Why You Should Teach Your Kids to Garden

Stacy teaching her daughter how to garden
I might value these moments with my family in the garden above all others. I truly believe that my kids’ best qualities came from these early experiences of planting together.

Gardening is one of the greatest joys in life at just about any age. Kids and adults alike can enjoy gardening together. The soil does not discriminate; it welcomes everybody! Not only is gardening with kids a fabulous creative outlet, but there are rich rewards, in more ways than one.

If you think starting your garden might be a challenge, let me reassure you that it really isn’t! There’s so many new methods that make gardening with kids in today’s age extremely easy. I like to get the whole family involved when it’s time to start planting, and there’s usually very little resistance. My kids love it, and my husband has always loved it.

Over time, I’ve noticed the positive effects our planting traditions have had on our great big family, especially our kids. I’m very thankful of this great opportunity I have to impart vital knowledge and wisdom on our children, while we all get down and dirty in the fields. Since it’s so close to Earth Day, I thought I’d write out all the reasons I think gardening with kids is a great idea. This is the best way I can think of to celebrate the Earth and all its splendor!

Stacy's daughter carrying harvested veggies

7 Reasons Why You Should Teach Kids to Garden

  1. Playing in the Dirt is Healthy
    Did you know that kids who are allowed to go barefoot and play in the dirt have stronger immune systems than those kids that never get “dirty?” In addition to strengthening the immune system, kids that garden get more exercise.
  2. Growing Healthy Food Means Eating Healthy Food
    You will never again have to beg your kids to eat their vegetables. They will eat their veggies freely because they were part of the growing process. When kids take part in harvesting their sustenance, they want to enjoy the bounty they worked so hard to grow.
  3. Kids Learn Responsibility in a Fun Way
    Kids are naturally curious. Gardening is a fun activity, but there are daily tasks involved in keeping the plants growing smoothly. Plants must be watered and tended to semi-regularly to continue growing, but at the same time there are visual results that manifest pretty quickly that encourage more responsible care-taking.
  4. Kids Become More Confident
    As kids regularly tend to their gardens and grow food for the family, they feel that they helped make a real difference. Sports might teach them that performing well brings glory, but gardening is something totally different. It’s engaging in something that benefits others besides themselves. Confidence is a by-product of providing for oneself and others.
  5. Kids Experience a Connection to the Earth
    Kids who garden will experience the wonders of small seeds grown in the nutrients of the ground that produces amazing food for the table. They are more aware of the environment and therefore take extra measures to care for the land, wildlife, and air quality around them.
  6. Kids Place Value on Real Food
    Kids begin to value the food they eat. It’s not just provided for them; they are a part of it. Kids that garden are more apt to choose nutritious foods than those that have never gardened.
  7. Family Relationships are Deepened
    Kids that garden with their families learn to appreciate the help of those who work alongside them. There is a camaraderie that develops when people are working toward the same goal, not to mention the conversations that take place without technology such as television and cell phones.
Stacy's daughter posing in the garden
Make sure to keep an eye on your kids when they’re working in the garden. They might become so enchanted that they wander off and get lost!

Similar Posts

One Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *