Children in the Garden

Children are naturally drawn to dirt, dripping water, puddles and colorful flowers. They are intrigued by the transformation of a tiny green seedling to a fruiting tomato plant. Garden spaces encourage exploration and imagination. The lessons a child learns in the garden stays with them for life. It gives them an understanding of the growing process, teaches patience and gives them a tangible reward.

Children do not garden in the same way as adults do. They prefer to dig holes and move the earth around, plant seeds and then uncover them to check on their progress, create mud puddles and miniature streams and hide under a leafy ‘fort’.

Designate a section of your yard or garden where your child can let his or her imagination
go wild. Build a simple teepee using bamboo stakes stuck in the ground and tied at the top. Run some string along and in between the poles and give your child some scarlet runner beans and regular string beans to plant at the base. They will grow quickly creating a perfect
secret hide away. The flowers of the scarlet runner bean are pretty and edible. A small
collection of rocks can become a stone wall. Logs make great seats and a crate becomes a
simple table.

Colorful flowers invite picking. Cosmos, marigold, zinnia, sweet pea, celosia and snapdragons bloom all summer long. They can all hold up to the trampling of little feet and make wonderful pint-sized bouquets.

Letting children grow their own vegetables may just change their eating habits. Peas and cherry tomatoes are a good place to start. If you have the room, watching the progress
from seed to mature pumpkin can be a thing of wonder. Radishes grow very quickly from seed and, though they may not be a child’s favorite food they are lots of fun to pick.

Spending more time in your own back yard can be rewarding as well as entertaining.
Get out the trowels, the buckets and the puddle boots. Move the kiddie pool over towards the garden edge (for cooling off and rinsing off during the hot summer months). Tell your children: "Go play in the garden."