Written by Lisa Wachtel, Master Gardener since 2018

Image credit: Whole Kids Foundation

What is the right age to inspire a joy of gardening in children? It’s never too soon! Preschool and early elementary aged children love to play that they are farmers and pull weeds, imagine they are the wind and blow the seeds of a dandelion into air, fully experience the warmth of soil and mud on their skin, create wonderful art masterpieces with interesting twigs and bark they find, and of course – dig, dig, dig!

Some gentle reminders are helpful as you first consider working with your own child, grandchild, or perhaps a neighbor’s child in the garden. Young children always need supervision to stay safe playing outside. So rather than thinking you’ll get a lot of adult chores accomplished, it’s more productive to think of child-time in the garden as moments to create memories and play together. But take heart – your investment of time will be creating a new generation of gardeners!

It’s always safety first when working outdoors. Always have children wash their hands after playing outside. If a child insists on bringing their favorite toys outside to play with, wash them before bringing them back inside. Better yet, think about having a separate set of toys that are just for the garden. As preschool children grow into early elementary ages, you can gradually guide your child through simple chores and allow them to take over simple tasks. Remember, as a child, the most exciting outdoor experiences are those that are active play!  Allow time to just feel the breeze and smell the fresh air as you play and garden.

The following are suggestions for age-appropriate garden activities that can be accomplished with inexpensive items, a young child (or a few!), and a willingness to inspire of love of all things that grow!

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My Imagination Garden

Playing and imitating what adults do is a good introduction for young children. Provide a space where young children can safely practice and imitate doing the types of things you do in the garden.

• Place sand or potting soil in a large tub in a shady spot.
• Add a plastic beach shovel and pail to dig.
• Plant and water small rocks as if they were seeds.
• Choose toys that are just for the garden.
• Truck, dinosaur, and fairy gardens are all great fun!

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Wonderful Weeds

Pulling weeds can be a fun task for young children – with adult supervision. To a young child, any type of plant is a new wonder! Demonstrate how to pull it out of the ground, pulling low on the plant, carefully trying to get the roots up along with the entire plant. Now you both have something to study!

• Feel the leaves. Are they smooth, hairy, waxy, or picky?
• Does the plant have a flower, pods, or seeds?
• Blow the seeds into the air and watch them swirl.
• Play a game to find all the same type of weeds.
• Create a weed bouquet or weave a crown to wear.
• When finished, place weeds in your designated spot.

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Budding Nature Artist

Just about any object in nature can be a treasured decoration for a young child. Does a rock glisten and shine in the sun? How about that pretty colored leaf, or the piece of bark in the shape of a dog?

• Encourage your child to hunt for a piece of nature art.
• Tie a string around the art and hang it to blow in the wind.
• Use sidewalk chalk to decorate rocks.
• Place the decorated rocks in special places in the garden.
• Arrange a pile of small rocks in a circle or a heart.
• Create a tower or bridge of rocks and sticks.
• Before long, your entire garden can be decorated!

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Starting the Family Garden

As you are just getting your garden started, your child can help you do the work! By breaking apart the tasks, planting the garden can be a family affair!

• A hand rake can smooth out the soil to prepare the bed for planting seeds.
• Use a popsicle stick to draw out where the seeds will go in the soil.
• Draw a line on the popsicle stick to mark the depth of seeds.
• Count the seeds that go in a hole.
• Mark a line on the popsicle stick how far apart the seeds are placed.
• Gently cover the new seeds with soil.
• Sprinkle water over the new seeds with a child-size can, or partially full adult-sized can.
• Help your child label the seeds by writing the plant name on the popsicle stick, placing the seed packet over it, or drawing a picture.

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My Own Garden

Many adult gardeners were encouraged as a young child by having their own garden. Having some plants that are your child’s own will encourage pride and responsibility. Choose a plant that captures your child’s imagination and plant it in your garden or create a child-sized garden.

• Favorite plants for young children include cherry tomatoes, pumpkin, and sunflowers .
• Large seeds are easier for small hands to handle .
• Help your child describe the seeds:
  • Color – brown, red, spotted?
  • Texture – rough, bumpy, smooth?
  • Shape – round or skinny?
• A clear, plastic cup can become a garden. Watch the seed grow!
• Try planting in an egg carton or an eggshell.
• Just a square foot of garden space is enough for a child’s first garden.

Bug Detective

Grab an empty jar, put some holes in the lid, and you are ready for your first mission. Playing bug detective can provide hours of enjoyment while fostering a life-long respect for all of nature’s creepy crawly and flying creatures. If there is food, water, and shelter, some type of creature will make their home in almost any garden spot. After your mission, always return the animal to its home safely.

• Turn over rocks for pill bugs, also called roly-poly.
• Flowers are the perfect landing pad for pollinators.
• Dig in moist soil to look for worms.
• Grasshoppers jump and fly, so be quick!
• Beetles have hard shells and 3-pairs of legs.
• Dragonflies are excellent mosquito hunters.
• Butterflies are important garden insects but are delicate. It is best to simply observe their beauty.

More ideas to inspire young children in gardening

KidsGardening is a well-recognized non-profit organization that has been providing support for children to enjoy, learn and thrive in gardens since 1982. Their mission is to create opportunities for kids to play, learn and grow through gardening, engaging their natural curiosity and wonder. If you are interested in learning more about how to help foster the next generation to love gardening as much as you do, please check out their extensive resources, curricular ideas, and educational materials at https://kidsgardening.org/.

Reference
Stoecklin, Vicki, L. (2001) Developmentally Appropriate Gardening for Young Children. White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group. US Department of Education, Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), 472 539, PS 030 939.