It's gardening week at Family Friendly HQ as part of #FamilyFriendlySummers
Encouraging a love of gardening in children is a wonderful thing. There are so many benefits that come with spending time outdoors. It has an affect on a person's sleep, mood and over-all well being. Being close to nature is also a powerful grounding tool for people of all ages.
Some people are naturally drawn to gardening activities. They have green fingers and it comes from a place of passion. The majority of parents, however, struggle to keep indoor plants alive so the garden is a little daunting to say the least. Looking at the garden from your child's perspective is actually a really great place to start.
Here are 10 gardening activities that you can enjoy with your children.
Tidying Up
It doesn't sound very exciting but a tidy garden is a garden you will want to spend time in. If your garden is littered with broken toys and overgrown grass you will no be drawn to spending time out there. A little goes a long way when it comes to a garden clean up. Grab a black bag, dump the rubbish and find a home for all of the toys, bikes and random bits and bobs.
Set Up An Insect Hotel
Insect hotels are a great way to open up the conversation about bugs, bees and everything in between. Insects play an important role in the garden and children will love making a home for them. Here are some ideas for home-made insect hotels.
Watering Can
If you hand a child a watering can it will immediately spark joy. Let them water the grass, the plants or even the wall. There is something so beautifully playful and healing about water.
Get Creative With Planting
A large plain coloured plant pot will not excite your child. Simply changing the object you plant in can have a huge affect on enthusiasm levels. Many parents use old wellington boots, empty play-dough pots and even the empty shell of an egg. Let them add the soil and plant the seeds themselves.
Enjoy Books In The Garden
Taking some activities outside is a powerful way to encourage a love of being in that space. Enjoy some reading time or painting in the garden. Better still, enjoy some children's gardening books out there so you have the ideal backdrop for context.
Do Some Garden Focused Craft Activities
We have an easy peasy home-made bird feeder activity right here. All you need is an empty toilet roll, some peanut butter and bird seed. Children will find it magical to see birds eating from the feeder they made for them.