The Importance of Introducing Children to Gardening

It is common to hesitate to allow small children in the garden. Who knows what trouble they might get up to – stepping on plants, throwing dirt, and all sorts of mischief. Gardening, though, is an outstanding creative and skill-building exercise for children. Sure, you'll need to bring all your patience, but for you and your child, it is completely worth it.

Engage the senses

In the garden, a child sees brightly colored flowers and vegetables, touches soft dirt, watches bees and butterflies, and smells the earth and flower blooms. A garden provides non-stop interactivity.

Build responsibility

The survival of a plant depends on consistent care. From planting the seeds to watering every day, the child will see first-hand what happens when they are attentive or neglectful. The reality of cause-and-effect actions are clearly and continuously displayed. A child discovers the importance of reliability and responsibility first-hand.

Encourage curiosity

There is so much going on in a garden, from a seed growing to bees buzzing. The natural world is an incredible place. Nurturing a sense of wonder and curiosity will benefit your child all their life.

Physical activity

Gardening is an incredible way to burn off some energy. Let the child dig, carry water cans, pull weeds (with supervision!), and hoe. Involve the child in the harvest, so they directly see the results of their care and labor.

One of the best ways to engage a child is to set aside a small garden space just for them. This is also a great way to reduce any damage that might occur in your garden! The child will feel special. If you trust them with this, you are demonstrating that you believe in their ability to succeed, and this is a huge confidence booster.