PTEssex_North_i101_Opt

S pr ing
Gardening
For Kids
Now that spring is here it’s a great time to think about
getting the family outdoors. One way to get the kids active
is to get them to help out in the garden.
WHY CHOOSE GARDENING?
Gardening is a healthy activity you
can get the whole family involved
in. While the children will relish
the opportunity to get covered in
mud, there are also some valuable
learning opportunities to be had.
They will learn patience whilst
waiting for their seeds or plants
to grow; responsibility as they
learn to care for their garden and
nurture what they have planted. It
also teaches them an awareness
of where food comes from. Even
very small children will appreciate
how some of the food that they
enjoy eating can actually be
grown in their back garden! They
may also notice how different
home-grown vegetable can look
and taste
compared to the often mass
produced and chemically treated
supermarket varieties.
There is also the benefit of the
fact that the children are oblivious
of how much physical effort they
are putting into their tasks, as well
as a reduction in screen time!
Children who are involved in
outdoor tasks such as gardening
have a better environmental
awareness and understanding of
the part that science plays in the
workings of nature.
There is nothing better than
tasting something that you have
grown yourself. It’s a great way to
encourage children to try out new
fruits and vegetables too.
HOW TO GET KIDS
INVOLVED
Working in the garden gives
children the chance to learn how
to care for something over time
and allows them to observe the
cycle of life first hand.
Remember to keep things simple
and fun – they may not want to be
involved in the more boring and
menial, although still essential,
tasks at first.
Make sure the tasks or activities
are age appropriate – younger
children can help plant seeds, pull
out weeds, watering and feeding;
older children may like to get
involved in planning the layout of
the garden. It’s also a good
idea to get the children
their own tools. This will
allow them to manage
the jobs better and
therefore enjoy
them better. Small
hands using small
tools also means
that it’s less likely
for accidents to
happen! Don’t forget
the junior gardening gloves too!
Give kids their own space in the
garden, or their own selection of
pots to look after. They will relish
the opportunity and it will give
them a sense of pride in their
work.
EASY PLANTS TO GROW
Children tend to like bright
colourful flowers and vegetables
that grow quickly.
THE SUNFLOWER is a must for
any kid’s garden. Sunflowers
sprout in just 1 week, become
a small seedling in 2 week
and should be 2 foot tall in a
month. In 8 weeks the buds will
flower. These are perfect plants
for beginners as they can see
changes almost every day.
CHERRY TOMATOES are a fun
crop for kids to try. Use seedlings
and plant in full sun. The growing
season is between 50 and 75
days.
SNOW PEAS are another quick
growing crop and fun for kids to
eat right off the vine. They prefer
cooler parts of the garden and
take about 10 days to germinate
and will mature in about 60 days.
FUN JOBS FOR KIDS
As well as the usual tasks of
watering, weeding, planting
and feeding there are other fun
activities that children can get
involved in around the garden.
These suggestions might make
hanging out in the garden a bit
more enjoyable as well as keeping
them occupied for a few hours!
PAINTING STONES – to add a
splash of colour to a rockery
garden. The added bonus here
is that the painting can be done
out of doors meaning less mess
inside!
FAIRY GARDEN – these are a
magical space for children to play
with and a lovely addition to any
garden. The real imagination and
magic comes alive when choosing
the small details to place in the
fairy garden. You can use any kind
of container – as big or as small
as you want. However the bigger
the container the more room for
their imagination!
BIRD FEEDERS or NEST BOXES
– by attracting birds to the
garden you have your very own
pest control. It also provides an
opportunity for the kids to study
local wildlife and keep a diary
or log of which birds visit and
how to identify different breeds.
They may notice changes in the
birds depending on the season
and whether they are courting or
nesting.
BUILD A BUG HOTEL – building
one of these can help children
learn about the natural world
around them. A well-constructed
hotel could shelter anything from
hedgehogs to toads, ladybirds to
woodlice. Some bugs like cool,
damp conditions whilst others
prefer the sun although its best
to keep it a good distance away
from any vegetable beds! Any
natural materials you have lying
around can be used; from old
pallets, bricks, pine cones, to old
plant stems, leaves and even old
tiles. In return the bugs will help
control pests and even pollinate
your plants.
COMPOST BIN – composting is
simple, costs very little and is an
excellent way to get kids involved
in recycling. The children will
understand that it’s a really simple
way of helping the environment,
turning the leftovers from your
meals into valuable food for your
garden.
Primary Times, North & Mid Essex • Easter Holiday 2017
11