Stay-at-home orders and grocery shortages sparked an unprecedented surge in home gardening last spring, motivating many families to find joy growing food in their backyards for the first time. One year later, most people are still spending more time at home, and now during summer, gardening remains a safe and fun activity to enjoy with children of any age.
Hands-on lessons
The benefits of gardening with children are endless, according to Hannah Halfhill, education coordinator for Toledo GROWs, a nonprofit which supports the development of community-based gardens in Toledo and the surrounding area. “Taking kids into the garden is the best,” she says. “Especially kids who have not gardened before, because seeing them realize where their food comes from is equally hilarious and rewarding.”
It’s never too early to introduce children to gardening, according to Halfhill. An infant benefits from the fresh air and sunshine, while a two-year-old might appreciate the textures and colors of the plants. A fifth-grader can observe the life cycles and biology of the plants. “So there’s really not an age limit to gardening with kids,” explains Halfhill.
In the garden, she says, kids learn about healthy eating and science while partaking in physical activities. They experience disappointment when the plants don’t grow, and joy when they do. And of course, when things go well, they ultimately get to enjoy sampling the harvest.
Getting started
Halfhill’s biggest piece of advice for families looking to get into gardening? Start small.
“The biggest issue we find when people are starting a garden is that they dream really big,” she says. “That’s fantastic, but if you make it so big that you can’t manage it, eventually you get tired of it. Everything dies, you get discouraged and you may never garden again.” Rather than carving out an acre of land, try starting with some containers or a small raised bed.
Herbs are a good choice for first-time gardeners, Halfhill suggests, because they are resilient and grow easily in pots. Root vegetables such as carrots or beets are another favorite of hers to grow with children because the plants grow mostly underground, so kids are always amazed when they are revealed at harvest time. Themed gardens can also be fun, such as a pizza garden, a salsa garden or a rainbow garden filled with colorful crops.
For older children, it’s important to stay enthusiastic and avoid turning the garden into a chore, Halfhill says. Older kids might even enjoy relating the garden to concepts in popular world-building video games like Minecraft, Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley.
Limited costs
The costs to get started can be minimal. The essentials include containers or wood for a raised bed, a quality topsoil compost mix and seeds. Often people think they need to purchase a variety of tools, but on a budget you can weed the garden easily by hand, and water using a hose or a container.
Normally Toledo GROWs distributes thousands of free seeds to the public at its annual Seed Swap, but the event was cancelled this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, the organization is sharing tip sheets, videos and gardening activity ideas for families in a virtual version of the event through its website and social media.
Visit toledogrows.org for more information, or visit kidsgardening.org for more gardening ideas for children.
