might encourage them to eat more vegetables!
Choosing the Perfect Spot for Your Garden
When most people envision vegetable gardens, they picture long rows of plants in a large, brown patch at the back of a sprawling yard. This idea can feel intimidating, even for seasoned gardeners. But don’t worry! Even if you don’t have a big backyard, you can still create a thriving garden. All you need is space for a container or two—think a sunny porch, balcony, wide staircase, or even a south-facing window. Aim for a sunny spot that won’t be harmed by a bit of overenthusiastic watering.
Container gardening is especially ideal for kids. It allows them to explore and harvest from all sides without disturbing surrounding plants or compacting the soil. Plus, they can claim specific plants as their own, fostering a sense of responsibility for their leafy friends.
If you have the space for a traditional garden bed and prefer to grow there instead of in containers, keep the bed small—no more than three feet square. For very young children or if the garden is against a wall or fence, limit the depth to two feet. Little arms can easily reach all the plants in a small bed, and raised beds help remind tiny feet to stay off the soil to avoid damaging tender shoots and delicate roots.
Selecting the Right Plants for Your Climate and Kids
Plant choices are as unique as the gardeners who pick them, but some principles are universal. If you live in a cold northern climate with a short growing season, certain plants won’t thrive no matter how much care you provide. Choosing vegetables unsuited to your climate can lead to frustration for both you and your child.
For annual vegetables, research the plant’s needs in terms of space, light, soil conditions, and the number of days from sowing to harvest. For the best experience, especially for your child’s enjoyment, opt for fast-growing, hardy, and drought-tolerant varieties. These sun-loving vegetables often sprout quickly, and their rapid growth is incredibly satisfying for young gardeners.
Dwarf varieties of common vegetables are excellent choices for small spaces. They don’t require large containers and won’t take up much room when fully grown. Popular options include carrots, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, peas, and cucumbers, many of which come in “child-friendly” varieties that are easy to grow and produce quick results.
The best way to ensure engagement is to take your kids shopping for seeds. Let them pick what they want to grow, offering gentle guidance (e.g., “That one takes 120 days to grow, and we don’t have enough sunny days before autumn”). When children choose their own seeds, they’re far more likely to nurture their plants and even try the resulting produce. You might just uncover a hidden vegetable lover!
When to Plant Seeds for Optimal Growth
The ideal time to plant seeds is in very early spring, before the last frost. Starting early gives plants a head start and increases the likelihood of a good yield before the growing season ends. However, don’t stress if you can’t plant until late June—there are plenty of fast-growing varieties that can be started from seed even in mid-summer.
Starting seeds indoors can boost success rates, as you can control temperature, water, and sunlight exposure more effectively than planting directly in the soil. In autumn and winter, you can continue gardening with your kids by setting up an indoor vegetable garden. The steps are the same, except you’ll need containers and, depending on your location, additional lighting. The winter sun is often too weak for most plants, even on the sunniest windowsill.
Creative Containers for Starting Seeds Indoors
What do you need to start seeds successfully indoors? While garden centers offer stacks of seed-starting trays with peat pots or compressed pellets, you don’t need fancy supplies to get started. The essentials are a sunny location, good-quality soil, and protection for the delicate root systems of your seedlings.
Cardboard egg cartons are fantastic seed starters because you can plant them directly into the garden once the plants grow a bit. Empty toilet paper rolls and small pots made from rolled newspaper are also great alternatives. Yogurt pots and tin cans work well for starting small plants you intend to grow in those containers (just poke drainage holes in the bottom), but they’re less ideal for plants that will be transplanted, as kids often damage fragile roots and stems during the process.
For container gardens, coffee cans and painted buckets make lovely options. Broken wicker baskets, plastic storage bins, laundry baskets, and even baby bathtubs are perfect sizes for a kid-friendly garden.
Soil Mixes for Healthy Seedlings
Most garden centers carry special seed-starting mixes made of peat moss, vermiculite, and other fertilizers. These mixes are ready to use and convenient but can be pricey. Compressed peat pellets are another easy option—kids love watching the discs expand when soaked in water—but they require regular watering to prevent drying out.
If you prefer a DIY approach, mix equal parts topsoil, compost, peat moss, and vermiculite for an affordable seed-starting mix. Some gardeners also add a bit of sand and natural leaf or grass mulch. While you can use existing yard soil, it may contain insects, weeds, or diseases that can harm tender seedlings. It might also lack nutrients and require compost amendments. Purchasing sterile, pre-amended seed-starting mix is often a safer bet.
Getting Started with Planting
On planting day, pick a spot that can handle a little mess. If the weather is nice, sow seeds outdoors and move trays or pots inside afterward. Indoors, lay down newspaper on the kitchen table and floor to catch dirt and water spills—cleanup is a breeze, and the mess can go straight into the compost bin.
Wear an apron and give each child a large spoon or child-sized trowel. Set out seed packets, pots, and a small watering can or jug they can lift independently. Fill a large mixing bowl with your soil mix, lightly water it, and mix well to ensure it’s moist but not soggy. Keep a damp kitchen towel or rag handy for wiping hands and catching spills.
Choose which vegetable to plant first and label each container. Write directly on the container with a permanent marker, or create stick-style labels from popsicle sticks or taped paper. Fill each container almost to the top with soil, then let the kids poke a small hole with their finger or a pencil for larger seeds. For smaller seeds, sprinkle them on top and cover with a thin layer of soil. Don’t forget to water gently after planting!
Providing Tender Loving Care
Seedlings need a warm, humid environment until their first leaves appear. Commercial greenhouses with plastic tarps are available, but you can DIY with bricks and boards for shelves, then cover pots with recycled plastic bags or clear plastic food containers to trap heat and humidity.
Most seedlings take a few days to two weeks to germinate, so plan to keep your seed-starting area in place for several weeks and choose your location wisely. When watering with young children, use a plant mister instead of a watering can to avoid washing away tiny seeds or overwatering. As seedlings grow, ensure the mister’s spray reaches the soil, and check daily (more often in hot weather) to prevent drying out.
Enjoying the Fruits of Your Labor
Some plants will thrive in small containers for a while before needing a larger home, while others outgrow their pots quickly. For indoor container gardens, you can transplant anytime. For outdoor plants, gradually acclimate them once the danger of frost has passed.
As much as it may pain a perfectionist to see kids accidentally trample plants or pull out seedlings mistaking them for weeds, these mishaps are part of the learning process. By giving your children ownership of at least part of the garden, they’re more likely to become emotionally invested in its success. They’ll become willing workers and eager consumers of the vegetables they grow—especially when they discover that fresh peas taste so much better straight from the vine than canned or frozen ones.
