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 delightful combination, but it’s also less expensive than you might think. By using recycled and upcycled materials, you can create a beautiful garden that provides hours of entertainment and education for your children—and it just might encourage them to eat more vegetables too!
Choosing the Perfect Spot for Your Garden
When most people think of vegetable gardens, they envision long rows of plants in a vast, brown patch at the back of a sprawling yard. This image can be intimidating, even for seasoned gardeners. But don’t worry—if you have space for just a container or two, such as a sunny porch, balcony, wide staircase, or even a south-facing window, you’re set. Opt for a sunny spot that can handle a little overenthusiastic watering from excited young gardeners.
Container gardening is especially ideal for kids. It allows children to explore and harvest from all sides without disturbing surrounding plants or compacting soil. Plus, it lets them claim specific plants as their own, fostering a sense of responsibility for their leafy friends. If you have space for a small garden bed and prefer to grow there instead of in containers, keep it no larger than three feet square. For very young children or if the bed is against a wall or fence, make it only two feet deep. This size ensures little arms can reach all plants easily, and raised beds help remind tiny feet to stay off the soil, protecting tender shoots and delicate roots.
Selecting Plants for Success
Plant choices are as unique as the gardeners themselves, but some general rules apply. If you live in a cold northern climate with a short growing season, certain plants won’t thrive no matter how hard you try. Choosing unsuitable vegetables for your climate can lead to frustration for both you and your child. When selecting annual vegetables, research the plant’s needs for space, light, soil conditions, and the days from sowing to harvest.
For the best results and to maximize your child’s enjoyment, pick fast-growing, hardy, drought-tolerant varieties. These sun-loving vegetables often sprout quickly, and their rapid growth is incredibly satisfying for kids. If space is limited, dwarf varieties of many common vegetables are excellent choices since they don’t require large containers or take up much room when fully grown. Popular options include carrots, radishes, lettuce, beans, peas, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers—many of which come in “child-friendly” varieties that are easy to grow and yield quick results.
The best way to know what your kids want to grow is to take them seed shopping. Let them pick and choose with gentle guidance (e.g., “That one takes 120 days to grow, and we don’t have that many sunny days before autumn”). When children select their own seeds, they’re more likely to nurture their plants—and even try the resulting produce. You might just uncover a hidden vegetable enthusiast in your child!
When to Plant Seeds
The ideal time to start planting is in very early spring, before the last frost. Starting early gives your plants a head start and increases the likelihood of a good yield before the growing season ends. However, don’t stress if you don’t plant until late June—many fast-growing varieties can be started from seed even in mid-summer. Starting seeds indoors helps ensure success by allowing better control over temperature, water, and sunlight exposure for fragile seedlings compared to direct sowing in the soil.
In autumn and winter, you can still garden with your kids by creating an indoor vegetable garden. The steps are the same, except you’ll plant in containers indoors. Depending on your location, additional lighting may be necessary since winter sunlight 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. The essentials are a sunny location, good-quality soil, and protection for delicate seedling roots. Cardboard egg cartons make excellent seed starters since they can be planted directly into the garden once the plants grow. Empty toilet paper rolls or small pots made from rolled newspaper are also great alternatives. Yogurt pots and tin cans work for very small plants grown directly in those containers—just poke drainage holes in the bottom—but they’re less ideal for transplanting due to the risk of damaging fragile roots and stems.
Coffee cans and painted buckets make charming container gardens. Broken wicker baskets, plastic storage bins, laundry baskets, and even baby bathtubs are perfect sizes for a kid-friendly garden.
Soil Mixes for Healthy Growth
Most garden centers sell special seed-starting mixes made of peat moss, vermiculite, and fertilizers. These are ready-to-use and convenient but can be pricey. Compressed peat pellets are another easy option—kids love watching them 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 a cost-effective seed-starting mix. Some gardeners substitute sand and natural leaf or grass mulch instead.
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 need compost amendments. Purchasing a sterile, pre-amended seed-starting mix is often safer and more reliable.
Getting Started with Planting
On planting day, choose a spot that can handle a bit of mess. If the weather permits, sow outdoors and move trays or pots inside afterward. Indoors, lay down newspaper on the table and floor to catch dirt and water spills for easy cleanup—everything can go straight into the compost bin when done. 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 make it moist but not soggy.
Keep a damp towel or rag handy for wiping hands and catching spills. Decide which vegetable to plant first and label each container—write directly on it with a permanent marker or create stick-style labels from popsicle sticks or taped paper. Fill containers almost to the top with soil, then let kids poke a small hole with their finger or a pencil for larger seeds. For smaller seeds, sprinkle them on top and cover lightly with more soil. Don’t forget to water gently after planting!
Caring for Your Seedlings
Seedlings need a warm, humid environment until their first leaves appear. Commercial greenhouses with clear plastic tarps are available to retain heat and humidity, or you can make your own using bricks and boards for shelves, covering each pot with a recycled plastic bag or clear food container. Most seedlings take a few days to two weeks to germinate, so keep your seed-starting area set up for several weeks and choose the location wisely.
When watering with young children, use a plant mister instead of a watering can to avoid washing away or drowning tiny seeds. As seedlings grow, ensure the mister’s spray reaches the soil. Check daily (more often in hot weather) to prevent the soil from drying out.
Enjoying the Journey
Some plants will thrive in small containers for a while before needing a larger home, while others outgrow their pots quickly. If gardening indoors, you can transplant into bigger containers anytime. For outdoor plants, gradually acclimate them to the outdoors once the frost danger passes. While it may be tough for perfectionists to watch kids accidentally trample plants or pull seedlings as weeds, it’s all part of the learning process.
By giving children ownership of part of the garden, they’ll become emotionally invested in its success. They’ll be eager workers and excited to eat the vegetables they’ve grown—especially when they discover how much better fresh peas taste straight from the vine compared to canned or frozen ones.
