The Great Outdoors Child's Play: How to get your kids into gardening By The Greenhouse People!
Nature's playground
According to research, only 1 in 5 children have a “connection” with ith summer halfnature. So, it’s never been more term just around important to start early and ignite the corner, and a love of the great outdoors. the weather set To get them inspired, why not for a glorious heatwave, gardening plan a trip to one of the UK’s could be the perfect activity to many beautiful gardens one keep your kids occupied without weekend or during the school having to spend much money, holidays? by introducing all members of From taking a leisurely stroll the family to this physically and through the gardens which mentally stimulating hobby. inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of But getting kids interested in evolution at Down House in Kent, gardening is often easier said than exploring the exotic greenhouses done. The Greenhouse People give of Kew Gardens or Edinburgh’s the lowdown on how you can plant Royal Botanic Garden, to enjoying the seed and share your love of a natural play trail at Cliveden gardening with your children… in Buckinghamshire, getting Think big - Start small youngsters out and about is one of the best ways to introduce them to If you’re trying to get your child nature’s delights. or children into gardening, it’s important to start small to make Don't be afraid to make sure their first experience is a a mess positive one. There’s no getting around it, Don’t overwhelm them with children are messy. Gardening can anything that takes a great deal of be a great way to channel their care or a lot of time to grow. Easy flowers which they can grow from messy instincts in a constructive seed include sunflowers, marigolds way, from pulling up weeds to digging holes, it allows them to get or dandelions. their hands dirty…and it doesn’t Naturally, make sure you keep matter! an eye on them to avoid any Buying kids a set of childdisasters, but letting children friendly mini gardening tools can take ownership of looking after make them feel like a bona fide their plant is a great way to teach gardener, while also helping to personal responsibility and boost develop their fi ne motor skills in their confidence. the process.
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Edible delights
As we all know, what we eat can have a major impact on our wellbeing, both for better and for worse. With research finding that 90 percent of UK teenagers don’t eat enough vegetables, it’s important to establish good habits early Introducing your little one to gardening could help them to understand where their food comes from. Start with fruits and vegetables that are relatively easy to care for and require minimum upkeep like peas, radishes, carrots, lettuces and strawberries. If you lack square meters, don’t fret. Try growing plants in containers if you have a small patio or balcony, or even window boxes failing that.
Keep things interesting
Children’s minds tend to wander, especially if they don’t find an activity interesting or stimulating, which could definitely be tricky to manage during lockdown. So, make sure to offer positive reinforcements when they’re doing a good job in the garden. You can even make up games and reward them for completing little tasks, like watering the plants, picking fruit and tidying up after themselves.
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