Gardening with the Kids
Most parents are looking for fun activities that involve the whole family. Gardening with your kids is a great way for the whole family to stay active. It also teaches children valuable lessons in natural science and nutrition, while building confidence and having fun. Your kids will love the sense of accomplishment they get as they watch their seeds sprout into seedlings, or pick their first vegetables. Caring for the garden will give them a chance to take responsibility. And kids will be thrilled to eat their very own fruits and vegetables as a party of their healthy diet.
Involve your children in the very earliest stages of your garden ' the planning stage. Include interesting plants, fruits and vegetables that your kids enjoy eating. Plant vegetables that are easy to grow and have a high success rate. Try incorporating interesting structures into the garden, such as growing bean, gourd or cucumber vines on teepees made out of poles lashed together. Plan an imaginative scarecrow for your garden that the kids can dress and decorate.
Give children guidance in the garden by showing them how to care for and water plants, and build their confidence by giving them their own responsibilities. Remember that kids want gardening to be fun, too. They will want to dig, explore and discover in the garden. Kids love to get dirty!
Safety is always an important issue for family activities, and gardening is no exception. Here are some safety tips for gardening with kids:
- Keep chemicals away from kids. The best way to garden with children is naturally, without any chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.
- Provide kids with their own 'kid-sized' tools to work with
- Watch young children around water sources
- Know your plants and avoid any poisonous plants. Also watch for any potential allergic reactions
- Work with your children in the garden. Supervision and working together makes gardening a much more special family activity
- Dress children appropriately to protect against sun exposure and heat
Gardening is also a great way to teach your children about health and nutrition. They will learn that the delicious fruits or vegetables that they have helped to grow are full of vitamins and minerals that help keep them strong and healthy. Of course, healthy eating habits started at a young age are beneficial to everyone.
Being active in the garden and eating a diet filled with nutritious garden produce is something that will benefit the whole family. Gardening together is a great alternative to indoor activities like watching TV or playing video games. Children will love being outdoors, and will take pride in growing their own foods to share with friends and family.
About the Author:
Gardening can help boost your mood and your health. Gardening is also a great way to lose weight, so get out there and enjoy the outdoors.
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