Photo illustration by Drew Anthony Smith
When Robyn Alvarez of Lutherville moved to a new home recently, she was faced with an unexpected challenge: how to maintain the gardens surrounding the home with her 1-year-old daughter, Sofia, in tow.
“I decided to try sitting her in the garden while I worked,” says Alvarez. “She actually enjoyed just digging holes and getting dirty.”
This is exactly what makes gardening the perfect activity for kids, says Georgia Eacker, Master Gardener coordinator for Howard County.
Aside from appealing to kids’ desire to play in the dirt, gardening also teaches children about the wonders of nature, the caring of living things and the effects we have on our environment, according to KidsGardening.org, a Web site established by the National Gardening Association.
If you are looking for ways to introduce your kids to gardening, check out the following tips:
Read, Research and Plan
Before getting knee-deep in dirt, Tracey Marcantoni, who oversees her Towson neighborhood’s community garden, introduced each of her three children to gardening at the library.
“I would suggest reading child-friendly books together about gardening, like the “Sunflower House” by Eve Bunting, says Marcantoni, adding that the Internet also provides a wealth of information for beginners. (See sidebar.)
She also takes her children along on trips to orchards and garden centers, and involves them in choosing what plants to include in their garden.
“By doing all these things, getting them in the garden just fell into place,” she says.
Start them Young
Although Sofia’s involvement in gardening began out of necessity, Alvarez says she is thankful for the opportunity.
“If I can get her out there with me again this summer I definitely will,” she says. And that shouldn’t be too hard, Sophia loved watching butterflies and picking flowers, says her mom.
Marcantoni took her daughter to a garden center when she was 3 to pick out her very own pansy to plant.
“She would check on that pansy every day,” says Marcantoni. “It really taught her how to take care of a living thing.”
Whether it’s digging holes, scattering seeds or picking flowers, these experiences can spark an interest in gardening that will last a lifetime, says Eacker.
Nine years later, Marcantoni says her daughter still enjoys gardening. Last summer she even designed and planted a heart-shaped flower garden.
Keep Things Simple
“You don’t need a big space to garden,” says Shannon Davis, land manager for the Howard County Conservancy in Woodstock.
In fact, she says, container gardening is a great way to create a small, manageable, child-friendly garden.
“Annuals look beautiful in pots, plus they are cheap and easy to grow,” she says. “Many veggies like tomatoes, peppers, carrots and various herbs also do well in containers.”
KidsGardening.org suggests creating a design of on1-foot squares where kids can plant different things in each one.
“We make use of a 10-foot-by-3-foot area outside of our diningroom window to plant some flowers, lettuce and a tomato plant,” says Marcantoni.
Take Time to Teach
From watching seeds sprout to digging for worms, gardening provides endless learning opportunities for children of all ages. Even schools are jumping on the gardening wagon, says Eacker, who works through the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension to provide gardening programs to schools in Howard County.
But the key to teaching children involves more than just creating a garden, says Eacker. It involves sharing and exploring gardening moments together, she says.
Marcantoni recalls when a rabbit had babies in their community garden a couple of years ago. “The kids learned the importance of respecting nature by not pouncing around in the garden,” she says.
Visiting the garden with your children daily will ensure you won’t miss these experiences, says Davis, who suggests giving kids journals to write about or draw things they see.
Excite their Senses
Gardens can also get your child excited about their senses, from smelling flowers, touching dirt, tasting tomatoes, hearing bees and seeing things grow. But most kids want instant gratification, says Davis.
“I would suggest starting with a mix of seeds and established plants. Choose interesting and colorful quick-growing plants and vegetables,” she says. Davis’ favorites are radishes, lettuce, marigolds, zinnias and herbs.
“Herb gardens are a great way for kids to experience all five senses, especially smell and taste,” says Davis, who recommends planting peppermint and chocolate mint. You’ll be surprised how interested kids are in tasting things they’ve grown themselves, she adds.
“My children love eating carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes right out of the garden,” agrees Marcantoni.
Create Easy Jobs
There are plenty of little jobs for kids to do in the garden, says Davis. But be careful not to turn gardening into a chore.
“It’s a good idea to break up jobs like weeding into 10-minute blocks,” she says. Other jobs, like harvesting and watering are favorites with kids.
Sofia loved picking cherry tomatoes last summer, says Alvarez. “She’d say ‘pick, pick, pick,’ over and over until I’d let her pick one. Then she’d pop it right into her mouth. She has her own watering can to help me water, too.”
Davis, who also runs a children’s gardening club at Cromwell Valley Park in Baltimore, says the kids are motivated to work hard so they can donate food to the Maryland Food Bank. Marcantoni, whose children enjoy picking their zinnias and giving them away, agrees that being able to share the fruits of their labor makes gardening more rewarding for kids.
Make It Fun
Making time for play is the most important aspect of gardening with kids, says Davis. She suggests having fun with sunflowers by planting them in the shape of a square to form a house, or using bamboo to build a teepee for pole beans or morning glories to grow on.
KidsGardening.org also suggests creating secret hide-a-ways, sandpits, meandering pathways and nooks or mazes where kids can hide or explore.
Theme gardens, like a salad table that includes vegetables that go into a salad, are a lot of fun for kids, says Eacker. Other themes include rainbow and pizza gardens.
You can also try experimenting with plants that will attract certain creatures such as butterflies and hummingbirds, says Davis.
Be Safe
A garden is definitely not a childproof environment and children should always be supervised, says Eacker. For starters, she suggests giving children the propersized tools and teaching them how they should be used.
It’s also important to teach children that not everything in the garden is edible, says Davis. For example, while the stalks of a rhubarb plant can be eaten, the leaves are poisonous, she says.
And always supervise children around water, warns KidsGardening.org. While it adds a lot of fun to gardening, even a bucket of water can be dangerous. And as with any outdoor activity, don’t forget to guard against the sun.
Helpful Web Sites
Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden
The Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden’s Web site provides a virtual tour through a real garden featuring 56 inspiring theme gardens and what’s planted in each one.
Kids’ Valley Garden
Kids’ Valley Garden Web site is designed for young gardeners and includes a glossary and step-by-step instructions on growing flowers, veggies, herbs and shrubs.
Hortikids.com
A Web site offering tools, accessories and educational materials for little gardeners.
Kiddiegardens.com
Provides tips on everything from planting the first seed and creating a safe play area for children to container gardens and simple ideas for garden art projects.
KidsGardening.org
Established by the National Gardening Association, the site offers great primers, searchable articles and FAQs, curriculum and a free monthly newsletter.
Gardening books for kids
“Green Thumbs: A Kid’s Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening,” by Laurie Carlson
This guide uses gardening to help children learn about nature with more than 80 well-described activities. Ages 3-9; $12.95
“Growing Vegetable Soup,” by Lois Ehlert
Details the raising of a vegetable garden to make “the best soup ever,” and includes a recipe. Ages 2-7; $7
“How Groundhog’s Garden Grew,” by Lynne Cherry
When Groundhog tries to eat some vegetables out of Squirrel’s garden, he’s taught how to plant his own veggies to share with the entire animal community. Grades K-3; $11.99
“The Tiny Seed,” by Eric Carle
Explains the miracle of a seed as it grows into a giant flower, releasing its seeds and continuing the cycle. Ages 4-8; $7.99
“Tops and Bottoms,” by Janet Stevens
Bear sleeps through every planting season, so conniving Hare makes a deal to work Bear’s land and split the crops in half. Grades Preschool-2; $11.50
Source: Researched from the Internet, National Gardening Association and Amazon.com