Fun Idea’s for Children’s Gardening

Should we be trying to get our young involved in gardening? Absolutely!rnMy theory is that if we go back to hunter-gatherer times, our teens and early twenties would have been our prime hunting time. We’d be needed to get meat for the tribe.rnOnce we got old (around 25), we’d be less useful. But, by then, we’d have noticed the change of the seasons and how seeds grow. We’d probably also be minding children who were too young to go out on the hunt.rnSo the very first farmers and gardeners would have been the community elders, making their contribution to sustaining their tribe, with the children at their feet.rnIf I’m right, then the time to garden with children is when they’re young and still close to us. Let the teens get on with their hunting – going out into the huge, dangerous world to find what it is they need.rnThey’ll come back to the gardening when they’re old. By which I mean aged 23, in a rented flat with a window box for herb growing.rnMaking Gardening fun for TiniesrnCompetitions and games are the way forward for keeping the young ones interested!rnHere’s an example. Hide a golden pebble. When the child finds it, they are given a ticket which they exchange for a prize. rnGardening Tools for ChildrenrnToy tools are reasonably pointless. Mini rakes with three prongs don’t get the job done, which means the child doesn’t achieve anything. And then they become discouraged.rnLuckily, you can get lots of great tools that are specifically for kids! They are built to the same specification as adult tools, but they’re smaller and lighter. They’re worth looking at for the older generation too.rnSeeds for ChildrenrnFast-growing seeds are good, because children are impatient and want to see results! But you’ll have to decide between monitoring access to the seeds and letting children discover that digging seeds up means they never flower…rnHelp with WateringrnKids love watering. All you need to do is direct them to the right places and stop them from washing seeds away.rnSmaller, lighter watering cans are good. rnSome Easy and Cheap IdeasrnBuy some old pots and pans from charity shops and let the children play ‘mud kitchens.’ You’ll be amazed at how many hours this will keep them entertained and for many years to come! They love it!rnYoung children love to do things with adults. Spending time with them in the garden when they’re young means they’re more likely to love gardens and gardening later on.rnDon’t be too fussy about your borders. If you’re constantly telling children to mind the flowers, they will grow up thinking that they’re the enemy that need to be controlled and eventually, they’ll lose interest in all things garden.rnWith the summer holidays coming up, what are your best child gardening tips or products?