Gardening with Kids: Sowing Seeds of Curiosity and Connection
Whether you have a garden, a small yard, or just a sunny windowsill, gardening with children is a powerful way to connect them with nature, encourage healthy eating, and help them understand where their food really comes from. Here are some ideas to get you and your little ones digging in.
Why Gardening Matters for Kids
In a world of supermarkets and plastic packaging, it’s easy for children to feel detached from the food they eat. Gardening brings them closer to the natural world and teaches valuable lessons about responsibility and the importance of caring for something over time. Watching a seed grow into something they can eat is endlessly rewarding and often leads to a willingness to try new foods!
Simple and Fun Gardening Ideas for Children
1. Make Your Own Cress Heads
These are perfect for little hands and instant gratification!
You’ll need:
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A clean, empty eggshell or small yoghurt pot
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Cotton wool, soil or kitchen roll
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Cress seeds
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Marker pens or googly eyes for decorating
Instructions:
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Draw a face on the shell or pot.
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Fill with damp cotton wool, soil or kitchen roll.
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Sprinkle cress seeds on top.
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Place on a sunny windowsill and keep the cotton wool moist.
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In just a few days, your “hair” will begin to grow!
Kids love cutting the “hair” and eating it in sandwiches or salads.
2. Plant Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are fast-growing, colourful flowers that children love. Even better, they’re edible and can help keep pests away from other plants.
Tips:
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Sow seeds directly into the ground or a pot.
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Choose a sunny spot.
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Water regularly but don’t overdo it.
Encourage kids to try the peppery flowers in salads.
3. Grow Strawberries
Strawberries are a child’s dream crop: sweet, juicy, and fun to harvest.
How to grow:
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Strawberries do well in pots or in the ground.
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Buy strawberry seeds or runners online or at your local garden centre.
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Choose a sunny spot.
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Water regularly and keep an eye out for slugs and birds - both love strawberries as much as kids do!
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As an extra activity, you can ask the children to paint stones to look like strawberries, this may help to keep the birds away from the crop.
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Mulch with straw or leaves to keep fruit clean and dry.
Let the kids help water and check on them daily, it's a wonderful way to build anticipation.
